June 2, 2023 - The Shrinking Window
As the sun begins to set on another busy planting season at Farm Rescue, we are still receiving some last-minute assistance requests from families in dire need of support. With an ever-closing window of opportunity in the field, our volunteers have been working diligently to complete this crucial work in time. Crew number one spent their week near Max, ND, planting soybeans for a farmer dealing with complications from recent open heart surgery. As he continues his recovery in Arizona (with hopes of returning home later this month) our volunteers have been making great progress in the field, seeding the entirety of his bean crop. Thanks to some cooperative weather, they were able to complete the last of their requested acres yesterday. Crew number two has been hard at work near Meadow, SD, this week, where a mother and five children are dealing with the mental health strain of losing their husband/father unexpectedly. Farm Rescue volunteers planted hundreds of corn acres for this family, as they continue navigating their grief while trying to sustain their farming operation. They were able to wrap up their efforts on Tuesday, before moving to another farm near Erskine, MN, to assist a farmer battling cancer. Around the same time, crew number three crossed the finish line at a farm near Willow City, ND. They spent several days planting wheat and soybeans for a farmer battling Leukemia, who also lost his son and farming partner within the last few weeks. We hope the assistance provides a bit of relief during a very difficult time for this family. From here, the crew moved to Harvey, ND, to plant more soybeans for a farmer who recently underwent gallbladder surgery. Because of the lifting restrictions involved in his recovery, he is unable to carry out his necessary seeding work and we were honored to lend a hand. After seeding a few hundred acres, this same group of volunteers has now moved northwest to Powers Lake, ND, to assist a husband and wife operation. This couple was recently informed of a life-threatening condition that arose during pregnancy, which required an early delivery for the safety of the baby and mother. With planting season slipping away, we were contacted for immediate support and were happy to step in. Finally, crew number four began their week near Jud, ND, assisting a farmer who was recently diagnosed with COPD. This condition has affected his ability to breathe and prevented him from working outside, which obviously limits his activity on the farm. Our volunteers made relatively quick work of their requested soybean and corn acres before moving to nearby Montpelier, ND, where a farmer is recovering from neck/skull surgery to alleviate pressure on his spinal cord. They planted nearly 800 acres of soybeans for this family operation before making the short drive to Marion, ND, to assist a farmer recovering from knee replacement surgery. They will be tackling a few hundred acres of soybeans to allow further recovery and rehab on the knee. His hope is to be back in action by harvest season. Special thanks to this week's Farm Rescuers in the field for making these efforts possible: Greg Kalinoski, Kelly Valtr, Hervey Madden, Albert Lautenschlager, Jeremy Surovy, John Andrews, Carol Andrews, Mike Melaas, Glenn Biederman, Jeff Preston, Chester Arnold, Kaden Teerink, Vane Clayton, Dean Isaacs, Mike Poppel and Jeff Barnes. You truly are Angels in Blue!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
May 26, 2023 - Get Up and Sow!
