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Weekly Highlights
Farm Rescue has completed harvest operations for 2011. We are now accepting applications for spring planting assistance from farm families that have experienced a major injury, illness or natural disaster. The families we assisted this year were all very thankful for the assistance they received during an unexpected crisis. You may click on the links below to view a few (of the many) thank you letters that we received at our office this year. One of the letters is a beautiful poem written by Alissa Leier who is standing to the right of the Farm Rescue flag.
Week of October 10 - 16, 2011: This week ending with tears and laughter at the Farm Rescue banquet which was held in Bismarck, North Dakota. It was a wonderful event that included great food, testimonials from assisted farm families, recognition of volunteers, an excellent keynote speaker from Ohio (Hannah Crossen) and a very funny comedian from Minnesota (Maxine Jeffris). It was our best banquet to date! You will not want to miss our next banquet on October 19, 2012. Mark it on your calendars now. People from eight different states were present.
Week of October 3 - 9, 2011: Farm Rescue volunteers were busy harvesting soybeans in Renville, Minnesota and Onida, South Dakota. Both harvest cases were farmers recovering from severe burns. (One electrical and one gasoline.) We welcomed Dale Lamphere from Canajoharie, NY to the harvest team. He has done a great job driving the combines and grain trucks. Dave Sette, Gene Spichke, Lowell Rothmann, Pete Von Bank, Charles Bartsch and Bill Gross were also among the list of volunteers this week.
Week of September 18, 2011: Our Men in Blue were back in the field this week! Wil, a new volunteer from Montana, strengthened our ranks at South Heart. By Saturday, he, Louie and Jay had the durum in the bin.
Meanwhile up north, Charlie and Bill K. moved equipment on Saturday from Kief to Berthold. Farm Rescue will start durum harvest next week for a young farmer that was buried alive when the walls of a water line trench caved in on him. He suffered a broken femur and hip but is very lucky to be alive!
Week of September 11, 2011: Field operations were at a standstill virtually all week. Jack was able to harvest a bit at South Heart on Monday, before weather and crop condition halted activity. He and his family headed back home to Kentucky on Thursday. Have a safe journey!
Week of September 4, 2011: Our Minot-area volunteers wrapped up the harvest at Kief on Monday -- yea!
Monday also brought the arrival of the Limke family of Kentucky. (My how their sweet daughters have grown!) The Limkes and Louie headed to South Heart and began harvesting durum for a family that is dealing with breast cancer. They were able to get in the field Wednesday and Thursday, but had to park the combine the rest of the week due to inclement weather.
Week of August 28, 2011: Gene, Warren, Bill K. and Charlie continue to harvest wheat in spurts at Kief as the grain turns and weather cooperates. As of Saturday, they had just 70 acres left to go. Hang in there, guys!
Week of August 21, 2011: Our Men in Blue put in a very full week with combines running at Kathryn and Kief. Scott (a new volunteer from Missouri) flew in on Sunday night. Come morning, he was in a truck pulling a combine header to Kief. And Pete led the way northward with the combine loaded on the Farm Rescue semi. When they arrived at the farmstead of a farmer who was injured in a motorcycle accident after tangling with a deer, Gene, Bill K. and Warren took over and began the wheat harvest.
Our reliable Andy from Oregon drove in on Monday morning and proceeded straight to the field with Louie. They harvested through Friday night for a farmer at Kathryn who is recovering from torn knee ligaments. Scott joined the dynamic duo as chief truck and grain cart operator on Monday evening. He was forced to eat ice cream every night by Lou (aka Louie). On Friday, Scott flew home and Al was the designated pinch hitter in his stead. Andy also departed for the West on Saturday.
Thank you, Men in Blue! You truly are a blessing.
Week of August 14, 2011: After a six-day rain delay, Farm Rescue volunteers were back in the field on Thursday to harvest almost 900 acres of wheat for a paralyzed farmer from the Jamestown-Spiritwood area. Louie and Dustin kept the combines running through Saturday, until Clarence could knock down the remaining acres on Sunday (August 21.) Great teamwork, fellas!
Week of August 7, 2011: Charlie H. and Bill K. finished the 250-acre wheat harvest at Sisseton on Monday. Meanwhile, Charlie B. and Pete trucked equipment from Pierre, SD, to Jamestown.
On Tuesday morning, Pete revved up the Freightliner and he and Charlie B. headed to Hankinson to transport a second combine to Jamestown. That evening, Charlie B. and Bill K. began harvesting wheat for a farmer that is paralyzed from the chest down. Days before, the farmer fell from a faulty ladder while repairing tin on a pole barn roof.
By the next morning, Dennis & Pete H. - a father and son from Portland, ND, who actively farm - joined Bill K. in the field as Farm Rescue combines rolled through the wheat. Louie arrived on Thursday and stayed the course until rain shut down operations on Friday.
Week of July 31, 2011: RDO Equipment Company trucked a combine to Rosholt, SD, for Farm Rescue, while Tyler pulled the header. On Thursday, good ol' Charlie H. flew solo and harvested a small field for a farmer with a foot injury.
