Volunteers Help Farm Rescue | Video

Retha Colclasure | 5/8/2012

Farm Rescue is a non-profit organization that helps family farmers in crisis. In order to plant someone`s crop, or harvest it in the fall, they rely on a backbone of volunteers. Dale Lamphere, who is from New York, is one of about a dozen volunteers who has helped Farm Rescue work on 200 farms since it began in 2005. For him, volunteering in North Dakota is his vacation.

Lamphere likes working with the soil. But that`s not something he gets to do much as an employee of the New York State Department of Transportation.

"I was born on a dairy farm. It`s always been in my blood."

So when he saw a pamphlet about Farm Rescue at the New York State Fair four years ago, he knew he could satisfy his desire to work on a farm, and help someone in need.

"It`s a good feeling to know you`re helping someone that needs the help. With us helping him, he won`t lose his farm. He`ll continue to be able to keep farming."

This spring was the second time Dale came to North Dakota to volunteer with Farm Rescue. The first was last fall, as a way to celebrate his 50th birthday.

"They don`t understand. This is what I like to do. I like being outdoors, working in the dirt."

Dale does help out a friend of his who owns a dairy farm in New York. He says the differences between a farm at home and a farm in North Dakota are striking.

"The biggest fields where I live, 50 acres. But you`re surrounded. This place, over 100 acres, and you`re still in the same field!"

He says the equipment is also a lot bigger than he`s used to and it took a little while to learn how to use it. Now that he`s up to speed, he plans to come back for every planting and harvest season for as long as he can.

Farm Rescue also has volunteers from Georgia, Kentucky and others.

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