The Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association along with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority and award sponsor Parkland Farms have present Brian Schoonjans with the 2020 Outstanding Farmer Award.
Schoonjans was born and raised in Plympton-Wyoming on a farrow to finish pig farm.
He studied Agriculture at Ridgetown from 1990-1992 and in 2000, he bought a 150 acre farm on Douglas Line in Plympton-Wyoming.
Schoonjans is growing the three common crops: corn, soybeans and wheat.
Occasionally he will grow oats for his goat herd and for cover crop seed, Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association and SCRA officials say.
Schoonjans has been quite active in the farming and non-farming community.
He participated in Ag in the Classroom for about 20 years and more recently does February classroom visits through Lambton Kent District School Board.
Schoonjans has been involved with the Kaden Brown Foundation and started Pumpkins for Wes as a memorial fund.
The Kaden Brown Foundation is what gave Schoonjans the inspiration for starting Miracle Max’s Minions.
Miracle Max’s Minions started in 2019 shortly after Max Rombouts died of cancer at a very young age. Miracle Max’s Minions started on the rolling hills and valley at Schoonjans’ farm on Douglas line. This is a way for the Rombouts family and the community to remember Max and his smile.
Miracle Max’s Minions is so much more than just planting a sunflower patch and walking away.
It has evolved into a corn maze spelled out as “Miracle Max”, growing Max o Lanterns, donating greenery, and turning sunflowers into S.M.I.L.E Ale at Stonepickers Brewery.
In 2020, Miracle Max’s Minions grew to four sunflower locations with thousands of visitors donating close to $140,000 in one season.
These donations go to organizations like ChildCan.
The donations assist paediatric research and families with children fighting cancer.
Schoonjans has spent months of his time in the past two years with organizing, planting plots, manicuring plots, setting up signs, collecting funds, and talking with the public on his farm and on social media about growing food and sharing the life of Miracle Max.
Schoonjans has done many great things as a tribute to Max Rombouts and has been a very strong farmer’s voice within Lambton County and beyond, Lambton Soil and Crop Improvement Association and SCRA officials added.