The next day, Charlie and Steve began harvesting a wheat crop at Sisseton, SD. The farmer there was healing from recent back surgery. Much to his dismay, he was under strict doctor's orders not to lift a thing but was glad to watch his crop come in.
Week of July 24, 2011: Busy watching the crops grow.
Week of July 17, 2011: WE ARE BACK IN THE FIELD ALREADY! A little more than two weeks ago, we returned tractors and air seeders to RDO Equipment Co. We were in sit-back-and-watch-the-crops-grow mode when we received a call about a farmer from Pierre, SD. He needed harvest assistance with his winter wheat crop, while recovering from neck surgery after an ATV accident.
Charlie B., Jay and Pete sprung into action and headed to South Dakota on Thursday. They completed harvest in just two days and were treated like kings! (P.S. We think our Men in Blue are royalty, too.)
Weeks of June 12, 19 & 26, 2011: Farm Rescue volunteers moved equipment to Rogers, ND, in an attempt to plant more acreage for a farmer dealing with severe respiratory issues. Untimely rains unfortunately made it impossible to get back in the field, and volunteers returned equipment to RDO Equipment Co. on June 27.
Farm Rescue is thankful to have a very watery spring behind us, and happy to have assisted 17 farm families this spring.
Week of June 5, 2011: Our Men in Blue got little sleep this week as they planted thru the night into the early morning hours at Langdon and Edmore. They seeded a 725-acre wheat crop at Langdon and 350 acres of canola at Edmore. It is nothing short of a miracle given persistent rain.
On Wednesday, Pete and Bill K. moved equipment from Langdon to Glenburn. Today (June 11), Bill K. and Charlie will start seeding the sunflower crop of a family whose daughter underwent surgery at the Mayo Clinic for a brain tumor.
Randy arrived for a second time this spring from the land of Kentucky to work the wheat fields at Edmore with Charlie H. In two days, they sowed 380 acres of wheat and then moved equipment to Edinburg where volunteers are helping an injured farmer who fell from a grain bin.
Thank you Men in Blue for a job well done!
Week of May 29, 2011: Wet fields brought Farm Rescue operations to a virtual halt. A planting attempt was made at Rogers early in the week but quickly aborted.
Jeff and Levi, Farm Rescue volunteers from Minnesota and South Dakota, arrived on Wednesday. They moved one planting unit north to Edmore and started planting canola on Saturday for a farmer who is battling liver, colon and lung cancer. Longtime volunteer Charlie B. also put seed in the ground at Langdon on Saturday for a young farmer who suffered a stroke.
Our goal is to be at cases in Edinburg and Glenburn by early next week if Mother Nature is willing!
Week of May 22, 2011: Founder Bill Gross burned the midnight oil at Wilton on Thursday, racing to beat incoming rain. He planted far into the night for a farmer with a torn bicep tendon. Equipment had been parked earlier in the week, while volunteers waited for the rain to stop. Field conditions are muddy and seeding impossible in many areas of the state.
Sherry Schaefer, owner and editor of Heritage Iron magazine (http://www.heritageiron.com) turned Farm Rescue volunteer equipment operator, was a welcome surprise this week as was volunteer Keith Donahue. Keith is a young man from California who is embarking on a dream to volunteer at a different nonprofit in every state of the union, Canada, Mexico, and D.C. on a four-month trip called "50Give" (http://www.50give.com/). His objective is to encourage more young people to volunteer, and to spread awareness about the nonprofits he serves. He is an inspirational young man with infectious energy, and we are honored that he chose Farm Rescue as his North Dakota leg of the journey.
With the help of the Weavers' work earlier in the week, Charlie was able to finish planting canola at Flaxton for a farmer with pancreatic cancer. Volunteers started moving equipment today (May 27) to Langdon and Rogers. Families there are dealing with a stroke and respiratory issues.
Carry on Men and Women in Blue! The finish line is in sight.
Week of May 15, 2011: Volunteers dodged wet weather conditions all week, but managed to get crops planted for families at Hague, Halliday and Stanley. Jerry from Minneapolis, Steve from Florida, Bruce from New York, and the Weavers from Pennsylvania and Kentucky arrived this week to work alongside our longtime North Dakota volunteers -- Bill K., Gene, Warren and Charlie.
Our Men in Blue put in long hours in the field for which we are most grateful. From time to time, they also share stories of their adventures in blue, including the legend of Big Bud...an enormous, boxlike tractor that roams western North Dakota. Charlie, Bill K., Dave S. and Brian from RDO Equipment Co. will testify to its existence. We think volunteers and volunteer camaraderie are priceless.
Week of May 8, 2011: The breathtaking expanse of western South Dakota seems to miniaturize our huge John Deere tractor and no-till equipment but not the determination of our volunteers to get the crop in the ground at Lemmon.
New volunteers arrived from Arizona (Dave H.) and North Carolina (Raymond) to assist with operations. By Wednesday, our Men in Blue had equipment on North Dakota soil. They left in their wake happy farm families at St. Lawrence, Ipswich, Lemmon and Cavour.
A special thank you goes out to Dave S. for burning the candle at both ends this week. For several days, he flew solo in the tractor seat from 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. It's 12 gold stars for you, Dave, and a whole lot of gratitude!
