PALESTINE, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — Farm Rescue, a not-for-profit organization served their 1,000th farm family, the Pifer’s, with their wheat harvest.
“Now we can refocus the next stage of rebuilding my house, the farm sheds, and hopefully the farm can kind of move forward and eventually go back to normal,” Brad Pifer said.
Looking back to March 31. An EF-3 tornado tore through Crawford County, Illinois.
“We waited until we could tell that the barometric pressure changed, big time, by the pressure on your ears,” Pifer recalled. “And within seconds of that happening we slammed the door and covered the kids and waited the tornado out.”
Several homes and farms were destroyed. Including the Pifer’s.
“Our entire farm sheds were completely collapsed,” Pifer recalled. “We didn’t have a single building standing and it was on top of all of our equipment. So, we were ready to start the planting season and we realized we had not a single piece of equipment in springtime that we could use.”
That’s when Farm Rescue came to the Pifer’s rescue.
“It was a huge relief, stress wise, to know that we had them willing to come help us take some of that burden off of us,” Pifer said.
With sponsors like John Deere and Nutrien, Farm Rescue rushes in during a farmer’s time of need.
John Deere’s Global Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and President of the John Deere Foundation, Nate Clark said, “Farm Rescue Reminds all of us of the importance of every single farm family. Including those here in eastern Illinois. In addition, we love Farm Rescue because it reminds us of the power, the opportunity of working together for the common good. Of people who are particularly in need.”
Farm Rescue, once a dream of President and Founder, Bill Gross, now serving over 1,000 farm families and counting.
“I come from a family farm and wasn’t able to continue that farm, my parent’s didn’t have the resources to help me with any land or equipment and so I went on to become an airline pilot,” Gross said. “My heart never left the farming community.”
Farm Rescue brings in equipment and volunteers all free to the farmer to help them through their crisis. For more information on their mission or to become a volunteer or sponsor, visit their website.
