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Schoonjans named Outstanding Farmer by Soil and Crop Association

February 3, 2022

The man behind a sunflower patch in Plympton-Wyoming which raised awareness about childhood cancer and money for families seeking treatment has been named the Outstanding Farmer by the the Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association.

Brian Schoonjans has been given the 2020 award.

Schoonjans was born and raised in Plympton-Wyoming on a farrow to finish pig farm and now owns his own 150 farm where he grows corn, soybeans and wheat as well as the occasional oats for his goats or for cover crop.

But it was Schoonjans patch of sunflowers that has perhaps garnered the most attention. Miracle Max’s Minions was a tribute to Max Rombouts who died of cancer at a young age. Thousands of people have visited the patch and close to $140,000 was raised for ChildCan which provides funding for pediatric cancer and help for families who are in the middle of a cancer battle.

The news release announcing the honour says Schoonjans has become “a very strong farmer’s voice within Lambton County and beyond.”

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