Dave S. and Dave H. planted soybeans on Wednesday and Thursday for a farmer at Hague, ND, who had part of his lung removed due to cancer.
Rain has now halted planting operations for today (Friday), but hope springs eternal for drier weather over the weekend.
Week of May 1, 2011: The 2011 planting season for Farm Rescue officially began on Thursday, May 5! Farm Rescue volunteers were in South Dakota en masse, planting at Lemmon, Ipswich and Cavour.
While Charlie, Gene and Warren got the John Deere equipment rolling in Lemmon for a farmer with a broken tibia and fibia, Dave (our Wisconsin volunteer) planted corn at Ipswich for a farmer recovering from colon surgery complications, while Jerry provided backup on the ground.
Farm Rescue Founder Bill Gross and Ted (a new volunteer from Flandreau, SD) planted soybeans farther south near Huron with a new track tractor on loan from RDO Equipment Co. They finished in the field today (Friday) in great time and moved equipment to St. Lawrence, where volunteers will plant wheat for a rancher with broken ribs.
Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors who have made another year of spring planting possible! It is GREAT to have our Men in Blue back in action helping family farmers in need.
Week of October 24, 2010: Our harvest season officially ended on Monday. Farm Rescue harvested for 10 farm families this year and planted for 20. That brings the total number of families assisted to 131 since field operations began in 2006.
Some of those families spoke at the third annual Farm Rescue banquet, which was held Friday night (October 22) on the campus of Jamestown College. Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers, media, and donors who made such an evening possible through their goodwill. We believe in the generosity of the human heart!
Week of October 17, 2010: Our Men in Blue finished harvesting in Argusville last Wednesday night, thanks to the united effort of neighbors and strangers. Five combines were rolling in the field at one point, following one behind the other as they harvested the bumper soybean crop (50+ bushels an acre) for a young farm family.
Clarence snapped the picture above from inside the combine as he waited to unload his hopper.
Week of October 10, 2010: The stars aligned over the weekend for Bill K., Pete and Charlie to get the soybeans harvested in good fashion at Jamestown. They had beautiful sunny weather at their backs, clocking in on Saturday morning (Oct. 9) and finishing early Sunday afternoon. A bit of overtime was in store as they moved the combine and header east toward Fargo for an injured farmer at Argusville.
The 37-year-old farmer there suffered a severe head injury and is hospitalized in St. Paul, where he is undergoing coma stimulation therapy. Gene and Charles fired up the 9770S combine this afternoon and will stay the course for a couple of days on the farmer's 700 acres of soybeans. Jeff from Minneapolis will arrive on Tuesday to help, along with Charlie and Clarence on Wednesday. Volunteers with a local seed company, relatives and neighbors will also be helping bring in the crop at Argusville -- the more the merrier!
Our hearts go out to this young farm family.
Week of October 3, 2010:
A well-deserved rest is in store for our volunteers this week, as we wait for the soybean crop to ripen at Jamestown. The farmer there was in an ATV accident that left him with multiple injuries.
Take a hot bubble bath, Boys! The harvest season is winding down.
Week of September 26, 2010: Our Men in Blue made tremendous headway in the field, finishing harvest at Westhope, Upham, St. John and Tower City! Collectively, they put more than 1,500 acres of wheat and soybeans in the bin and in some cases had to dodge standing water in fields.
Families at St. John and Tower City were dealing with the aftermath of unfortunate accidents. A fall from scaffolding almost took the farmer's life at St. John, causing gangrene and damage to his colon when he broke his fall by straddling a pipe. A tractor explosion left the farmer at Tower City with second and third degree burns on 20% of his body, and subsequent skin grafting at a burn center in St. Paul.
We are thankful that both farmers are rebounding from their accidents! And thankful, too, for the addition of Jay and Kim... two new volunteers from Bismarck and Wishek that joined our ranks this week.
Week of September 19, 2010: Shhh. Don't tell Mother Nature that Farm Rescue volunteers are harvesting in Westhope and Upham at this very moment... she'll send rain otherwise. In the immortal words of Sergeant Schultz from Hogan's Heroes, "I see nothing!"
Week of September 12, 2010: Charlie, Warren & Pete made headway on the canola crop at Bowbells. In 20 days, volunteers have harvested just 600 acres there due to constant rain and wet soil conditions. It has been the same story at Steele. Same rain. Different locale. Bill K. was able to fire up the combine though on Tuesday afternoon, but Mother Nature has definitely gotten the best of us this harvest season.
On Wednesday, our wonderful Men in Blue moved combines and headers to farms at Westhope and Upham. The family at Upham is dealing with lung cancer and was recently in a serious car accident. Prayers of healing are appreciated for this family.
Week of September 5, 2010: Louie and Al finished harvesting wheat at Solen today (Sunday), while Bill and Clarence started in on a flax crop at Steele. The farmer there suffered a broken pelvis in a four-wheeler accident. After they shut the combine off at 7 p.m., Farm Rescue's nemesis arrived - RAIN. The unwanted guest has no intention of leaving anytime soon.
Bill W., Louie, Al and Pete will move equipment north on Thursday to prepare for harvest at Westhope for a farmer who is recovering from a heart attack. Think sunshine!
