This is a story that makes one continue to believe in humanity. If it were not for the kindness of these farmers, a young man named David and his family members would not have been able to win back the family farm in Nebraska.
The story goes back several years when a family lost their farm because one of their ancestors decided to sell it to a relative who didn’t have much interest in farming. Many family members felt devastated as they had been taking good care of the farm. They were certain that the relative who obtained it would not be a long-term owner.
So, family members came together and started saving money, preparing for the day when the farm would go on sale, most likely at auction. Unfortunately, that day came before the family had saved what they felt they needed to even have a chance to buy back their family’s farm. Their only hope was that there would not be many people interested in buying it. However, when they arrived for the auction, they felt defeated and that they didn’t have much of a chance to reclaim their farm because there were more than 200 other farmers present.
When the auction began, David made the family’s bid and waited for other farmers to outbid them. Surprisingly, on the contrary, there were no voices whatsoever. There were no other bids to be heard. The 200+ farmers remained silent. Not because the farm was not worth the money, but it was because they wanted to let David and his family members own their farm again and start working on it.
It turned out that all the farmers present had made a deal beforehand. Collectively, they had decided not to stand in the way of this family and to help them have their farm. It was such an overwhelming surprise for David and his family! The auctioneer had tried numerous attempts to encourage other bidders – but no one accepted that challenge. Ultimately, the auctioneer had to sell the farm to David’s family, so the land was returned to its rightful owners. This is a day that family will always remember! It was truly an amazing gift from fellow farmers!
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Besides being a very touching story, it offers some great insight into the way farmers/ranchers support each other in times of need. This is certainly a stunning example of the kindness and generosity of farmers in that Nebraska community. It is also common that when a farm family has experienced a health issue or death, especially at planting or harvesting time, other farmers will show up and donate their time, machinery and other forms of assistance to help out in such times of need.
We share this story to provide some additional insight about farmers/ranchers and why they are willing to support those they know and trust. As a CAD member, you are encouraged to communicate and get involved in building long-lasting relationships with the farmers and ranchers in your area.
