Sean Dengler – North Tama High School Class of 2010 alum, Telegraph columnist, and soon to be retired farmer – walks a field near Clutier on May 3, 2023. Dengler took the helm of his parents’ farm for the first time during the 2023 growing season, but due to economic realities, Harvest 2024 will be his final act as a farmer. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

This harvest will be a special one for the Dengler family. After five generations of toiling the land, the Dengler family is done.

It was not an easy decision to make but a necessary one. If I were to be paid in my love of farming or the pride of having both grandparents be farmers, I would keep going. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Farming was never to a certain extent about money. It was about family. Sadly, the long-term economics and the distance I drive were not in my favor.

On the bright side, I am incredibly happy I got to try it for this long. I lucked out at a time when prices were good. I learned so much about corn and soybeans. I challenged my beliefs like twin row, 60-inch corn, or beans coming up gorgeously after being planted into a rye cover crop that was half as tall as me. The yield monitor will be the real test. I also learned how often equipment breaks. If everything in the world broke as much as farm equipment, we would still be in the medieval period.

What I loved most was the beautiful sights working in the field provided. From the beautiful sunrises to the spectacular sunsets, colors I did not know existed graced the sky. This type of living is an addiction.

I gained an appreciation for those who can make farming their full-time lifestyle. I was sort of prepared for the physical work, but nowhere near prepared for the mental stress. Focusing on one’s mental health is an underlooked part of farming. Farming is no joke, and it is not for the faint of heart. It takes a toll on every part of one’s life.

Sean Dengler pictured planting corn in early May 2023 near Clutier. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

The hardest part about “retiring” from farming is I feel like I am losing another grandparent. Physically, I could keep farming. Financially, I do not know. With my added driving distance (from out of county, but still in Iowa) and hesitancy on how long I could keep farming, it was time. Looking at the history of agriculture and seeing where it is going with costs always rising it did not look great. The market price of corn and soybeans is about the same before the pandemic but worse when you consider the effects of inflation. The purchasing power of farmers continues to go down.

Being able to come back and farm has led to a better understanding of the plight of rural Iowa – agriculture’s interconnectivity has changed and affected not only those who reside in Iowa’s rural parts but all Iowans. Farming has led to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. Being back helped inform what all Iowans need and to hopefully fight for rural Iowa as long as I live. No matter where one lives, rural or not, everyone deserves a great education, great health care, and liberty.

There are too many to name, but I want to thank everyone who has helped my farming career along the way. From those at Tama-Benton Cooperative, Youngblut Ag, the various insurance companies, my landlords, anyone who helped with custom work, and anyone else I forgot, thank you!

I specifically want to shout out Matt Kopriva with Kopriva Ag. For those who do not know, I never had a formal educational agriculture background. Matt helped me learn the ropes more than I could ever ask for. He provided the best customer service experience through my entire farming career. I sent out of left field questions through texts at random times, and he always took the time to answer them. He also would come out to the fields whenever I needed him. Thank you, Matt.

Last and most significantly, I want to thank my family. Thank you to my aunt, Marsha, for allowing me to rent your land. Thank you to my parents, Mark and Sandy, for this wonderful opportunity. They probably thought I was crazy for wanting to farm and drive the distance I did to do it. When you love something, you will do anything for it. Thank you for letting me rent the land, machinery, and most importantly, giving me the love of agriculture. This would not be so hard to give up on if it were not for the love of farming they instilled in me.

Sean Dengler. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

My parents gave me a chance to take a risk and to see if I could make a go of it. They never had to do that, and for that, I am thankful for this opportunity. Thank you for all the arduous work and long hours to help support my dream and for providing the warm cooked meals to keep my hunger abated.

I will forever be happy I got the opportunity to farm because not every farm kid gets this chance. I got to see how this all worked and be amazed at how they were able to farm for their entire career. It is no small feat. Thank you, and I love you.

To my wonderful and beautiful wife, Kim, thank you so much. You gave me the opportunity to be gone for extended amounts of time during harvest and planting. During harvest, I only see Kim in person every few days because driving back and forth each night does not make sense. What was even more gracious of her was to listen to me ramble about whatever farm issue was annoying me that day. This required patience, a lot of patience. Being able to deal with a stressed-out husband is a skill, and I would not be who I am today with her. I cannot wait to be home more often with you in the spring and fall. Thank you, and I love you.

As for my future, I do not know. There is always a small glimmer of hope something will change which will bring me back to the farm. Unfortunately, it is small for a reason. What I do know is whether it is a full-time job, writing, or speaking out, I will fight the good fight to help other farmers not become a statistic like me. I will fight for the wealth to stay in rural Iowa. No matter where one lives, rural or urban, we all deserve to live a good life.

If you see me during this year’s harvest, please say hello. It has been a rough last couple of months after making the decision to hang up the boots. Reach out if you have article ideas and if you need help with harvest next year. I would love to help for at least a day or two. Nothing is cooler than helping take a crop out of the ground to provide for one’s livelihood.

This was a fun ride. No matter where I end up in life, know that the communities of northern Tama County – from the rolling hills of Clutier to the Main Street Gorge in Dysart to the Winding Stairs in Traer, and all the farm fields in between – these communities will always have a place in my heart. Thank you and I love you.

Sean Dengler is a writer, comedian, farmer, and host of the Pandaring Talk podcast who grew up on a farm between Traer and Dysart. You can reach him at sean.h.dengler@gmail.com.