January 25th, 2010 by Jaime Buckley

I am visiting with Lee Bradshaw weekly and watching this incredible project grow by leaps and bounds, but not because of financial donations. No. This project thus far has grown by people being creative and donating their resources, their connections and in some cases, themselves as manpower (or ‘womanpower’).

As a husband and father of 10 (+1), the challenges today’s society throws at us are not always ones we can control. People who are in need are not usually people who refuse to work. In fact, most are hard working, loyal, tax paying, kind individuals and families who have not been able to make enough, or by circumstances, have found themselves in a dire situation. Many times it’s a choice between paying a bill or food on the table and many feel obliged to pay their debts! Think about that!!

I stopped down town Salt Lake City and watched good men, lined up in the early morning frost with bitter winds, just in the hopes of getting a bus pass so they can get to work that day.

We have resources. All of us. From money to food in our back yards, to people we know who are unaware that Care for the Children and it’s harvest projects even exists. I would implore you to tell them about this site. To tell them of the work that has been done, what is being done and what we HOPE to do this year!

Take a moment to tell someone about us. Help us grow our connections with the people of the communities, while Lee Bradshaw and his volunteers make connections with companies and government entities.

The goal is to fill every belly. Please help us do it.
Contact us and give us your ideas and support.

God Bless.
Jaime Buckley

ByHP, challenges, food, From our Friends, help, hope, lee bradshaw, resources, tbyhp

January 15th, 2010 by Lee Bradshaw

This has been a great week for The ByHp. We have been invited by seven City in S.L. County to give presentations for grant money that is available to us. I have two people looking for a building with a walk in refrigerator that we need donated. Both people think they can get one at no cost to us. I secured the pledge of 1000 boxes of Bees today and received a pledge for a 5 acre property with a house for my family, two guest houses, a shop, and two green houses. God is good!

Next week we have more visits with Mayors. A very important appointment with a lady that specializes in valuation’s of non-profits. After our meeting with her I expect my need to be slimmer. Good things are happening. As I said before God is good!

bees, ByHP, mayors, refrigerator, the backyard harvest project

December 8th, 2009 by Lee Bradshaw

I have been asked over and over the last few days: who is The Backyard Harvest Project and who is Care for the Children?

I’ll explain.

The Backyard Harvest Project (ByHP) is a idea that has been bouncing around in my mind for at least eight years now. The idea first manifested itself when I was in the construction field and my friend James Ray and I were siding a house together.  Over the years I have done almost everything in the trades.  We were in a home owners backyard and it was about mid September.  In that backyard were a few fruit trees that, from the looks of it, hadn’t been harvested for years.  Right there we saw ripe beautiful peaches falling to the ground.  I commented that it was very sad to see, and James responded that if I could figure out a way to harvest all the food that went to waste in peoples backyard I would control the biggest orchard in the world.

Now it has never been my intention to corner the market in peaches or any other commodity, but maybe I could help stop some of the waste.

As I said, the idea bounced around, but everyone that I talked to told me that it was too big of an idea or that I needed the “perfect” business plan in place before I did anything.  Well this last spring it was really eating at me that I hadn’t done anything with this idea, when out of the blue a gentleman saw a powerpoint that I had made.  While visiting with me and walking through my families garden, he asked what, if anything, I would do differently in my own garden. Without thinking I said “nothing, I just need more space”.  He invited me to immediately follow me to his home where he showed me three building lots that he owned next to the property he lived on. He asked me “is that enough land?”.   I was speechless.

He donated the land, irrigation, fencing, and the use of his Kubota tractor. A few days later, another gentleman donated 7000 heirloom vegetable plants.

Poof!  The ByHP had grew its own legs.

The next few month were a whirlwind.  The first call I made yielded 1500 lbs. of Bing Cherries and the next one yielded 6500 lbs. of Pie Cherries.  Things happened so fast and without to much effort, put into finding the food or volunteers or families that needed the food.  Over 50,000 lbs. of food had been donated or grown from donated plants, on donated land, watered with donated irrigation.

I have never been so blessed as I have been in these last few months. I  am closer to my children, wife and friends than I ever thought possible.  Yes, financially I have done better in other ventures but I have learned that keeping up with the Jones’ isn’t all it cracked up to be.  Putting others needs first has truly blessed my life and the lives of my family.

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