Harvest crew

[Farmer Jon]

Some of you know my boss had a stroke a few weeks ago. Because of that harvest is going slow. With Dr visits and another overnight in the hospital. Along with an upcoming surgery. we lost out on several good days of running.

The neighbors got together and came yesterday to get our beans done. We had 8 combines and 4 grain carts. A dozen or more trucks and more man power than jobs.
They do this all the time when someone is sick or hurt. I just never thought we would need help. Its humbling and heart warming. Now if mother nature would have cooperated that would have been better. It was in the 30s today with 50 mph gusts. We had about 500 acres or so to go.

 

[GotGarlic]

Some of you know my boss had a stroke a few weeks ago. Because of that harvest is going slow. With Dr visits and another overnight in the hospital. Along with an upcoming surgery. we lost out on several good days of running.

The neighbors got together and came yesterday to get our beans done. We had 8 combines and 4 grain carts. A dozen or more trucks and more man power than jobs.
They do this all the time when someone is sick or hurt. I just never thought we would need help. Its humbling and heart warming. Now if mother nature would have cooperated that would have been better. It was in the 30s today with 50 mph gusts. We had about 500 acres or so to go.

It's wonderful to see your neighbors pull together like that. Hope your boss is doing well.

 

[Addie]

You know, all that doesn't surprise me. That's what neighbors do. They answer the call whenever it goes out. All they ask is that if they ever need you, the favor will be returned in kind.

Just make sure they are all fed good.

 

[Farmer Jon]

The local co-op we do a lot of business with brought everyone lunch.

 

[Just Cooking]

People helping people is pretty darn cool...

Ross

 

[buckytom]

Thank you for posting this, Jon. Not only is this fascinating to me as your life is so different from my own, but it's great to hear a story about people being good to each other.
Working in the constant stream of horrible news and even worse politics, where everyone is at each other's throats, this definitely brightened up another long day at work for me. So again, thanks.

 

[Katie H]

Thanks for posting this, Jon.

This is what happens here often. A few years ago a dear friend's husband was killed as he was delivering a load of soy beans to the the local storage facility. He'd just begun clearing all his fields and his death created quite a challenge for his wife.

As in the instance you related, Sara's neighbors and community friends came together to get everything in for her. It was bad enough to grieve the sudden death of her husband, much less wonder how all the harvesting would get done.

A similar thing happened quite a few years ago to someone who lived near me and I recall a local news report showing a group of farmers with their combines, 6 abreast, clearing a friend's fields. It was impressive and brought tears to my eyes.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks, Jon. That's a story worth retelling.

 

[RPCookin]

That's how things work out here in farm country. When someone has trouble through no fault of his own, the community pitches in to get things working again.

The town hall keeps a list of local people who have volunteered to help with utility payments, usually anonymously, and that keeps deserving folks set up with LP gas and keeps the electricity on when things get real tight during those long winter months. We never want to be acknowledged when we do that for someone... it's enough that they get to make it through until they get back on their feet. These people are not welfare freeloaders, but hard working neighbors who are just on a run of bad luck.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks for sharing this Jon, and also Katie and Rick for your stories. I agree with Bucky, there are still some true character values among people who are never seen on the TV news.

 

[blissful]

Thank you for posting this, Jon. Not only is this fascinating to me as your life is so different from my own, but it's great to hear a story about people being good to each other.
Working in the constant stream of horrible news and even worse politics, where everyone is at each other's throats, this definitely brightened up another long day at work for me. So again, thanks.

Yep. +1

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Wonderful news, thanks Jon! I remember when my Uncle lost his dairy herd and the community support was almost overwhelming. Helped him and my Aunt get back on their feet.

 

[Cheryl J]

Jon, I hope your boss's health improves. Thank you for sharing. Loved the pictures and the stories here of community coming together to help out someone in need. Very uplifting, especially in today's world.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Another "thanks,Jon" for that positive story. I bet all of those folks who came out to help were very glad for all of the times that you and your coworkers probably helped others in need. I hope your boss is feeling better soon. Nice to hear that this happens lots of other places, as mentioned by Katie, Rick, and PF. Good is everywhere, but sometimes you need it to hit you over the head to appreciate it.

...Working in the constant stream of horrible news and even worse politics, where everyone is at each other's throats, this definitely brightened up another long day at work for me...

"If it bleeds, it leads" has never been more true than in today's news cycle. Besides that, every newscast has to start with "Breaking News" because, you know, you might have missed that story over the last couple of days...

...there are still some true character values among people who are never seen on the TV news.

One of the local stations (Number "5" on the display) runs a segment called "Five for Good". They tell stories about a special way someone or some group goes out of their way to help another ordinary person or group. Heart-warming news, to be sure. I must admit that all of the local stations do a good job of bringing a story like that to the news each night.

Our neighborhood might be "city", but everyone around here does what they can to help each other out even in simple ways. Being neighborly has gone out of style so many places. I'm glad so many of us live where helping each other is more the norm than the exception.

 

[Addie]

Wonderful news, thanks Jon! I remember when my Uncle lost his dairy herd and the community support was almost overwhelming. Helped him and my Aunt get back on their feet.

Having worked with 4-H kids, I honestly believe it all starts with them. They see their parents reach out to their neighbors in need and pitch right in with them. No questions asked. When I had a kid whose horse had colic, the other kids pitched in taking turns walking the horse back and forth all night until the vet could get there. No one had to ask. The just did it. It is what their parents would have done. And it is what they do. When you grow up on a farm, or even live on one regardless of your age, you reach out to your neighbor in need.
Very happy for you Jon.

 

[Kayelle]

Sadly, we don't have a local news station in these parts. All of our broadcast news come out Los Angeles and like I've often said, LA is 60miles south and a whole world away. There's lots of good news about people helping others here. I'm sitting next to a person who does more for others than anyone I've ever known, and by the way Addie, he wasn't raised on a farm.

 

[GotGarlic]

Sadly, we don't have a local news station in these parts. All of our broadcast news come out Los Angeles and like I've often said, LA is 60miles south and a whole world away. There's lots of good news about people helping others here. I'm sitting next to a person who does more for others than anyone I've ever known, and by the way Addie, he wasn't raised on a farm.

[emoji813] It sure doesn't take being from or raised in a rural area to care about and help other people. We live in a city with a large percentage of children eligible for free breakfast and lunch. When DH was a soccer coach, it was not unusual for him to buy a meal for a player who needed something to eat before practice or a game. When a hurricane, or even just a nor'easter, hits, people here help each other remove tree limbs and other debris. It doesn't make the national news, but this kind of thing happens all over the country all the time.

 

[buckytom]

Please, let's not downplay Farmer Jon's post about his experience that he shared, or make it seem like no big deal, that it happens all of the time.

It may happen more frequently than some folks realize, but it is still worthy of note, each time.

In the midst of news story after news story of depressing events, it was a pleasant addition to read.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Please, let's not downplay Farmer Jon's post about his experience that he shared, or make it seem like no big deal, that it happens all of the time.

It may happen more frequently than some folks realize, but it is still worthy of note, each time.

In the midst of news story after news story of depressing events, it was a pleasant addition to read.

+1

 

[GotGarlic]

Please, let's not downplay Farmer Jon's post about his experience that he shared, or make it seem like no big deal, that it happens all of the time.

It may happen more frequently than some folks realize, but it is still worthy of note, each time.

In the midst of news story after news story of depressing events, it was a pleasant addition to read.

Since these kinds of things happen more frequently than people realize, and they're worthy of note each time, then reading more of these stories amplifies Jon's experience rather than downplaying it. They're all special.