If I could pick an appropriate theme song for this week's Farm Rescue activities, it would probably be "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash. Granted, most of our assistance operations have been spread throughout our northern region instead of across the nation, but it feels like the list of rural communities in which our volunteers have been working and traveling could easily fill a verse or two. Thanks to some cooperation from Mother Nature, crew number one was able to complete the last of their wheat acres near Gladstone, ND, for a farmer recovering from back surgery. On Saturday, they roaded their tractor and air seeder to Mandan, ND, to immediately began planting oats, peas and wheat for a farmer battling pancreatic cancer. They made pretty quick work of their requested acreage before heading north to Max, ND, on Tuesday. This team has spent the remainder of the week seeding soybeans for a farmer dealing with complications from recent open heart surgery. He is continuing his recovery in Arizona and hopes to return home in late June. Our volunteers are honored to assist with his soybean crop as he focuses on getting back to the farm. Crew number two continued their corn planting operations near Glen Ullin, ND, for a couple whose 15-year-old daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury in a recent rollover crash. She has made tremendous progress throughout the past several weeks, but she and her mother remain at Craig Hospital in Colorado to continue her rehab. The father and two other teenage daughters are trying to carry on at the farm in their absence, while making bi-weekly trips south to visit their family members. We pray they're united at home very soon, and we are honored to lend a hand during this stressful time. Our volunteers wrapped up planting at their farm last night and spent a portion of today traveling to their next assistance case near Meadow, SD. They will be seeding more corn at this operation for a family dealing with an illness. Last weekend, crew number three put the finishing touches on their soybean acres near Greenbush, MN, for a farmer recently diagnosed with colon cancer. They spent Monday transporting their tractor and air seeder to a farm near Willow City, ND, to assist another family in planting their wheat and soybean crops. The main operator of the farm is currently battling Leukemia and recently lost his son and farming partner. Our volunteers have been working hard to lighten the burden on this family as they navigate these extremely difficult circumstances. Lastly, crew number four was able to complete their work over the weekend near McClusky, ND, seeding wheat for a farmer recovering from recent shoulder surgery. They spent Monday on the road to Fredonia, ND, to assist a farmer with his wheat and soybean crops as he recovers from open heart surgery. They finished planting yesterday morning and moved to nearby Jud, ND, to extend a helping hand to another farmer recovering from a heart procedure. Our Founder and President, Bill Gross, was in the area and carved out some time to get behind the wheel of our tractor to assist this family. He was met by John Deere Seeding Group Factory Materials Manager (and new volunteer), Dale Patrick, who was able to operate one of the quality machines their company built and recently overhauled for Farm Rescue. Thanks to this efficiently-operating air seeder, a late evening and an early start today, they were able to complete their requested soybean acres and move to another farm just down the road. This farmer was recently diagnosed with COPD, which has affected his ability to breathe and prevented him from working outside to plant the crops that sustain his family's livelihood. We hope our volunteer efforts will provide a bit of solace to their operation during this crucial planting season. With so many wheels in motion, I cannot overstate the appreciation we have for each and every volunteer serving this mission. A huge thank you goes out to this week's Farm Rescuers in the field: Chris Davison, Matt Blaylock, Chris Batdorf, Bryan Perry, Greg Kalinoski, Albert Lautenschlager, Kelly Valtr, Hervey Madden, Glenn Biederman, Mark Baumgarten, Mike Wilson, Ken Enstrom, Rich Thuesen, Keith Barkema, Dennis Koehler, Kenneth Chyle, Tom Richards, Debbie Richards, John Andrews, Carol Andrews, Mike Melaas, Vane Clayton, Dean Isaacs, Mike Poppel, Dale Patrick and Bill Gross. Your dedication and talent is beyond compare!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
May 19, 2023 - Widespread Kindness
Despite a few weather delays throughout the past several weeks, this continues to be one of the busier spring planting seasons on record for our organization. Coordinating more than a half-dozen volunteer crews and seeding equipment to arrive at a specific farm location at the appropriate time for planting to occur is no small task. Our Farm Rescue staff has worked tirelessly on the logistical side of our operations - communicating with farm families, equipment sponsors, volunteers and one another to keep our mission moving forward. It makes for some long days and often involves some difficult conversations with farmers in very dire circumstances. However, this work is something we take great pride in carrying out and it is never taken lightly. We are here to ease the burden on farm families in crisis, plain and simple. I say all of this to offer some much-deserved recognition to these staffers who are burning the midnight oil this spring, spending time away from their own families in support of others. Special shout-out to Luke Benedict, Ben Smith, Stephanie Green, Genita Limke, Tim Sullivan, Stephanie Hasbargen and Terry Johnston for your many contributions to Farm Rescue. I am honored to call you my coworkers. And a big congratulations to Luke and Ben, who are both celebrating high school graduates in their family this weekend!
