Neighbors

Some of you may know this but September 28th is National Good Neighbor Day. I honestly didn’t even know that this was a thing until last week. This day was made in order to create an opportunity for neighbors to get to know one another. In the early 1970’s, Becky Mattson of Montana created National Good Neighbor Day. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation for it. Well, I guess they are right when you say you learn something new every day! Farmers are and always have been amazing neighbors.

Farmer’s neighbors can be as close as next door or stretch even miles away to the neighboring town over and you would still be called a neighbor. Farmers are always willing to give a neighbor a helping hand. If anything were to ever happen they are the first one at your doorstep with a helping hand and a delicious casserole. If you are gone for the weekend, they will come over and help out with chores. If you are ever in need of any help in the field, they will jump right away to make sure your crop gets harvested. They are also good conversationalists and can talk farm talk with you for hours about anything and everything.

Farmers don’t need a special day to greet or meet their neighbors. They have known their neighbors and everyone who has lived on the neighboring farmsteads for years. As most farms stay within families, I am going to venture out and even say sometimes centuries. Bigger cities might need a special day dedicated to meet and greet their neighbors, but most farm families know everyone around them quite well.

It is however always a great reminder that we have these special relationships with our neighbors and we can count on each other whenever the need arises. As we head into the heart of harvest this year, we realize it will be a long one. The down corn is really slow going. The extra hours in the field are exhausting. The great weather is helping and we know if we have any troubles or need any extra help that our neighbors are there and willing to lend a hand. It goes back to that Iowa Nice as we take pride in helping out our friends, family, and neighbors. I simply love being raised in small-town Iowa. Give your neighbor an extra big smile, wave, or handshake on the 28th. It’s their day. Have a great safe harvest and remember those same neighbors always have your back! 

~ Kesley Holdgrafer