Week of August 29, 2010: Volunteers from SunPrairie Grain, Walmart, and Ryan Chevrolet arrived in force at Bowbells to help with tornado clean-up efforts. A damp day kept Farm Rescue volunteers out of the field, but not from the labor-intensive work of picking up debris in nearby fields. Continental Metal of Minot brought equipment to compact the remains of outbuildings and 21 grain bins for recycling, while U.S. Senator Kent Conrad offered words of encouragement.
Bill W. and Richard arrived from Pennsylvania on Sunday to help harvest, but the combine sat idle for most of the week due to rain. Elsewhere in the state, Louie and Bill K. managed to get some harvesting done south of Mandan near Solen for a farmer that suffered a stroke.
A big thank you to the employees and staff at SunPrairie Grain, Walmart and Ryan Chevrolet for all their hard work on Monday. We're proud to call you sponsors of Farm Rescue!
Week of August 22, 2010: The 2010 harvest season officially began for Farm Rescue on Wednesday at Cando, ND. Gene, Charles and Andy (a new volunteer from Oregon) harvested wheat for a family battling brain cancer.
By Friday, the Fabulous Trio moved equipment to Bowbells to begin harvest for a farmer who survived a deadly tornado just two weeks earlier. The massive twister destroyed outbuildings, farm machinery, vehicles, and the farmer's house from which he walked out of the basement alive. The tornado produced winds of up to 165 mph.
Week of June 6, 2010: Spring planting officially ended on Tuesday with the return of equipment to RDO Equipment Co. dealerships in Washburn and Aberdeen. Thank you Charles, Bill K., Warren, Gene and Louie for seeing us through the final days of the season! Farm Rescue assisted 20 farm families this spring.
We ended the week with a roar at a benefit ride for Farm Rescue that was hosted by Stutsman Harley-Davidson in Jamestown. Lots of leather and shiny bikes!
Remember to pick up a route stamp card at Stutsman Harley-Davidson and play Rolling with Farm Rescue. You could be the lucky winner of a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle! Contest cards are also available by clicking on "Rolling with Farm Rescue" under our "News & Events" heading. Good luck!
Week of May 30, 2010: Our North Dakota volunteers continue to keep the seeders rolling in between rain showers!
Charles and Clarence finished planting soybeans at Gackle early in the week and then moved equipment to Monango. Farm Rescue is planting soybeans there for a family dealing with rehabilitation. Bill K. arrived on Thursday to relieve Charles, and he and Clarence planted through Friday until rain halted operations.
Louie, Warren and Gene kept chipping away at the acreage in McClusky and finished planting 960 acres of wheat by week's end. Friday also brought the departure of our founder, Bill Gross, who left North Dakota to return to his "day job" as a pilot for UPS Airlines. Operations are quickly winding down for the season. Thanks, Men in Blue!
Week of May 23, 2010: The Limke family left on Sunday for their home in Kentucky, but not before Jack planted most of the crop for a Berthold area farmer with a severely fractured leg... a farmer who just happened to be Jack's former high school principal. Small world, isn't it?
To say it has been a wet week in the northern part of North Dakota would be an understatement. Operations were suspended Tuesday thru Thursday due to torrential rains and overland flooding in some areas.
But the rain gave our volunteers a much needed rest and time to welcome a new volunteer into our ranks - Jeff from Minneapolis. He and Charles finished seeding 50 acres at Berthold on Wednesday, and then moved equipment to Gackle the following day. They are planting soybeans for a farmer who is recuperating from double knee replacement surgery.
When the weather permits, our Men in Blue will be planting at McClusky for a farmer who is recovering from surgery to repair his bicep, which he injured while working cattle. Keep it up, guys, spring's work is almost complete!
Week of May 16, 2010: Our volunteers put in an incredibly busy week, working through the night to get crops in the ground for families at Finley, Fortuna, Burlington, Kramer, Newburg, Esmond, and Dagmar, MT. Thousands and thousands of acres in a week's time. It is beyond fantastic!
The Kentucky-Wisconsin volunteer duo of Jack and Dave planted close to 2,000 acres collectively at Fortuna and Dagmar, thanks to their extended stay in North Dakota. Our hearts go out to the Dagmar family, as they deal with paralysis from a stroke and the death of their son just days before our volunteers arrived.
Louie, Charles, Jerry and Steve (a new volunteer from Vero Beach, FL) spent days in the field and corrals at Burlington, planting crops and helping two brothers with health challenges. One brother is recovering from a broken leg that occurred when he was gored by a bull while on horseback; the other brother is battling complications from esophageal surgery.
Randy, our pilot from KY, jump seated into Minot on Sunday to lend a helping hand once again. He, Bill Gross and Bruce planted 600 acres in less than 23 hours for a farmer at Kramer who is recovering from triple bypass heart surgery. Throw Clarence, Bill K., Warren and Steve B. into the mix for the week and the result is assistance for three more farm families that are dealing with leukemia, colon cancer and emergency surgery.
Whew! Quite a week. A BIG THANK YOU to all our volunteers!
- "I had this man call me from all over the world."
- "The most that they can do is done without question."
