We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Matt Rubel: "A local farmer, Jake Moore, was arranging a tribute for his best friend, Kyle Hendrix (31), who had recently passed away from cancer. Kyle left behind a pretty young wife, two young children, and an entire community who thought the world of him. .... The next morning I went with two other cousins to help line up what had now become over 60 pieces of farm equipment along the road. The sheer mass of steel began attracting attention throughout the morning as dozens of farmers moved tractors, trucks, spreaders and combines neatly along the roadside.

"In the middle of harvest time, to see such an outpouring of community support was staggering. It was also telling to see every tractor, some of which may cost upwards of $400,000 was left with keys in the ignition. There was over $20 million dollars along that road and not one farmer spent a second worrying about where his tractor would be the next day.

"I didn’t know Kyle Hendrix. However, I do know his fields are being harvested this fall by his friends and his family has hundreds of people who will support them in their time of crisis. It seems to me that farming communities all over the country may still hold the key to what makes this country a shining beacon in a world of trouble. At the very least, the small towns of Bement and Monticello, Illinois made a photographer from Phoenix, Arizona remember why he has loved the farm since he was a little boy." - - Breathtaking Tribute to a Fallen Farmer - Modern Farmer

Posted by gerardvanderleun at October 15, 2013 2:41 AM