Our volunteers deserve just as much recognition for the many acres and miles they have traveled throughout this past week. Most of crews are operating within our upper service territory, but our current volunteers have traveled from states like Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas to serve. Their devotion knows no bounds and we are so blessed to have them on our team. After several rain delays, crew number one was finally able to wrap up planting midweek for a farmer/rancher near Conrad, IA recovering from a recent heart procedure. Because of the delays involved in this case, we had a variety of regional volunteers supporting these operations, and they did a wonderful job seeding a very important corn crop for this farmer. Last week, crew number two wrapped up planting for a third family impacted by an EF3 tornado in southeast Illinois. Another area family dealing with illness is awaiting their arrival, but continued moisture has prevented them from tackling their requested corn acres. Crew number three has also been hindered by precipitation near Gladstone, ND, as they look to continue their wheat planting efforts for a farmer recovering from back surgery. Barring any additional weather delays, they hope to wrap up within the next couple days and move to their next assistance location near Mandan, ND. Crew number four ended last week near Hudson, SD, planting corn and beans for a farmer dealing with severe arthritis in both knees. After his final acres were planted, this tractor and row crop planter made the long drive to Glen Ullin, ND, to begin sowing a few hundred acres of corn for a couple whose teenage daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury in a recent rollover crash. She is still receiving treatment at a specialized facility in Colorado, and our volunteers are truly honored to lend support to this family as they focus on her recovery. After a long wait, crew number six was finally able to make a few days of progress on some corn acres near Chelsea, SD, for a farmer sidelined by an ankle injury. They completed their operations today. Crew number seven spent their week near Greenbush, MN, seeding soybeans for a farmer who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent surgery on Tuesday of this week and we pray for his continued healing and recovery. Hopefully he'll be back in the field in time for harvest! Finally, crew number eight is hard at work near McClusky, ND, planting wheat for a farmer recovering from a recent shoulder surgery. Despite a few lingering wet spots, they were able to seed their first few fields on the back half of the work week and hope to continue their efforts throughout the weekend. Rounding out these eight volunteer crews are an incredible collection of Good Samaritans, serving as this week's Farm Rescuers in the field: Ron Donohue, Paul Zierke, John Neumayer, Chris Davison, Matt Blaylock, Chris Batdorf, Bryan Perry, Greg Kalinoski, Albert Lautenschlager, Mark Baumgarten, Mike Wilson, Chester Arnold, Ken Enstrom, Rich Thuesen, Keith Barkema, Dennis Koehler, Kenneth Chyle, Tom Richards and Debbie Richards. You truly are the lifeblood of our work, and you mean the world to our organization and the families we serve!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
May 12, 2023 - Rain Delays, Volunteer Praise and a Concert to Amaze
Farming often involves a lot of hard work and waiting. That was certainly the case this week for our volunteer crews, as multiple rain delays hindered progress in fields throughout the region. Last week, crew number one began planting corn for a farmer/rancher near Conrad, IA, who is recovering from a recent heart procedure. Rain showers on Saturday halted their activities and these somewhat local volunteers returned home to await dryer conditions. They resumed their work early yesterday and hope to wrap up this assistance effort before the next round of moisture arrives. Crew number two had their patience tested this week, as well, with yet another precipitation event hindering their progress near Palestine, IL. They began planting corn last week for a farmer whose farm equipment was heavily damaged by an EF3 tornado back on March 31. After a few days of drying, fields were once again ready to receive the final seeds of this family's crop. As of yesterday, they completed their work and plan to move on to another Illinois farm that is currently waiting for field conditions to improve. Crew number three spent most of last week near Gladstone, ND, assisting a family whose main implement operator is recovering from back surgery. A longer-than-expected delay provided an opportunity for this crew to head north and join forces with crew number four near Ray, ND. This group of Farm Rescuers worked tirelessly to plant canola and peas for a father/son operation with a lot on their plate. The father is in the midst of treatments to combat lung cancer that has also spread to his brain. This family welcomed our volunteers with open arms and trusted them to plant their crops during a very difficult time. Our volunteers spoke of the deep connections made in just a few short days as they worked to complete their assistance efforts. This is a common storyline throughout the history of Farm Rescue. Our volunteers are truly changing lives through their work, but many will tell you they receive just as much from the process as the families receiving help. This crew finished their last field on Monday morning, just in time to beat the rain. After a tearful goodbye, they returned to Gladstone, ND to resume planting activities. They've made some great progress this week, but more overnight rain showers have completely halted fieldwork for most of the western Dakotas. With help from Mother Nature, they hope to finish seeding for this family early next week. Crew number five started their week near Olivet, SD, planting corn for a farmer who recently underwent gallbladder surgery, followed by an emergency intestinal repair. They wrapped up their final acres on Tuesday, before venturing to Hudson, SD. These Farm Rescuers are now planting corn and beans for a farmer dealing with severe arthritis in both knees, who is likely headed for two total knee replacements. Crew number six has been anxiously waiting to tackle some corn acres near Chelsea, SD for a farmer sidelined by an ankle injury. Intermittent rain showers have been just enough to keep them out of the field throughout this week, but they hope to make some progress for this operations soon. A seventh crew spent most of their week performing some maintenance on equipment and vehicles, as they await the start of another assistance case delayed by heavy rain. Uncooperative weather sometimes requires some pivoting from our original plans to make the most of our time. As we speak, one of our volunteer crews has altered course and is now en route to Greenbush, MN to tackle some soybeans acres. This farmer, who recently underwent colon cancer surgery, was happy to hear we'd be arriving slightly ahead of schedule. We are honored to lend support to his operation as he continues his battle and recovery.
