The hardships of being a farmer can be monumental. However, sometimes there are hardships that a farmer or rancher cannot handle by themselves. In northeast Missouri, a community came together to help one of their own.
Floyd Buckman, a 61-year-old farmer from Monroe County, died in a car accident in August. Buckman was said to be a pillar of his community and very active in his role as husband, father, and farmer. He served on many boards and enjoyed playing music. After this tragic accident, his family knew they needed help in harvesting the crops left behind in the farming operation, over 1,000 acres.
That is where Buckman’s community stepped in. Surrounding neighbors and family friends took time out of their own harvest to help. The volunteers offered their time, trucks, combines, and other resources to harvest the crops since time was of the essence. The volunteers even had kids help with the yard work, so more of a focus could be kept on the critical harvest period.
“We’ll never be able to express our gratitude and thanks, my dad I know is looking down on all of this and just smiling and so happy, but I also know that he would’ve done this for anybody and been there in a heartbeat if he could, that’s just the kind of man he was,” his daughter Jacki Potterfield told WGEM. Potterfield said they plan to carry on Buckman’s legacy in the future.
It is times like this, that we are reminded how much of a blessing growing up in a small community can be. Our neighbors are more than just friends or family, they can be the light in the dark for us during our time of need.
