The Magazine of the American Landowner is an essential guide for investors, landowners, and those interested in buying or selling land. The award-winning quarterly is known for its annual survey of America's largest landowners, The Land Report 100.
Issue link: https://landreport.epubxp.com/i/738657
FA L L 2 0 1 6 | The LandReport 51 LANDREPORT.COM ABOVE: I really enjoy meeting one on one with people who appreciate farming as well as introducing agricul- ture to those who want to learn more. OPPOSITE: I'm proud to say that I grew up in the same corner of Iowa as Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, who is portrayed behind me in this beautiful oil at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. Mr. Borlaug is a hero to all of us in Iowa. Through his research, he was able to feed billions around the world. Standing beside me is Land Report Editor Eric O'Keefe, which is kind of appropriate. Eric thinks he is a Nobel Prize winner too. I f it weren't for my sister Lori, no one outside of Iowa would know my name. I'd be just another farmer: up at dawn, out in the fields, driving a tractor that costs more than many a nice house. When lunch rolled around, Dad and I would head into Arlington, where I grew up, and grab a bite. We'd discuss how the markets were doing and run an errand or two for Mom. Then it would be back to work. Sound boring to you? Not to me. In fact, not to a lot of people here in the Midwest. The daily routine I just described is the rhythm of life for the folks I grew up with, including my friends from Iowa State. That's where I went to college. A lot of us ended up on the family farm. All of us know someone who farms. You can't help it — that's Iowa. I'm a fourth-generation farmer. My father, mother, and I raise soybeans, corn, and hogs in Northeast Iowa. Most of my friends are either farmers or work in industries that support farming, selling seeds or heavy equipment, or providing some sort of financial service. I also work as a Land Investment Specialist with Peoples Company. We work with farmers and investors who are drawn to this asset class. We love farming. We love our work. We love the land. It may sound strange to some people, but one of my favorite parts about farming is late at night in the springtime or in the fall. Dad and I like to get in a truck and go watch the equipment run in the fields. All you can see is the lights, and the only sound you can hear is the hum of the turbos on the engines. I can't explain it. To me, there's nothing better than planting season and harvest time. To be able to watch a plant grow is a rewarding business. It's very important to me to carry on the operation. I take a lot of pride in what we do. Hopefully, I can pass it on to the fifth generation of our family. By now I guess you can understand why my sister signed me up to be on The Bachelorette without even asking. She knows that I've got fertilizer on the brain. More importantly, she knows how much I enjoy doing what I do with our parents. For that matter, so did Andi Dorfman. Do you remember Andi? She was the bachelorette the season I was on the show. One day I was riding in a tractor and my cell phone rang. I saw the Los Angeles area code, thought it was a crank call, and ignored it. The next call was from Lori telling me to call that number back. Turns out I was being invited to audition for The Bachelorette.