On a somewhat unrelated note, Farm Rescue is blessed to have an amazing family of talented volunteers. Unsurprisingly, many of these volunteers have a wealth of talent within their own families. Vane Clayton has been serving our mission for more than 3 years. His wife, Cass Clayton, is an accomplished musician. This past Saturday, they teamed up to host a Farm Rescue benefit concert at the Orchid Denver music venue in Denver, CO. The Cass Clayton Band performed to a packed house of generous attendees, with special messages from previously-assisted farm families and Farm Rescue's executive director, Tim Sullivan. The event was an overwhelming success, with more than $125,000 raised to support our assistance operations! We are beyond thankful to Vane, Cass, her talented band and everyone who contributed to this incredible fundraiser. Look for a video link to this concert on our website soon!
As you can see, there has been no shortage of activity throughout the past week, and none of these efforts would be possible without our amazing family of do-gooders. Very special thanks to this week's Farm Rescuers in the field (and on stage): Tom Meyer, Ron Donohue, Austin Yoder, Kenneth Chyle, Emil Baranko, Mike Youngblood, Fred Parnow, Dean Anderson, Steve Satterthwaite, Mike Wilson, Mark Burton, Mark Baumgarten, Tom Richards, Debbie Richards, Keith Barkema, Dennis Koehler, Jeff Preston, Chester Arnold, Wayland Adams, Vane Clayton, Cass Clayton, Taylor Scott, James Dumm, Jon Wirtz, Eric Imbrosciano and Jiho Han. You're all rockstars in our book!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
May 5, 2023 - Spinning Plates
As with any farming operation, Farm Rescue has times of the year when activities tend to be much busier than others. That's definitely the case this week, with the window for planting now wide open for most of our 8-state service territory. Our assistance crews are spread farther than ever before, and our staff has been hard at work coordinating these volunteer teams, equipment and lodging. All this to say there has been a fury of field work and travel to assist multiple farm families in crisis. After another short rain delay, crew number one continued their planting assistance work near Harper, IA for a family impacted by two recent tornadoes, who was already dealing with a serious health scare by one of its main operators. Volunteers completed their remaining soybean acres on Tuesday, before heading northwest to Conrad, IA. They've spent the remainder of the week seeding corn for a farmer/rancher who's been sidelined by a recent heart procedure. After waiting out a rain delay of their own, crew number two completed the remainder of their corn planting for a Robinson, IL farmer whose farm and equipment was destroyed by a tornado in late March. They've now moved a few miles north, near Palestine, IL to plant more corn for a farmer who was impacted by this same tornado. Nearly all of his equipment was damaged by this EF3 twister, and we are honored to lend support in getting his crop in the ground. A mere 17-hour drive to the northwest, crew number three arrived near Gladstone, ND to begin planting wheat for a farm whose main operator is recovering from back surgery. Fieldwork began on Tuesday and will likely continue for several more days with rain in the forecast this weekend. Crew number four is in northwest North Dakota, assisting a father/son operation with a few hundred acres of peas and canola, as the father continues his ongoing battle with cancer. A fifth crew began planting corn near Olivet, SD today for a farmer who recently underwent gallbladder surgery, followed by an emergency intestinal repair. He is now in long-term hospital care and Farm Rescue volunteers are working to seed this vital crop in support of the family's cattle operation. Crew number six spent a couple days this week hauling corn for a ranch near Beresford, SD, where a recent fire destroyed this family's semi truck and a fair amount of cattle feed. They also have a contract with a local ethanol plant, and we were happy to lend a bit of commodity hauling support to help fulfill that obligation.
