Some farmers are already shelling corn, their lumbering combines sweeping through area fields and creeping along county roads.
The forecast looks good, with 72 percent of Hoosier corn and soybeans rated good to excellent through the Sept. 10 Indiana Weekly Weather Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s an improvement over conditions a year ago.
Of course, there could be concern that recent heavy rains from Hurricane Gordon could delay the drying of some fields. We’ll hope for our farm friends, neighbors and families that a delay is the only impact from that rainfall.
They’re all hoping for a good (and safe) harvest this autumn. He join them in those thoughts. Farming and ag-related businesses play a big economic role in the Jackson County economy and in giving the nonprofit sector.
Each harvest season, the Community Foundation of Jackson County makes a tool available to area farmers to help support the community — the Giving a Gift of Grain program.
Participating in Gift of Grain program is simple and can take place at participating elevators — Premier Ag in Cortland, Bundy Brothers at Medora, Rose Acre Farms at Cortland and Tampico Grain near Crothersville.
Farmers’ gifts can benefit the area’s agricultural community through grants to programs such as 4-H and scholarship funds such as the Premier Companies/Bob Myers Scholarship and the Jackson County Veterinary Scholarship.
They can also benefit the Fall Grant Cycle with gifts to unrestricted funds. D&B Pfaffenberger & Sons Grain of Seymour have done just that the last several years with donations to the Foundation’s Community Fund. Earnings from those endowed gifts will fund grants this fall and every fall.
Donald Schnitker of Cortland plans to again make a Gift of Grain donation this harvest season. He will be direct it to the Orville and Mary Schnitker Memorial Endowment, which was started in December 2016 by Schnitker and his siblings, Lois Bryden and Lora Willey, to honor their parents.
“In good harvest years and bad, we as farmers still have much to be thankful for and should be proud to share our blessings with the community where we live,” Schnitker said.
For information about the Giving a Gift of Grain program, or its companion program, Giving a Gift of Livestock, contact the Community Foundation of Jackson County at 812-523-4483, or send an email to [email protected]. We’ll be happy to work with you as you harvest your crops and sow the seeds to help us grow better tomorrows.
The Foundation also invites tractor enthusiasts to stand up and vote — with their donations — for their favorite implements in the Head to Head: Green vs. Red competition this fall.
A $25 donation entitles the donor to cast one vote for their favorite equipment line. A $100 donation entitles the donor to five votes. You can vote in our office or online by going to cfjacksoncounty.org and clicking on the Donate Now button.
Just one more thing — let’s be careful out there as those combines, grain trucks and gravity-flow trailers make their way, often slowly, along area roads as farmers hustle to bring in their harvest. Safety’s a two-way street, and we all have a role to play.
Dan Davis is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Jackson County, 107 Community Drive, Seymour, IN 47274. For information about donating to the Foundation, call 812-523-4483 or send an email to [email protected]. Send comments to [email protected].