Grandparents Day!

The Sunday after Labor Day is Grandparent’s Day. This year it falls on the 13th of September. Grandparent’s Day became a thing back in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a presidential proclamation. Ever since then every Sunday after Labor Day is a special holiday to celebrate our grandparents. The day was made to honor grandparents and to give them an opportunity to show their love for their children’s children. It also shows the grandkids the strength, information, and guidance older family members can offer. That is most definitely true when it comes to grandparents that are also farmers.

Grandparents that are farmers are some of the most hardworking, knowledgeable, and best story telling people around. If you want to know just how hardworking your grandparents are just take a minute and look at their hands. They are more than likely rough and full of calluses and they might even be missing a finger or two. These usually large, rough hands show just how hard they have worked during their lifetime in order to provide for their family and keep the farm afloat. More than likely those hands are still being put to use; feeding livestock, wrenching on equipment, or better yet a grandma's baking hand still stirring the bowl! They have a true love for farming and some might have slowed down a gear or two but they are still getting those hands dirty and working hard every day. I am pretty sure my grandpa can still outwork my big brothers. He is in something or on top of something in the shop every chance he gets.

Grandparents also tell the best stories and they have countless stories about anything and everything because they have lived through so much. I think that you can learn just the same as you would in school by just sitting at their kitchen table and talking to them. They can make stories come to life and it almost feels like you were there living it with them.

Grandma’s kitchen table is at the heart of it all. It is the best place to listen to our grandparents speak, it has seen thousands of fresh baked cookies cool, held many Christmas meals, served as the workbench to fix anything in the house, and as the board room table for all family discussions. It is also the best place for a board game with cousins, becomes the back 80 for all the grandkids table farming with their small tractors and combines, and is the best flat ground around after contouring around the newspapers and glasses of water.

My favorite place to be on the farm is often just sitting at Grandma’s kitchen table telling stories, eating an amazing meal, or having a quick snack after school. It’s the stories and the laughs we share that will last a lifetime. They deserve a day - or even a week to celebrate just them. Happy Grandparent’s Day!

 ~ Kesley Holdgrafer

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

Back to School

     School is finally back into full swing, something I have been dreading for a while. For the past five months I have been without school and just working on the farm. The only good thing about this time of year is I can now use the saying, “I have homework” to try to get out of the things I don’t want to do! “Really Dad, I swear this English paper is going to take me the whole way through harvest to get done!”

August is known as national back to school month. When August hits it’s time for all students to brush the dust off their backpack and gather up school supplies. This is just another reason to give a huge thanks to farmers because without them we would not be equipped with all of these supplies. Farmers not only supply us with food but they help supply us with tons of other things. 

     Think about the pencils and paper you use everyday. Those come from wood and lumber is an agricultural product. The crayons you use to draw are made mostly from soybeans. In art class the paint brushes used are made from pig or cattle hair bristles. Pig by-products are also used in the making of chalk and glue.

  You also can’t forget about all the new clothes you bought for school. Thank a farmer for your new pair of jeans, sweaters, and most t-shirts because they are made from the farmers growing cotton. Those new leather school shoes would also be a farm by-product as well. Last but not least farmers  help you and the teachers get to school. Soy biodiesel often powers our school buses. The ethanol from the farmers corn fuels cars that transport both students and teachers. 

     Agriculture is everywhere, even in your schools and backpack. Have a great year at school as I am truly excited to have started my last year of high school. Senior year will simply be the best!

 ~ Kesley Holdgrafer

Derecho

     By now we all know about the devastating derecho that came through Iowa two weeks ago. We can look at tons of photos of the damage and think we have seen it all. It doesn’t really sink in what all has happened however until you really get out and drive around the entire state of Iowa. Not only do you see flat corn, busted bins, busted sheds, and down trees, you also see a ton of amazing community members outside working together and cleaning up after the storm. It isn’t just community members helping, you see people from different states coming to assist as well. 

    Last week I drove out to Des Moines and during my trip I met tons of electrical trucks along the interstate, large groups of ten or more heavy service trucks at a time. We started looking at their license plates. They were from Missouri, Mississippi, Texas, along with several from Canada. Those are just a few of the many we saw on our way out. We smiled and waved at them all. They were all coming to help restore power for our neighbors, friends, and fellow Iowa residents. 

    The storm damaged power lines left over 400,000 Iowans powerless. As most of you know because you lived through it, the power was not just out for a little while like most storms, it was out for days and even a week. Most towns turned into generator cities. The destruction was state wide, not just a small area or town like with other large storms. It’s amazing to know we live in a very helpful and caring community. During times of need we all come together to help out and that is what I love about small town Iowa. Everybody knows everybody and they will always be there at your doorstep if you need anything. Nothing beats Iowa nice! 

~ Kesley Holdgrafer

 

Farming is Gambling

      This year has definitely been one for the books. Nobody could have ever predicted the way this year would go. For the past few weeks while talking to people and farmers I would hear them say, “some rain would be really nice”. Well we finally got the rain and as you all know it also came with some very unwanted extra strong damaging winds. As you drive around the area road farming, you can see the structural damage done, trees down, and corn flattened. There is no way farmers can see or predict what will happen year by year and each and every day really is a gamble. 

