GREENSBURG, Ind. – A 35-acre soybean field near Greensburg had a multipurpose role this year – to help feed the hungry, to teach the community about row crop faming and to promote agriculture in Decatur County.

The field, provided by S & G Farms, was a part of the Farmers Feeding the Flock fundraiser. Members of the community, businesses and organizations paid to sponsor acreage in the field. The money is used by the Greensburg Community Bread of Life, Inc., for its soup kitchen. Bread of Life is a faith-based ministry; the soup kitchen was founded in 2002.

Monetary donations this year totaled $34,634 and the soybean crop was sold for $15,289, said Merrill Smith, a volunteer and chairman of Farmers Feeding the Flock. After expenses, the program saw a profit of slightly more than $48,000. Last year’s profit was just more than $40,000; it was more than $20,000 two years ago.

“Donations have gone up because the community has really gotten behind the project,” he explained. “They also feel like they’re promoting agriculture.”

Monetary donations come from the public plus from businesses and organizations, Smith said. Agribusinesses provided seed (S & G Seeds), fertilizer (KOVA Inc.), weed control chemicals (Premier Ag) and diesel fuel (Premier Energy).

Bread of Life served more than 29,000 meals to 1,202 people last year, Smith said. Money from the fundraiser is used to pay a part-time staff of five, for utilities and other expenses, and occasionally to purchase food. Much of the food used by the soup kitchen is donated. The soup kitchen doesn’t use any tax dollars, he said.

The idea for Farmers Feeding the Flock came from a similar program in Boone County, Smith noted. He and Melissa Foist, Bread of Life executive director, took the idea to the organization’s board and the board liked it, Smith said. This was the third year for the program.

Teaching the community about farming is an important part of the program, he stated. “Even in rural communities, people, especially younger people, have not been exposed to agriculture like many of us in the older generation. There’s a real void. They don’t know what it costs and the risks of crop farming. We hope this will help them appreciate what farmers do and the risks they have.”

Foist said the project “serves as a reminder that crop farming is a big part of our community and our farmers count on good weather for maximum yields. This is just a part of the millions of dollars invested in the many acres of crops in Decatur County.”

This year’s field was planted in June after wheat planted last fall was harvested. Because it was planted later, yields weren’t quite as good as some earlier planted soybean fields around it, Smith said. The field had yields of 60-62 bushels per acre, while other fields in the area saw 70-80 bushels. The field was harvested in mid-October.

“I’d like to see several communities in Indiana do this,” he said. “If other communities would try this, I think they would find it would be good for them.”

Smith said something he heard at last year’s National FFA Convention in Indianapolis has stuck with him. “A speaker said, ‘God does his best work in communities.’ Our rural communities are a testament to that. It’s been amazing to see the soup kitchen grow. We’re here to help the community.”