Neighbors, family and friends harvest for Steve Swannack

Two combines cut through one of Steve Swannack's mustard fields in Lamont Saturday morning. About 16-18 combines were out in the fields throughout the day, harvesting approximately 1,000 acres of mustard, wheat and oats for Swannack, who was stricken with a severe case of pancreatitis in June. Below, more combines comb through a winter wheat field on Swannack’s farmland.

When Lamont farmer Steve Swannack fell ill in June, there was no question that his fields would be harvested.

"Somebody will jump in and do it. It's a fact," said Karl Kuper of Shepherd's Grain, the buyer of Swannack's crop.

"It's a great culture to grow up in. You really learn to appreciate that your fellow man is ready to jump in and help," he added.

The help came in a swarm Saturday when 16 to 18 harvesters showed up to harvest Swannack's remaining 1,000 acres. Approximately 400 of it had been harvested previously by family and neighbors.

Swannack's daughter, Stephanie, made the trip home from Texas to help, too. The harvesters brought with them 16-18 combines and grain trucks. By the end of the day, everything that was ready to be harvested had been.

"It's just wonderful to see people giving up time on their own harvest to help another," Kuper said. "They really get in and get the job done."

Swannack, who made it home the day of the harvest, and his wife Anne were "overwhelmed with the response," Kuper said.

"He was very tired; he's been through a lot," Kuper said. "But he's on the mend."

Family friend Dan Harwood said Swannack was very deserving of the outpouring of love and service on his and his family's behalf.

"The community has really come together and assisted a person that's a good person when they needed it," he said. "It's a good way to repay what people have given throughout the years. Steve and Anne have done a lot throughout the years, and now it's time for us to repay them, " he said.

Swannack was stricken with a severe case of pancreatitis in early June, and he has been in and out of the hospital and rehab since then. Neighbors, family and friends have jumped in and helped all along the way, taking care of his cows and cutting and baling his hay, along with keeping up with the general maintenance and work of Swannack's farm land.

"Everyone's just come in and taken care of his farm throughout the summer," Harwood said.

The harvest bee was spearheaded by Swannack's brother, David Swannack. Many others assisted.

The harvest wasn't the only area where the community banded together Saturday.

CHS Primeland provided fuel for the combines and grain trucks, and the manager at the Lamont Grain Growers elevator helped trucks dump grain.

"There'd be one dumping and three waiting in line to dump," Kuper said. "It kept the road busy."

Several others provided food and cold drinks for the harvesters and for a potluck later in the evening. In all, about 80 people volunteered their time.

Kuper said it is certainly not uncommon for the community to come together to harvest for another who is unable to do it on their own, but when it happens, it is nonetheless special.

"It really is amazing. It's always kind of special when it happens," he said. "You just never know when things like that are going to strike. Living in this culture and around this culture it's just something you do. It's another day that we can help someone."

The farmers harvested mustard, soft white wheat, hard red winter wheat, dark northern spring wheat and oats for Swannack. Shepherd's Grain is a cooperative of about 60 farmers who use sustainable farming methods.

A field the size of Swannack's would normally take him anywhere from 15 to 20 days to harvest with his one combine, but his harvest was completed in about a day and a half. Neighbors, family and friends are already planning to help him plant his winter wheat in September.