    I have heard this saying be used for years. Farming is really gambling. I have never quite understood it until this year when my brother and I started a crop share partnership with a neighbor. Luke and I each have 15 acres of our own. As soon as I signed my name on the papers this saying finally made sense. From the beginning, you are given multiple choices to make almost every day. What type of seed to plant, where will you buy it from, what will you spray, and will you pay the extra money for crop insurance? And the biggest gamble of them all is with the markets changing everyday, what will you do with your bushels, when will you sell? Should I utilize a forward contract? Do I risk storing my grain with extra expenses? My corn is standing this time but will we have more wild weather before harvest? The list goes on and on. Farming is gambling every day. 

     While growing up I was always told to never gamble. It's an addicting world that most of the time you lose in and when you do win you actually end up still paying too much. Well here we are, farmers are gambling everyday so why do they do it? They love the game, win or lose, they still wake up and go to work. They love their farm, their machinery, and their land. And as my dad always says, “If it was easy, everyone would do it!” Let’s hope the farm gambling chips fall in your favor. 

~ Kesley Holdgrafer

 

End of the Summer Checklist

August. How can it be August already??? When I think of August I think of the Iowa State Fair and the start of school. Without the state fair this year the next thing on my list is school, which means summer will be officially over. Then the next thing you know it will be time to start getting things ready for harvest season. There is already a chopper box getting worked on in our shop. Before I get too far ahead of myself I decided to make a top five to do list everyone should do before summer ends.

The number one thing most farmers like to do when they get a free moment or even if it is while they are traveling from one farm to the next is to road farm. Road farming is driving around and looking at the crops while comparing fields. It involves slow speeds with lots of gawking and swerving while looking at the crops. I usually offer to drive so the farmer can get a better look. I’ve learned to drive slowly and just agree with all of his ramblings about whether I think that hay needs to be sprayed again or if I see the yellow tint to the alfalfa leaves. The next thing on the list that you can even combine with the first one is going to get some ice cream. Some of the best ice cream shops are only opened during summer and you have to make sure to get your share before the season ends. You can bet if I’m driving while road farming we are stopping for ice cream every chance we get! I have learned to bring my own cash because Farmer Dad’s often forget to bring their billfolds or if they do happen to have it with them, there is probably only a dusty dollar or maybe two in it. Another thing on my to do list for this time of year is to watch the aerial crop duster spray. They are just starting to come around right about now. I love watching them fly over low and turn and come back. The next must do summer thing is stop and buy lemonade from a stand set up in a yard in town anytime you see one. Nothing better than getting a cold glass from a youngster and asking them about their day. My brothers stopped at a stand set up on a corner in Miles last week after checking cows. Best lemonade ever from a cute little five year old. Last not but not least and if you haven’t already, be sure to eat some locally grown sweet corn. Nothing beats a hot summer day and delicious sweet corn. Shucking the corn on the picnic table while drinking some fresh lemonade just sounds magical to me!


These are only some of the amazing things Iowa has to offer during the summer. While this summer may look a little different then most, that doesn’t stop me from making the most out of it because before I know it I will be stuck behind a desk at school again. Last week I was in Fort Dodge at the state softball tournament. If you didn’t follow along on social media, be sure to check it out on the Northeast website. Have a wonderful week, enjoy the rest of your summer, and be on the lookout for road farmers! 

- Kesley Holdgrafer

State-Bound Rebels!

This farm girl is headed to Ft. Dodge! It was all smiles over at the Goose Lake Softball Diamond on Monday, July 20th as the Northeast Rebel Softball team punched their very first ever ticket to state. The Rebels played Iowa City Regina in the Regional Finals and won 2-1 in a true pitcher's duel. This is the Rebels first time in school history to make it to state in softball to compete and we couldn’t be more excited and proud to be traveling to Ft. Dodge for the state tournament July 27th-31st to represent our great community!

If you were at one of our games this year, you would have noticed the energy levels for our games and our team was unmatchable. For each game we had a theme and would decorate the dugout accordingly and wear silly outfits during batting practice. You could catch us in the dugout wearing funny hats like cheese heads and cowboy hats with crazy light up glasses and even wigs with a scuba mask. For the regional final game to make it to state the theme was “Christmas in July” and we went all out. We all came wearing Christmas sweaters and T-shirts, Santa hats or silly tree hats to batting practice. Not only that but we decorated the dugout as well. We had a miniature Christmas tree all lit up and of course a magical Elf on the Shelf watching over us in the dugout with paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.


As you can surely tell, my Northeast High School softball team and I are super excited to be headed to the 2020 Girls State Softball Tournament being held for the 50th year at Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, IA. I am even more excited that I will get out of a couple days of cattle chores and baling. If you get the chance to road trip out and watch us or keep up with us on social media making history, be sure to also check out our fun dugout entertainment along with the great softball being played. Go Rebs!

 ~ Kesley Holdgrafer