Agricultural Volunteerism - an Iowan Way of Life

“Volunteerism” and “volunteering” are not necessarily terms that come to mind when we think of farmers, family farms, or agriculture in Iowa. Yet due to unfortunate weather conditions, we’ve recently witnessed just that.

On June 21st a tornado hit the Dudden farm west of Dike. While the sows at this hog confinement were spared, the farrowing house was destroyed. Shortly thereafter, dozens of neighbors, community members, and volunteers arrived to assist with clean up and to lend a hand in whatever manner needed. On the following day additional helpers were present to finish the job.

I have had the good fortune of witnessing this type of commitment a number of times having been raised in a rural community and having participated in service organizations such as 4-H and FFA. Then, as now, people residing in rural areas come together more often than not to assist others in need. No one thought of it then or considers it now to be “volunteering,” but rather, as a way of life.

As a child, when a local farmer had a heart attack, neighboring farmers planted his fields for him. When the same farmer died early that fall from complications of heart disease, the same neighbors with the assistance of farmers from another county harvested those identical fields. The wives not harvesting and local families who weren’t farming supplied meals for hungry workers. They asked for nothing in return and no one considered this to be “volunteering” — it was simply the “right thing to do.”

This same small community rallied again when another farm family lost their beloved three year old child in a farm related accident a few years later. Crops were cared for, meals were prepared, and child care was provided for the other children in the family. Again, the word “volunteer” never occurred to anyone involved.

On another occasion, wind took down a well needed barn used to house cattle and store hay. The next weekend the farming community razed the remnants and built a new barn from the ground up. Again, neighbors provided enough food to feed twice those present. No one ever complained and it actually turned into a social event with a party held in that new barn prior to welcoming the cattle to their new home. No one considered it a “service project,” although in fact, it was just that.

Nearly forty years later and things haven’t changed much on the Iowa landscape. People help people in need. You can give it any name you’d like… volunteering, philanthropy, volunteerism, or service learning. Iowans see a need and find a way to meet that need. They give time, labor, materials, food, and cash donations. Some good things never change.