For the second year in a row, rural Olds resident and musician Dustin Farr and his wife Jody are organizing a produce food drive.
The event, called the Rural Roots Harvest Food Drive, will be held in conjunction with the Olds Farmer's Market Sept. 20 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Cow Palace.
During that time, Olds residents are encourged to bring produce to the market which will then be donated to the Mountain View Food Bank. Or, people can simply buy produce at the food market and donate it to the food bank.
Farr, a well-known local country musician, plans to perform during most -- if not all -- of the event.
He and Jody undertook the same drive last year as part of a contest in conjunction with a Calgary radio station designed to spur the international careers of emerging Alberta artists.
Each contestant had to come up with a project for charity. The Farrs chose to raise money for the Calgary Food Bank.
"This year I'm not in it (the contest), but we decided to continue it because we actually really like how it all turned out and just realized that there's a lot of people who don't (know) that food banks actually take fresh produce," Farr says.
"We're wanting to do it again and continue it from last year from what we started. We're just kind of doing it all on our own this year and that's why we're getting some help from the local farmers market and stuff like that -- to help promote our event," he adds.
"(It's) kind of a really win-win for both parties," Farr says. "It's going to bring people in to meet those vendors. It might bring some more food into the food bank, and just kind of everybody wins that way."
Normally, the Mountain View Food Bank is only open on Tuesdays, but Farr says he's arranged for them to take the produce donations Thursday night, right after the farmers market closes.
"They're actually going to open up the food bank for us that night so I can take those donations directly over there from the farmers market. Then we don't get any spoilage or anything and they will utilize them in the food hampers following the food drive," Farr says.
The Farrs are doing a similar event Sept. 19 in Airdrie as well.
"It's kind of just a way that we can give back to the communities that have supported me in my pursuits of music," Farr says.
Olds Farmer's Market volunteer market manager Donna Smith loves the idea of the food drive.
"It'll add to our farmers market to have him here. We'll see how this goes. I'm excited about it, actually.
She calls it a win-win for everybody and she's hopeful it will become an annual event.
"I think it's a very good idea."
In fact, Smith says she and Farr have had initial discussions about doing a produce drive again during the Olds Regional Exhibition's Christmas market.
"Whatever he can do for us is what we'll do."
Representatives of the Mountain View Food Bank could not be reached for comment at press time.
