Farm Rescue brings help for spring season

Olsons were one of 24 applicants chosen for 2008

Jeanette Robb Ruenz

Dickey County Leader

It is not uncommon for neighbors and friends in the rural Dakotas to come to the aid of a fellow farmer. That’s just what happened last February when Richard “Dick” Olson was injured in a farm accident. Several family members and friends stepped up to help with the cattle chores and whatever else the family needed. Dick is still recovering from the broken leg, broken arm and dislocated shoulder which happened when his pant leg got caught in the power take-off shaft on the feed grinder. Luck was with him as his clothes were torn off and he was able to escape. He crawled 150 feet to his shop in 15-below-zero Feb. 20 windchill and called his wife, Peggy, who called 911.

Dick was alive and faced a long recovery, but who could help put in his spring crop? It was then that his son Troy heard about Farm Rescue and they soon filled out an application. They were one of the 24 applicants selected for the 2008 spring season . On May 4, the Farm Rescue group arrived and actually started planting soybeans that day. By Wed. May 7, 850 acres had been planted. All the work and coordination is donated by various individuals from various parts of the country. Jack and Genita Limke and 2 small daughters are from Kentucky, Dave from New Jersey and Charlie and Smokey from Minot, ND. The equipment is donated by RDO Equipment Co. Dick has to furnish the fuel and seeds.

Farm Rescue is a nonprofit organization founded to help farm families that have experienced a major injury, illness or natural disaster. It is based out of Jamestown, ND.

This spring 24 farm families in ND, SD, MN, and MT will receive free planting assistance, which is double the number of families selected in 2007. ND Farmers Union, RDO Equipment Co, Bremer, Newman Signs, Lamar, UPS and CHS Country Operations are some of the largest sponsors of the program. There are more than 100 sponsors at various levels that support the program. Volunteers come from all over the United States to help. They include airline pilots, management personnel, retired farmers and college students. Both of the men who were running the planting equipment at the Olsons were retired farmers from the Minot area.

“This is a total volunteer organization, no money is given to the farmer and all the work is done by volunteers, who donate their time. We are here to help, not to save, just to help them get through this season,” commented Jack Limke.

Local friends and family who have helped out since the accident and are still very much a part of the group are Lee Roeszler, Donald Anderson, Troy Olson, Jesse Filbert, Dean Rithmiller and arriving in their motor home for an extended stay are E.J. and Mary Jean McDonald. Mary Jean has taken over the food preparation. Many other friends and relatives have lent support in a variety of ways to help this farm family get back on its feet. The Olsons raise beef cattle as well as farm, and the above mentioned guys have been helping in that area.

The Olson family is very appreciative of all the support given them since the accident. This outpouring of friendship and assistance is just another great reason to call the Dakotas home.

Pictured to the left are: Genita and Jack Limke and their two daughters Megan and Anna; Dick and Peggy Olson; and their son Troy Olson. Pictured below are Dick and Peggy Olson standing in front of a 9620 JD tractor that is pulling a 1910 JD with a 1890 45' Air Seeder.

Reprinted with permission from Dickey County Leader, May 10, 2008.