Farmers Helping Farmers - Its Been Happening For Years
A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a friend asking me if I would bring my UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) to record a special harvest for an Eastern Illinois farm family. Once I found out this was for a family whose son had recently been involved in a major accident I knew, without a doubt, that I would do anything I could to help them.
The Schaumburg family had tragedy strike them in mid-October. Their 16-year-old son Hayden sustained a major neck and head injury in an on field play during his high school football game. Like any parent would do, the Schaumburg’s farm life stopped so they could be with their son.
Shortly after the accident, calls from friends and family began to find help in bringing in the Schaumburg’s harvest. It was, and will be, an unforgettable day for the Schaumburg family. Over 100 people arrived on their farm in Watseka, Illinois in the early morning hours to help complete the 2014 Harvest. This event was simply amazing—900 acres harvested totally over 180,000 bushels of corn.
The community came together with force providing 14 combines, multiple auger carts, and trucks to haul the corn. Not to mention the local elevators donating storage space, the countless bystanders who came to simply show their support, and the endless food donations to feed all of the volunteers that day.
Farmer helping farmer is not a new occurrence. It happens more then you would think, and thanks for the wide spread use of social media in today’s society, we see more of these types of events happening in communities around the world.
Why is this event so special to me?
Growing up on our family farm in Tiskilwa, Illinois I remember helping my dad plant and harvest other’s fields when they couldn’t themselves. It didn’t matter the reason—broken equipment, medical issues, or a death in the family—the community came together to support them.
In the early 90s, when I was freshman in college, tragedy struck our family and we were on the receiving end of help during my mother’s battle with Leukemia.
I remember sitting with Dad before planting season discussing what our plan was before he and my Mom went off to Rochester, Minn. for her treatment. It’s hard to remember all the names and faces that helped my family during that spring. There are many times over the years I think of just how we managed to do all that work. To this day, I can never express how thankful my family was for everyone who rallied around our family.
Please keep Hayden Schaumburg and his family in your thoughts. As well as the other farm families that need our support during the harvest season this year.
By Chad E. Colby Twitter: @TheChadColby
