Farming family on brink of bankruptcy pleads for help

A P.E.I. family is turning to crowd-sourcing to raising money to save their potato farm before its foreclosed by lenders.

The Best Acre Farm has operated in the Tryon area since 1934. The Best family has overcome many crises over the years, including droughts, heavy rain, potato warts and low prices.

But after weathering those storms, the bills have piled up. The family is nowfacing their biggest challenge yet.

Theres not enough money to pay for fuel and hire workers. The machinery is idle. The family cannot afford to harvest the land.

Farmer David Best said its gut wrenching to see the empty fields.

"It feels like someones reaching in and pulling your innards out," he said.

"The first forty years, I couldnt do anything wrong, but things have got tightened down now that the margins are so slim that if you make one slip youre drowned."

Now, with their future uncertain, theyre asking for help.

The family has set up an online fundraising camping using Facebook and Indigogo. Its offering perks including a farm stay or recipes in exchange for donations.

In two days, the family raised $1,400. Its still a long way from their goal of $200,000.

Best said if they cant get enough money to plant a crop in the next few weeks, theyll go under.