- "It was touching emotionally to see that kind of help come."
- "I couldn't have done better myself."
- "I consider those volunteers to be angels among us."
Week of May 9, 2010: Rain, rain and more rain has kept planting to a minimum this week. But it hasn't kept volunteers at bay. The Limke family arrived on Tuesday from Kentucky along with a new volunteer, Bruce, from Interlaken, NY.
On Wednesday, fields became dry enough at Luverne to plant soybeans with the help of volunteers from RDO Equipment Co. The Men in Green know how to operate green machines! We appreciate the help in the field and terrific coverage from the media.
Out West, Louie found a way to keep the planter moving on Tuesday at Halliday. By Wednesday night, Charlie and Jack had the wheat crop in the ground. And today (Thursday), Dave and Jack are moving the drill north, almost to the Canadian border, to the town of Fortuna, where they will be planting for a farmer who broke his neck in a car accident.
Week of May 2, 2010: A man can get mud on his boots, his pants, and his face when he is farming. Farm Rescue Founder Bill Gross (pictured) did just that on Thursday as he and Dave power washed the planter. Not many founders actually get dirt under their fingernails. You are one-of-a-kind, Bill!
Earlier in the week, the Weavers (two brothers and a son) from Pennsylvania and Kentucky arrived in North Dakota to volunteer, along with a gentle giant from Wisconsin (the aforementioned Dave). They are salt of the earth.
The Weavers tore out of the Farm Rescue office on Monday with our field trailer and zipped to Zap. After a quick pit stop to see North Dakota's famous gal (Salem Sue), they planted oats through the night for a farmer suffering from multiple health problems. The next day, the Weavers moved equipment to Halliday to help a farmer with a muscle disorder which is affecting his eyesight.
Unfortunately, it began to rain on Tuesday and didn't let up all week. The Weavers returned home on Saturday.
Week of April 25, 2010: Farm Rescue volunteers were very busy this week. Louie, our techno wizard, started the week in Fredonia with Clarence and Ray, then hopscotched up to Aneta and back down to Lehr before week's end. We need to get him a frequent flier card!
While at Lehr, Louie and Steve planted wheat for a farm couple facing pancreatic cancer. To the north at Aneta, Bill K. and Charles planted 800 acres of wheat in three days for a farmer with a brain tumor. They were in the field early in the morning on Day 3 and finished at 9 p.m., beating hurricane force winds and rain.
Farm Rescue's new transport trailer was put to use on Thursday for the first time as equipment was moved from Lehr to Zap, thanks to the efforts of Walter, Tyler, Tom and Clarence. Oh and Jack, thanks for donning the welding helmet for a week straight...the weight box you made for the semi worked perfectly!
Week of April 18, 2010: Our Men in Blue kicked off planting operations in North Dakota on Monday, planting wheat at Luverne for a farmer with a severe knee injury.
After two days in the field, Gene and Bill K. moved equipment to Niagara, where they planted wheat and barley for a farmer who lost part of his hand in a grain auger accident. Two days later (is there a pattern developing here?), Gene and Bill moved equipment to Aneta. They took a much needed break over the weekend!
Our second crew of volunteers began the week planting at Fredonia for a farmer who is battling stomach cancer. Some setbacks and rain delays have slowed progress, but hopes are high for the crop to be in the ground by early next week.
Week of April 11, 2010: We are back in the fields again! The 2010 planting season got underway this week when Charles and Jerry moved equipment from RDO Equipment Co. in Aberdeen, SD, to our first case at Rockham, SD. They planted wheat on Thursday and Friday for a farm family that is dealing with brain cancer.
On Saturday, equipment was moved to Leola, SD, where Charles and Clarence worked on planting wheat for a farmer who is recovering from back surgery.
Meanwhile back in North Dakota, Gene and Bill K. moved equipment from RDO Equipment Co. in Washburn, ND, to Luverne, ND. Next week Monday, volunteers will be planting wheat for a farmer who severely injured the muscles and tendons in his leg and now is in an immobile leg brace.
Farm Rescue thanks RDO Equipment Co. for their tremendous support this spring, once again providing our organization with top-notch ag equipment!
Week of November 15, 2009: Harvest 2009 is finally finished! Thank you volunteers and sponsors for another successful season at Farm Rescue. We ended the year having helped 34 farm families, which brings our total to 101 since inception.
With the combines returned to RDO Equipment Co. last week, we are now setting our sights on spring planting. Applications for assistance will be accepted from January 1 thru March 15. If you know of a farm family that will need assistance planting their crop this spring, please contact our office at 701-252-2017.
Week of November 8, 2009: Farm Rescue reached an organizational milestone on Nov. 8 by completing harvest for our 100th farm family! Charles B., Gene, Charlie H., Clarence, Tom, Bill K. and Jerry K. took turns operating combines last week Tuesday thru Sunday to bring in the crop for a young farm family at Ypsilanti.
Founder Bill Gross was in the field on Thursday (Nov. 5). "This is a testament to what can happen when an avenue is created that brings people and businesses together to help others in a time of crisis," he said of our milestone. "It is truly inspiring that so many people have come to rally behind Farm Rescue."
