Jeremy Winter (He/Him) | Winter Acres Farm | Boyden, Iowa
—
What do you grow?
Corn and soybeans
Tell us a little about the land you farm. What does the landscape look like? How did you end up there?
145 years ago German immigrants settled in the northwest corner of Iowa. They claimed their chunk of land and began to farm. My family has been farming that land ever since. Today, my dad, brother, and Uncle continue the work our ancestors started. Our operation looks very different than it did for them; there are no longer any animals involved. Over the years we slowly sold off the chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, and cows I remember from my childhood. The Land remains though, and we now farm a few hundred acres of corn and soybeans. Our farm’s landscape is diverse – much of it is flat with rich black soil. We also have creeks and waterways, even a small pond in the middle of a field. For generations, this land has provided for my family, and will hopefully continue to provide for generations to come.
Share about a time when you felt blessed to be farming.
There are so many ways I feel blessed to be a farmer. I feel blessed to see new life come up every year. I feel blessed as I watch it grow and produce. I feel blessed as we harvest the grain from the field to fill our bins once more. Most of all, I feel blessed to do it all with my family beside me. I feel blessed as I look over the land and reflect on the memories I gained there. I feel blessed to give my children some of those same memories. I receive so much joy from sitting in a tractor with one of my children joyfully riding in the buddy seat. The bonding and the memories we share through farming fill my soul with warmth over and over again. From childhood to the present day so many of my favorite memories happened in the midst of our farm. I am beyond blessed to be able to make new memories every day and share them with my children as they grow on this land as I once did.
How does your faith call you to farming? Where do you see a higher power in your work as a farmer?
As a Christian, I believe that God created this world with all of its wonder and glory. God then gave it to us to use and care for. As a farmer, I do just that. I care for the land God has given us. I use it to produce a harvest that benefits people in many ways. I provide needed resources to the world through the resources God has given me. There is something holy in that. It connects me to God and deepens my faith. Farming requires a lot of faith. Every year I plant millions of seeds with no guarantee they will grow. That seed may never germinate. It could get flooded. An early hail storm could destroy it before it gets a chance to grow. Even if it grows, we may have a drought that causes it to wither. Then, even if everything goes right, prices could plummet. I have no control over what the weather or the market will do. I have no control over so much of this process. Yet, I do it all in faith. Trusting that God will make the seed grow. That God will provide. That God will be there even if it all goes wrong.
the 4th of July.
How does farming call you to climate action? What future would you like to see for Iowa and agriculture?
I believe that for those whom God has entrusted with his creation, there is an ethical responsibility for how we use it. It matters how we farm. So much of what we do as farmers affects more than just the crop we are raising. Farming operations impact the local ecosystem including native plant and animal life, soil, and water. I believe it is my responsibility as a farmer to make a positive impact. To not just focus on production and profits, but on how I can better this world and all its creatures. The world we have been given is an amazing gift. It is our duty to treat it as such. To care for it. To be conscious of how our actions affect it. To strive to make it better in whatever way we can. The world needs our help, now more than ever. The actions we take today to combat climate change and protect our environment will have a huge impact on future generations. 145 years from now I hope this world is still as filled with wonder and beauty as it is today. 145 years from now, I hope my ancestors can still be caretakers of this land using its abundant resources. A big part of what that future world may look like depends on our actions right now.
Anything else you would like to share?
You can read my reflections on faith, farming, and life at facebook.com/onewhoplants.
—
If you are interested in being profiled, please follow this link to our questionnaire!