A new card game is turning farming into competitive and educational entertainment.

Crop Cycle by Convergent Games is a new two- to five-person card game that encourages participants to get into the agricultural spirit by attempting to plant and protect crops until harvest, while playing event cards to mess up opponents.

According to the rules, the game starts with each player "planting" a crop card so the game can move into its planting phase. Then players dole out utility cards, which can do anything from fertilize crops (increase a player's points), to wipe out an opponent's crop with insects or disease. After that, the games moves into its harvest phase, and the first player to reach five harvest points wins.

Game creator Trevor Lehmann says he grew up around farming, and while he's not a farmer himself, he wanted to create something that truly showcased Prairie farming.                          

"It's a big part of what the Prairies are. You know, a significant portion of our economy is agriculture, and it's something that, growing up in the city myself, I know that it's very easy to become disconnected from," he says. "I'm not saying my game will teach you how be a farmer, but it will introduce you to the concepts and maybe strike a bit of interest in going out and talking to farmers, and getting more involved in our ag community."

From the reaction he's received, Lehmann says it's a game anyone can get into.

"I did a number of game conventions where there were people from the whole spectrum -- there were some who literally came from the farm to the game conventions, but there were definitely some who have never worked in farming, their family has never worked in farm, and have never heard much of it, but (when they play), they're jumping up and down going, 'I got it! I got your flax!'" Lehmann says. "Everyone gets into the spirit."

Crop Cycle is available at several retailers in Winnipeg, which are listed in full on the Convergent Games website, but Lehmann will also be at the Manitoba Stampede, showcasing the game in the trade show section. He adds he will be in Austin next weekend during the Manitoba Thresherman's Reunion and Stampede on the Saturday and Sunday. Lehmann says $5 from very game sale at the event will go toward Harvesting Hope with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.