Having a half-dozen assistance operations working simultaneously takes a lot of coordination and communication between our staff, volunteers and farm families. It truly takes a village to make this mission possible and we have many people to thank for their contributions. A big shout out to our Farm Rescue staff members leading the logistical charge for these operations - Stephanie Green, Genita Limke, Luke Benedict, Ben Smith and Steph Hasbargen. They have many plates to keep spinning this time of year and they've been doing a wonderful job. Lastly, this assistance work would never be possible without the incredible family of do-gooders, serving as our boots on the ground. A very special thank you to this week's longer-than-average list of Farm Rescuers in the field: Gaylen Weisenburger, Ted Smith, Mark Baumgarten, Mark Burton, Tom Richards, Debbie Richards, Albert Lautenschlager, April Lautenschlager, Mike Wilson, Steve Satterthwaite, Mike Youngblood, Fred Parnow, Tom Meyer, Ron Donohue, Brad Cox, Terry Willhoit, Glenn Pope, Kenneth Chyle, Emil Baranko and Ben Leachman. We are forever grateful for your passion and generosity!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
April 28, 2023 - Planters and Patience
When Farm Rescue's founder and president, Bill Gross, made the decision to start a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping area farmers in crisis, I don't think he could've imagined just how large that area would become. Around this same time of year back in 2006, a small group of volunteers (including Bill) planted the very first seeds of hope for a family in western North Dakota. Today, we are proud to offer a wider range of assistance services, backed by a MUCH larger group of volunteers. From that first western North Dakota field, our organization has maintained steady growth throughout the past 17 farming seasons. In addition to North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, Farm Rescue is now providing support to families in Illinois. This week, our dedicated volunteers have continued their assistance efforts for our very first Prairie State farm. This crew is planting both corn and soybeans for a Robinson, IL family who lost nearly everything to an EF3 tornado on March 31. Volunteers began planting last Thursday, but an overnight thunderstorm dropped nearly an inch and a half of rain. They resumed operations on Monday afternoon and have made great progress throughout the week. Once the final soybeans are in the ground, they will be traveling a few miles up the road to help another farm decimated by this same storm. A few hours to the west, crew number one also spent the weekend waiting out a rain delay near Wellman, IA. Two of three family farmsteads involved in this operation were heavily damaged by an EF4 tornado. The main operator of the farm lost his home, as did his aunt and uncle. The tornado also leveled several hog barns and equipment buildings, filled with crucial farm implements. After tackling some tillage and field cleanup work, our volunteers began planting beans for this family last Wednesday. Heavy rain halted progress, but they were able to resume field operations after the weekend and finished planting on Tuesday. From there, they headed southwest to Harper, IA, where another family is still assessing the damage from two separate tornadoes that moved through the area. This father and son operation was already dealing with tragedy prior to the storm, as the father suffered a stroke just three days before the tornadoes hit. We are honored to provide planting support to this family as they continue their recovery on multiple fronts.
