Call It Grace

I often write what's been most relevant on my heart for the week. As BJ dropped me off late last evening from the field, and I thought back on our week, grace came to mind.  What is grace? I've heard it described as goodwill, being polite, free gift, divine favor, unwarranted merit. My definition of grace this morning is undeserved blessings from God.

In late summer of 2015 I received a call from Jim. He said he and his wife Carol were considering slowing down some and asked if we could visit. Kurt and I met him and Carol in the same field back then where Emily brought our crew supper Thursday evening. Because of that "undeserved blessing" Kurt, Emily, and family now live and farm west of Leighton.

In 1998, after being our county supervisor, Jim was elected to the Iowa legislature as a representative and served 6 terms until he retired in 2012. Jim passed away this past week after a long illness. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carol and their son Jeff as they continue life without him. I'm also thinking of many of you all who have lost spouses in the last number of years and how all the memories come back after reading this. How do you cope? It's called grace.

Last Thursday as we were harvesting Kurt and Emily's corn on the West 120, a couple were harvesting soybeans across the road from us. Norm and Dorothy are 20 years older than me and they were still working together, even sitting in the combine together, harvesting their crop. What a blessing.

Tuesday we were in Karl and Kristin's neighborhood harvesting their corn crop. One of their landlord couples were watching from their Ranger so I asked them for a picture. Thanks for working with Karl and Kristin, Melvin and Joan. And thank you for the many years of friendship with our family. Melvin worked for the county and used to be our road grader guy. He always promised to keep the roads open when Jan was expecting in the winter months.

For the past 5 years we have been planting multiple hybrids in the same planter pass comparing one seed brand to another over most of our acres. However it's also beneficial to see many hybrids beside each other. So on Melvin and Joan's farm south of Beacon Karl put in a test plot. It was not signed and I didn't know what numbers I was combining. Kurt and Karl did not know what hybrids they were testing and weighing until we gathered the marker sticks at the end of the six plot rows.

The fertilizer used on this test plot was hog manure followed by adding N in June. The soil type is considered medium productivity. Karl and I are looking forward to talking to folks about their next year's seed needs as soon as the bulk of harvest is over. As I mentioned in a previous visit helping other farmers be more productive in their operations, earning (not deserving) business, and creating long term relationships is our mission. Also Karl has the uncanny ability to remember what everyone has planted on what acres in his head.

On Friday morning we moved to what we call the Lacey neighborhood. Yesterday landlords, Marvin and Jean, served us a terrific lunch. Again, what a blessing to farm for this family for the last 15 years. Marvin is slowly slipping in his health, yet he is a joy to visit with about fields and yields. One of his last woodworking projects was a gun cabinet for me. It's in my home office and I cherish it.

We had a large and productive harvest week and the crop is excellent. However not every decision made on our farm is always the correct one. Back in the spring we replanted some early April corn with a less than perfect plant stand during the first week of May. Although still very good corn it cost us about 20 bushel per acre and 4 points of moisture to replant.

Early last week I asked God for a productive, safe, and enjoyable harvest week. Cargill was reopening after an extended shutdown for maintenance and we were ready to "rock and roll". Even with Monday through Wednesday being half days due to a bumpy restart we were getting 25 to 30 loads/day in.

Then on Wednesday afternoon I received a call suggesting a plan for a couple of days until Cargill could get things smoothed out and waiting lines shortened. Late in the week we were able to harvest and deliver 100+ loads to an alternative site. Thanks Jake, Alyssa, and crew for your help and hospitality. Yesterday we again started delivering to Eddyville. I don't share this story to show productivity. I share this to say Thank you to God and others for an unexpected and undeserved blessing. Call it grace.

We have been harvesting soybeans when we have enough help for corn and soybean harvest at the same time. We have been harvesting Extend and Extend Flex beans and the yields are excellent for having no rain in August.`

So what's my point this morning? We live in a country that is ignoring God. Yet hopelessness and fear should not even be in our vocabulary because of His goodness and undeserved blessings. In our community we have an excellent harvest despite weather and unforeseen circumstances. God is willing and has forgiven my (and yours if you ask) wrongs. He has given me an awesome family and crew to be part of. And He has allowed me an occupation I totally love. I deserve none of these yet it's given. Call it grace. How should I (and you) respond? By saying thank you to God by giving grace to others. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. And have a good week.