Thank you to all our volunteers and sponsors for making this achievement a reality!
Walter and Clarence also moved our equipment to Colfax on Saturday. Charlie H., Jerry K. and Ordean are combining soybeans there for a farmer who has a brain tumor. With just one more case to go in Minnesota, our Men in Blue are close to completing the 2009 harvest season!
Week of November 1, 2009: Farm Rescue volunteers moved equipment from Lisbon to Ypsilanti on Saturday in hope of getting in the field today (Monday). While Charlie H. and Clarence worked the fields last week in Lisbon between rain showers, Charles B., Gene and Warren harvested in Pingree for a farmer who was in a coma after complications from gastric bypass surgery.
With just 70 acres of soybeans left to harvest today at Pingree, Charles B., Gene and Clarence will soon be joining forces at Ypsilanti with Charlie H. and Bill K. Our crew will be harvesting there for a young farmer who broke his pelvis and injured his knee after being pinned between his tractor and pickup truck.
It looks like warmer weather at last with no precipitation for a few days! Who would have ever thought we would be harvesting soybeans in November?
Week of October 25, 2009: Jack and Clarence put in a valiant effort last week Friday in Lisbon, knocking down another 80 acres of soybeans before the rains came on Saturday.
Soggy fields and continued precipitation make this year's soybean harvest one of the most challenging in recent history in our region. As we struggle to finish our remaining cases this year, we give a BIG THANK YOU to the following volunteers for their tireless efforts, amazing compassion and commitment to Farm Rescue: Bill, Charles, Charlie, Clarence, Gene, Jack, Lowell, Smokey and Warren.
We also owe a debt of gratitude to RDO Equipment Co. for their generosity in allowing Farm Rescue to use their combines for a period longer than anticipated due to the inclement weather. The company's unwavering support of Farm Rescue and farm families is a blessing!
Week of October 18, 2009: A brief respite from the rain allowed Charlie H. and Clarence to bring in a few soybean acres at Lisbon on Monday. With a soggy Tuesday and sunshine forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, hopes are high to get back in the field on Friday!
Week of October 11, 2009: Days of wet weather and now snow have put a very large wrench into harvest operations at Farm Rescue! Smokey and Glenn are moving equipment today to Lisbon, ND. They hope to harvest soybeans this week for a farmer who is battling bone cancer. If possible, Charles B. and our team of volunteers will start harvesting at Pingree sometime this week as well. Pray for sunshine!
Week of October 4, 2009: Our volunteers are in a holding pattern for now, waiting for suitable weather to start the soybean harvest.
In the meantime, reserve your tickets for the Farm Rescue annual banquet if you haven't already done so! November 20. Jamestown College campus. Limited seating. Chance to win an Alaska Adventure Trip (an in-kind donation of services to Farm Rescue)! Click on "BANQUET" at the bottom right hand corner of this page to purchase your tickets NOW.
Week of September 27, 2009: Volunteers moved combines to central and eastern North Dakota in preparation for the soybean harvest. Farm Rescue intends to harvest for eight more farm families yet this fall. Our Men in Blue tuck their angel wings in when they put their Farm Rescue shirts on in the morning!
Week of September 20, 2009: Our volunteers are getting some much needed rest this week before the soybean harvest begins. Smokey finished the harvest in western North Dakota last Friday, while Lowell, Warren and Bill K. finished up at Wing. They spent long, dusty days in the field under very hot conditions, but say they are no worse for the wear.
This week, too, volunteers will be getting our John Deere equipment calibrated for the soybean harvest. Farm Rescue is blessed to have capable volunteers turning the wheels of our organization!
Week of September 13, 2009: Blue skies, hot days. The smell of harvest is in the air! And our Men in Blue are combining in high gear at Wing and Watford City. The wheat crops are coming off the fields in good shape... machinery is running smooth.
By week's end, the last of Farm Rescue's wheat harvest will be close to complete. Our volunteers will get a few week's rest before the soybean harvest begins for farm families at Pingree, Niagara, Ypsilanti and Tea, SD.
It is the lunch in the field time of year... something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime!
Week of September 6, 2009: Our volunteers are harvesting durum this week at Keene, beneath scenic buttes, for a farmer who is learning to walk again. (Photo at left by Carole Freed.) The farmer suffered major injuries in a horseback riding accident and is on the mend.
Charles B. and company are currently set up to harvest at Wing for a farmer with kidney cancer. High moisture content in the wheat and forecast rains have put a damper on field progress, but our volunteers are poised to jump in the combine as soon as conditions allow.
Our Men in Blue made great time in the fields last week, harvesting 900 acres of wheat at Mercer. They also cut down the wheat crop at Westhope for a farmer dealing with colon cancer.
Week of August 30, 2009: The Limkes and Smokey finished harvesting in a field near the South Dakota border on Aug. 27. Our volunteers' patience is golden and their fortitude strong, especially for a harvest that began Aug. 11 on this farm.
The Limkes, Smokey and Lowell then moved equipment to Linton last week Friday. They began harvesting wheat that was actually planted this spring by Farm Rescue volunteers for a farmer who suffered severe flooding on his land. The team plans to transport equipment north from Linton to Westhope either tomorrow afternoon or early Wednesday morning.