As volunteers continued their efforts in these Corn Belt states, another group of Farm Rescuers was hard at work readying equipment and coordinating with families throughout our Upper Plains region. Despite near record snowfall in many areas of the Dakotas, fields have been drying out in the western half of these states. Fieldwork should begin soon and several volunteers are already en route to farms in need of some help. It's shaping up to be a busy spring for our good Samaritans and equipment, with many families already on the schedule. These efforts are made possible through a tremendous outpouring of generosity from our donors, grantors and business sponsors, but also through the outstanding work and sacrifice of our volunteers. A big thank you to this week's Farm Rescuers in the field: Kenneth Chyle, Emil Baranko, Will Rudolphi, Wade Peterson, Albert Lautenschlager, Tom Meyer, Ron Donohue, Brad Cox, Terry Willhoit and Lori Hagerman. Thank you for all you do!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
April 21, 2023 - Bringing Us Up to Speed
The new year is not quite so new anymore and as usual, I've got some catching up to do! It was a very long winter for many folks in our northern service territory, with Mother Nature delivering a nonstop supply of snowfall and blizzard conditions throughout much of the region. As I type this, portions of the Dakotas and Minnesota are dealing with yet another fresh blanket of white. In the meantime, portions of our Corn Belt states have seen temperature climb into the upper 80s the past couple weeks, and most producers in Kansas and Nebraska are still dealing with severe drought conditions. Needless to say, it's been a very tough few months for Midwest ranchers. We started 2023 with a busy schedule of farm shows and events, which provided great opportunities to share our mission with attendees and vendors. Our staff was also excited to welcome 2 new employees throughout the past few months. Ben Smith is our new Field Operations Manager, serving the Corn Belt region. He resides in Gilbert, IA and has an extensive background in agriculture (especially row crops). He will be managing our assistance operations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Terry Johnston is our newest Development Officer, also covering our Corn Belt states. Terry lives near Parkersburg, IA and has a wealth of experience in agricultural sales, which will come in handy during his outreach efforts. We're very excited to have them on board and they've truly hit the ground running since joining our team.
Our assistance operations got off to a pretty early start again this year, with a February hay hauling trip to Rosebud, SD to deliver much-needed cattle feed to a ranch impacted by drought and extreme winter weather. In early March, our volunteers began a livestock feeding case near Conrad, IA for a rancher recovering from heart surgery. Multiple Farm Rescuers lent a hand to this operation, ensuring the cows were properly fed and the rancher properly rested. On March 31, an evening of severe weather impacted several counties across Iowa and Illinois. Multiple tornadoes tore through the region, destroying homes, outbuildings, fencing and equipment, as well as claiming the lives of people and livestock. This week, Farm Rescue volunteers are providing assistance to some of the families who saw their homes and operations decimated by these storms. Crew number one began the week near Wellman, IA, where an EF4 tornado destroyed 2 of 3 family farmsteads involved in this hog, beef cattle and row crop operation. In addition to claiming two houses, the twister also leveled several hog barns and equipment buildings. Without access to essential planting implements, the family was encouraged to seek help from Farm Rescue. We are honored to provide equipment and volunteers to assist with tillage work and soybean planting as they focus on many other tasks at hand. Six hours away, the communities of Robinson and Palestine, IL witnessed the same destructive power as it claimed both life and property along its path. Crew number two arrived on scene yesterday to begin helping the first of three farms approved for Farm Rescue assistance as a result of this storm. This particular family experienced a direct hit from an EF3 tornado, which demolished nearly everything on their property. All buildings and their contents were scattered across the landscape, and most farm equipment and vehicles were damaged beyond repair. With planting season now upon us, Farm Rescue is glad to provide a bit of relief for this family during a very important time of year. Our volunteers and equipment will be planting both corn and soybeans for this operation as they continue their cleanup and recovery in the wake of this natural disaster. Incredibly, no family members were injured on any of the farms receiving our assistance, but we continue to pray for those who lost loved ones in these storms. It's a sobering reminder of how quickly life can change and that nothing is guaranteed during our time here. My heart breaks for these families and I'll definitely be hugging mine a bit tighter when I return home.
In the midst of all this destruction, I'm also incredibly thankful for the Farm Rescue volunteers working to raise the spirits of those around them. Their dedication to our mission is truly awe-inspiring and they give so much of themselves to help others in crisis. Special thanks to the Farm Rescuers who have served our organization thus far in 2023: Garry Deckert, Jeff Preston, Tom Meyer, Ron Donohue, Mark Baumgarten, Mike Youngblood, Paul Zierke, Wade Peterson, Brad Cox, Terry Willhoit, Dean Anderson, Keith Barkema, Keith Bisson, John Neumeyer, Ben Noland, Greg Shrine, Kyle Spowart, Rich Thuesen, Kenneth Chyle, Emil Baranko, Corey Hyde, Steph Walter, Kyle Thormodson, Albert Lautenschlager and Brian Palmer. I apologize to anyone I've missed, but please know that you are appreciated!
Until next time,
Dan Erdmann - Marketing Program Manager
