Student’s letter reminds us of importance of ag

To the Editor, 

We finished the harvest the Monday before Thanksgiving. From start to finish it was a very challenging year. Mother Nature seemed to throw everything she had at us. To say the least, it was a long year. 

The day before Thanksgiving, I received a letter in the mail from Charlett Smith, a student of Mrs. Wink’s class at Carpenter school. It was a class assignment to write a letter to someone in agriculture. Charlett received my name. Her letter was perfect timing for me as I closed out the 2019 harvest. I would like to share it with the rest of you that are involved in ag and are wondering if what we do is worth it:

“Dear Lee, 

We are thankful for people like you who work in the area of agriculture. You give us such a variety of food products, and put meals on our table each day. You provide so much for all the people in the world! If you didn’t do your job every day we would starve! We know farming has been difficult. We are grateful that you continue to stay positive, and do your very best. We really appreciate your dedication!” 

Agriculture is an important part of what drives Monticello and Iowa’s economy. It is a way of life, not just a job; but from time to time, we need to be reminded why we do it. Charlett, you did a great job writing your letter and reminding me. Thank you.

Lee Hein

Monticello, Iowa