Charles B., Warren, Gene, and Bill K. finished the wheat crop harvest for a family near Minot on Aug. 26. Reporters from KXMC-TV and the Minot Daily News also paid our Men in Blue a visit in the field. Our Warren is quite the quote master; we've never heard volunteering for Farm Rescue likened to a wet suit before!
Last week Thursday, the crew headed to McClusky where they harvested for a farmer who is recovering from open heart surgery. Wayne and Ryan helped in McClusky before heading home to Kansas on Friday. Thanks, Jayhawks!
Presently, volunteers are harvesting in a field near Mercer for a farmer with heart trouble. Another trip to the McClusky area will be in short order once more grain has ripened in the field.
Week of August 23, 2009: Farm Rescue volunteers worked in force on Sunday and Monday to bring the crop in at Zeeland. Three combines were rolling in the fields thanks to Lowell, Smokey, Jack and Genita Limke and daughters from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, and volunteers Wayne and Ryan (a father and son duo from Kansas). Our out-of-state volunteers never cease to amaze us! They are giving souls who pay their own way to travel great distances to help families in need. Farm Rescue couldn't do it without you!
Our volunteers are also great on-the-ground problem solvers. Late Monday afternoon, a front tire blew on one of our combines. So the Limke family is making a quick long-distance trip to Milbank, SD, to pick up a new tire today (Tuesday) and hopefully get harvest back on schedule by tomorrow.
Smokey and Lowell are headed north as well today in Farm Rescue's semi-truck. They are transporting a combine so volunteers can start harvesting wheat for a farm family near Minot. The family may or may not be home as their young daughter is undergoing major surgery at the Mayo Clinic. God's speed to all our volunteers in blue!
Week of August 16, 2009: Farm Rescue volunteers hope to be back in the field at Zeeland by Thursday at the latest, barring any more rain showers. PLEASE REPEAT THIS: Rain, rain, go away; come back another day!
Week of August 9, 2009: The 2009 harvest season started with a bang on Tuesday in Zeeland and then stopped abruptly for Team ND. Rain and a partially ripened wheat crop sent our volunteers (Charles B. and Lowell) home Thursday morning with less than half the crop harvested. The farmer our volunteers are assisting is recuperating from major surgery due to stomach cancer. What would really make him feel better is more crop in the bin!
Week of June 7, 2009: With the crop planted last week in Egeland-Starkweather for a farmer recovering from quadruple heart bypass surgery, Team ND finished Farm Rescue's 2009 planting season on June 4.
On Tuesday, volunteers cleaned up the ND planting unit - tractor, air seeder and air cart - and returned the John Deere equipment to RDO Equipment Co. in Washburn.
In total, 22 farm families in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota were assisted this spring by Farm Rescue. Yea! Throw the confetti!!
Week of May 31, 2009: Team ND had to wait out the weather longer than expected at Egeland-Starkweather. But by Thursday, Charles B. and Bill K. will have the wheat crop in for a farmer recovering from open heart surgery. It looks as if the wings of the ND planter will be folded up early next week and spring's work done!
Yesterday evening (May 31), Smokey and Dave S. shut the equipment down at Northwood, having finished planting beans for a farmer who suffered multiple injuries after falling through the second-story floor of his barn while feeding sheep. The farmer fell 15 feet onto a concrete floor. He broke four ribs, fractured vertebrae in his neck, and had brain and heart trauma. We get lulled sometimes into forgetting how dangerous an occupation farming can be, even everyday chores.
On Friday, Dave S. and Clarence will spend time cleaning up the SD/MN air seeder before it is returned to RDO Equipment Co. in Breckenridge. Many acres were planted with this unit; some 13 farms in South Dakota, Minnesota and North Dakota. Great job, Men in Blue!
Week of May 25, 2009: Scattered showers gave Team ND a much needed break through Memorial Day weekend. Last week Thursday and Friday (May 21-22), they planted a wide swath of assistance in addition to moving equipment north of I-94. Lowell and Clarence assisted a Grand Rapids area farmer who is dealing with a tumor on his kidney and a farmer from Kensal who is recovering from triple bypass heart surgery. This week Saturday, Bill K. and Charles B. will navigate the planter through fields at Egeland and Starkweather for a farmer that also is recovering from heart bypass surgery (quadruple).
After trekking to northern Minnesota in John Deere green, Team SD spent a good part of last week at Trail, planting soybeans for a young farmer that is dealing with lung cancer. They then headed west to Climax, where Smokey flew solo through Sunday (May 24) to finish planting soybeans for a farmer with stomach cancer.
Taking a few days off from the tractor seat, Smokey and Dave will head north to Climax on Thursday, load up the equipment and travel west to Northwood for what might be the last spring planting case in North Dakota.
Whew! Farm Rescue volunteers are a tireless and selfless bunch... and sometimes they even have fun with a power washer!
- "They know what needs to be done."
- "It took a lot of pressure off."
- "I'm really thankful to those sponsors."
