Driftless - Stories from Iowa. - Democratic Underground

Swede

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Dec-03-09 03:10 PM
Original message

Driftless - Stories from Iowa.

I think this is a universal story.

Life in Iowa can be punishing. Many Iowans expend their lives sweating over soil and spilling the blood of livestock; they endure the hardships associated with a life inextricably bound to the ups and downs of nature. Today, those challenges and a shift in our nation's economy have pushed the youth of rural communities to migrate to the metropolises of America. Those left in the wake of this out-migration continue their lives, seemingly unchanged from the generations that preceded them, and entombed in obscurity.

http://mediastorm.org/0025.htm

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

SoCalDem

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Dec-03-09 03:18 PM
Response to Original message

1. Farmers succeeded too well. They educated their kids "in the world"

and those kids chose to NOT farm.. It's a common thread all throughout the farmbelt.. Even when I was a teen, there were little towns all over kansas that were OLD..not based on how long they had been there..but driving through town or shopping there, you would rarely see young people.. a few even consolidated their junior high and high school because there were so few young families with kids:(

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DURHAM D

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Dec-03-09 03:23 PM
Response to Original message

2. Also happening in the reverse.

I own 220 acres in the midwest. My tenant farmer returned home two years ago to work with his mom, dad, and grandfather growing wheat, hay and milo and running a herd of black angus on my land and his family land.

He is a 6th generation farmer in the county/township and absolutely loves what he is doing now. He is an attorney, a CPA, and a securities broker but he didn't like being away from the excitement of farming. He could not be a better, more dedicated, and excited farmer. He is pressing me hard to buy the land.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

SpiralHawk

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Dec-03-09 04:26 PM
Response to Original message

3. Well done stories

The k and the r for the Heartland.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Thu May 02nd 2024, 06:01 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.