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Courtney Weatherburne
"Usually the Spanish Lookout farmers would be harvesting these 40 acres of corn for sale. But today's harvest isn't about short term profit. It's about a long term investment involving urban kids in agriculture."

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
80 kids and their parents poured into Central Farm on Saturday afternoon for the corn harvest. For most of these city kids,

This swathe of corn stalks swaying beneath the lush hills of the west. And these monstrous machines lined side by side like war tanks in a battle, is an unfamiliar scene.

But this visit to Central Farm isn't just a field trip or an exhibit, it's a chance for the kids to learn about harvesting.

Alexander Perez, Director, Harvest for kids
"One of the things that inspired me, growing up in Belize, I grew up without parents and one day I change my whole career from business to children."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Did you have anu idea before coming here about harvesting?"

Cory Moriera, Grace Primary School
"No ma'am. I thought that you would just pick up the corn with your hands. But when I saw the machines I started to get a picture in my mind that they use the machines to deal with the corn."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Nine combines just like this one all at once. It's a symphony of machinery and combustion, but more than just a unified display at machine power, is the only way to harvest 40 acres of corn in just about 45 minutes."

45 minutes of threshing and winnowing as the combines rake the field.

Partially concealed by the stalks, the combines dredge and clear the entire field.

And then the kernels of corn are dumped into these containers. But, what will be done with all this corn?

Alexander Perez, Director, Harvest for kids
"The proceeds will go directly to Belize Camping Experience. So whatever harvest will go for next year summer camps which is really awesome because when you see these crops being lift up off the ground, you know that we are going to have camps for Belize Camping Experience - for all the kids in the city."

Josee Gongora, Belize Camping Experience
"At Belize Camping Experience, we are busy throughout the year. Like right now we are visiting 7 schools; 5 schools in the city and two schools; one in Hattieville and one in Orange Walk. We visit them, we have time with the kids half an hour or more, depending what the principal gives us and during summer time we have the high priorities where we have two months of summer camps with kids in the city and all around. So all the proceeds goes for the kids."

And the kids are definitely making the best out of this experience.

Cory Moriera, Grace Primary School
"It was awesome. I got to ride in the vehicle. I got to see how they deal with corn and stuff and how they harvest. It was great."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Is this your first year here?"

Sofia Nunez, Belize City Resident
"Yes it is."

Courtney Weatherburne
"How is it so far?"

Sofia Nunez, Belize City Resident
"It was awesome. We got to ride the machines and we saw how they break up the corns and stuff."

Joana Colindres, Belize City Resident
"It's important because you have to learn how to do things and it might help you how to do better things in life when you grow older and how to be a farmer."

Lythia Rhaburn, Teacher, Queen Street Baptist School
"As a teacher I want them to take back that you need your environment. You need to harvest, you need to give back and the earth is one thing that you can give back and by doing that the children can learn that they can give back by planting something. It goes a long way."

To make this harvest happen, the farmers had to sacrifice their own fields. But they say it is all worth it.

Richard Penner, Farmer
"It's one way that we can give back to Belize and to show the kids that we care and that's what it's all about. We farmers enjoy doing it. As you saw today all the combine drivers coming out and I could see everyone was excited. Only one of them charged a penny for it and that's what we love to do."

The farmers harvested 40 sacks of corn. If anyone wants to buy a sack or two you can call 621-5141. As you heard, all the proceeds will go to the city kids at Belize Camping Experience. What is different about this harvest is that another 40 acres will be harvested in November but this time it will be 40 acres of Soybean - which they have never planted before.