Forgotten Harvest has taken on the challenge of feeding Metro Detroit’s hungry people, having supplied millions of meals to them. Thanks to the Oct. 9 machinery donations by Case IH, New Holland Agriculture and Ram Truck, nearly $400,000 worth of equipment is set to aid in the further development of its large-scale farming activities via Forgotten Harvest Farms. Volunteers harvest all of the fruits and vegetables and transport them fresh off the plants for free to groups who also help the hungry in the area.
“In three years of harvesting fresh food from farms ourselves,” said Susan Goodell, Forgotten Harvest’s president & CEO, “we’ve gone from 100,000 pounds of food to 440,000 pounds to an estimated 850,000 pounds this year. One of our greatest barriers to further growth was the lack of equipment to support our staff and volunteers. Today, Ram Truck, Case IH and New Holland have delivered what we need to keep growing our farming operations to feed hungry families in need.”
Forgotten Harvest currently leases 75 acres on which to farm. This was leased by one of its board members and longtime supporter Nora Moroun, to honor the memory of Nora Langan, her grandmother. This month’s contribution will go towards broadening its work at Ore Creek Farm.
To better carry equipment, materials and people, Ram Truck has donated a 2013 Ram 3500 ST Crew Cab Heavy Duty 4×4.
Case IH will aid in the execution of various jobs throughout Forgotten Harvest Farms such as hauling, loading and mowing with its donation of Farmall 125A tractors. In addition, the farm will be even more productive with the use of its new Magnum tractor, also given by Case IH.
Not to be outdone, New Holland donated a heavy-duty S10500 field sprayer, giving dependability and accuracy no matter how rough and uneven the terrain. With its 1,000 gallon capacity the S10500 offers great efficiency. New Holland also gave Forgotten Harvest a Rustler R125 4×4 utility vehicle.
Forgotten Harvest doesn’t just use what is grown at Ore Creek Farm. It also collaborates with government agencies and regional farmers that operate farms to give its volunteers even more fresh food to harvest and distribute to Metro Detroit’s hungry. Starting in 2015, Forgotten Harvest Orchard of Hope in Macomb County, donated by Blake’s Farms, will begin harvesting about 125,000 pounds of apples every year.
Those interested in volunteering with Forgotten Harvest Farms should go to www.forgottenharvest.org/volunteer.
