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WHY FARMERS MATTER<br />
you’re doing something right.”<br />
On their trips, they saw the fire’s<br />
aftermath firsthand. “It wakes<br />
you up pretty good when you get<br />
within 15, 20 miles and all you see<br />
is black,” Jason said.<br />
The store sent them and their first<br />
load of hay directly to a ranch at<br />
the edge of the wildfire. The rancher’s<br />
cattle had survived, but he had<br />
lost most of his pasture ground.<br />
“It’s humbling,” Schwartz said.<br />
“This guy lost everything but<br />
the clothes on his back, and he’s<br />
standing and joking with you. It<br />
makes your problems seem petty<br />
when you see that.”<br />
The community response in<br />
Jackson and Clinton counties<br />
expanded, with the counties’ Cattlemen<br />
organizations and the Farm<br />
Bureau fundraising. Theisen’s and<br />
Gasser’s helped out.<br />
Dan Bush of Thompson, Mark<br />
and Doug Lane of Preston and<br />
Dustin Johnson of Andover donated<br />
full loads of hay. Dave Farrell<br />
of Bryant joined in the haul, and<br />
they made “life-long” friends with<br />
Wisconsinite Joshua Arndt, who<br />
joined their convoy. Mike Wenzel<br />
of Goose Lake took a gooseneck<br />
load of supplies, and Alyssa Rorah<br />
of Delmar donated fencing supplies.<br />
Wes Schwartz of Bryant<br />
donated a half-load of hay. RVH<br />
Trucking of Wheatland filled up<br />
the local farmers’ trucks with fuel<br />
when they returned. These are only<br />
a few of the dozens of people locally<br />
who contributed significantly.<br />
Schwartz and the Farrells made<br />
several trips to Kansas in spring of<br />
2017.<br />
All the donations—including<br />
significant ones—are too numerous<br />
and disparate to name.<br />
“It really was a community effort,”<br />
Schwartz said.<br />
The local response was part of<br />
an outpouring of support for the<br />
devastated ranching communities,<br />
especially from farmers elsewhere.<br />
“It’s great to know that you have<br />
neighbors, even if it’s states away,”<br />
Stacie said. “It really, really helps<br />
restore your faith in humanity.”<br />
If disaster struck again, Jason<br />
said he “wouldn’t bat an eye.<br />
We’re super busy, and God forbid<br />
it would ever happen, but it goes<br />
both ways. Those people would be<br />
here in a heartbeat.” n<br />
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eifarmer.com FALL <strong>2018</strong> | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 103
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