Week of May 18, 2009: Our volunteers finished in the fields last week Tuesday (May 12) at Linton and headed toward Wishek to assist a farmer with multiple health problems. Another rain delay kept them from sowing on Wednesday, but they hopscotched around on Thursday and were done by Friday. Way to go Gene, Warren, Bill K. and Lowell!
Saturday, Sunday and Monday found Charles B. and Dave in Hague, where they planted for a farmer that is undergoing heart surgery. They made great time keeping the planter moving, knocking off 625 acres in just two days.
While at Hague, Dave swung into the local watering hole for a quick bite to eat and was greeted with a standing ovation! It could be his rugged good looks that prompted the outburst or the Farm Rescue cap and jacket he was wearing. Either way, the locals are thankful for Farm Rescue helping one of their own.
So if you haven't already, check out the Farm Rescue caps, shirts and blankets available for purchase (go to "Get Involved" and click on "Shop"). Who knows what kind of reaction you'll get wearing Farm Rescue attire?
Team ND is hoping for hot dry weather over the next couple of days to allow them to get in the fields at LaMoure by Thursday. Take a rest for now guys...
Team MN continues to be Sleepless in Minnesota! Thanks to a great team effort from Bill Gross, Smokey, Randy, Bill and Dick, the Men in Blue planted 900 acres in less than two days last week at Bellingham and Hancock. That's 45 hours in the tractor seat... planting through the night two nights in a row!
Early Sunday afternoon (May 17), the team finished planting the crop for a farmer whose wife is undergoing treatment for liver cancer. They then packed up the equipment and traveled 20 miles northwest to Starbuck to plant for a couple recuperating from open heart surgery (he) and a stroke (she).
With about four hours left of planting at Starbuck, Bill Gross shut the tractor down Sunday evening and took the Men in Blue out for a much deserved dinner.
Charlie H. arrived today (May 18) to relieve the guys and will finish planting the soybean crop for this family. Then it is a road trip north to Trail to assist a farmer with lung cancer. Be sure to click on the links below to hear farm families talk about their experience with Farm Rescue!
Week of May 11, 2009: The rains have come again and our North Dakota crew is in a holding pattern for now at Linton. David and Lowell kept the tractor going until midnight (Monday) before they had to shut it down with about 100 acres left to seed.
The family Farm Rescue is assisting at Linton suffered severe overland flooding this spring. After an ice jam broke on nearby Beaver Creek, a torrent of water and huge shards of ice ravaged their property, buildings, equipment and fences, in addition to killing half their beef cow herd.
Farm Rescue volunteers began planting about 700 acres of wheat for the family on Saturday (May 9), while employees of Aetna, Basin Electric and KEM Electric cleared debris from 200 acres of cropland and rangeland.
Go to our media coverage page in "News & Events" and click on May 9 video clips from KFYR and KXMB to see our volunteers in action. And be sure to click on the link below to hear farmer and sponsor testimonials!
Team SD continues to leave planted fields in their wake! Bill Gross climbed off the tractor at 3:45 a.m. this morning (May 12) at Bristol, where our volunteers are assisting a farmer that underwent kidney and pacemaker surgery. When the equipment stops rolling, our new volunteers from Kentucky (David and Susan L.) are Johnnies-on-the-spot with the grease gun as well as other on-the-ground chores. Go, Wildcats!
The equipment will be loaded up today and moved to Bellingham, MN. Team SD will officially become Team MN sometime later this afternoon!
Also joining Bill and Smokey at Bellingham are three seasoned volunteers (and family members) from Pennsylvania - Randy, Bill and Dick. This is the second year in a row that the Weavers have traveled to the region to assist Farm Rescue!
Week of May 4, 2009: Our volunteers are now in the fields, dodging rain showers, in one of the wettest springs on record!
But the crop is in the ground at Hebron, where Gene, Warren, Bill K., Lowell and Charles spent four days planting spring wheat. They put the last 100 acres in the ground on Tuesday afternoon. After a good home-cooked meal from the family they assisted (the husband had open heart surgery), the crew headed to Flasher.
On Wednesday, Team ND sowed wheat near Flasher/Raleigh for a farmer that needed a pacemaker and then moved equipment to Mandan. Planting is now underway (May 7) north of that city for a rancher that had his hand crushed in an accident. Three fingers were amputated and another severely damaged.
Then tonight, it will be Home Sweet Home for our volunteers as they sleep in their own beds before heading to Linton on Friday.
Go to our media coverage page in "News & Events" and click on "Farm Rescue Spring Planting" to view a story on the Hebron family... and be sure to click on the links below to see our Men in Blue in action!
Meanwhile in South Dakota... Bill Gross, Smokey, Chad and Jerry A. have five farms under their belt thanks to help from Jerry K. They now continue to push northward. Great job, Men in Blue!
They finished planting soybeans near Howard on Wednesday for a young farmer that is undergoing back surgery. And today (May 7), they are in Brookings planting soybeans for a gentle gent that has faced more than his fair share of health problems, including losing an arm in a farm accident years ago. On Friday, Team SD will be in Clear Lake, helping a farmer who underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery.
Go to our media coverage page in "News & Events" and click on "Injured Farmers Getting Help Planting Crops" to view a story on one of three farmers Farm Rescue assisted at Alcester... and be sure to click on the links below!
