Atwood Farmer's Neighbors Help Out In Time Of Need
Posted
Tim Robertson-trobertson@timesuniononline.com
ATWOOD - George Klinger and Larry Thomas sat in a pickup truck south of Atwood Monday watching combines harvest a cornfield.
The field is Klinger's and usually he would be out there harvesting the corn himself. But this year is different.
In July, Klinger underwent heart surgery including six bypasses. Klinger said he is recovering well from the surgery.
"The doctors won't let me out on machinery though," he said.Klinger said, when he heard that, he began to get worried. If his 184 acres of corn isn't harvested soon, it will go to waste. When Klinger's friend, Bill Thomas, Atwood, heard, he decided all Klinger needed was a little help from his friends.
"He got these neighbors to come out and do it for me," Klinger said.
While driving a combine around one of Klinger's fields Monday Mike Loher, Warsaw, said it didn't take long for Thomas to recruit the help.
"A lot of farmers have breakfast at the local coffee shops and word gets around pretty fast," Loher said. "When something happens or someone has health problems, usually people around here are pretty good about helping each other out."
Thomas and Loher were joined by Jerry Clase, Atwood; Bruce Ferguson and Denny Polk, both of Leesburg; Steve Nifong, Etna Green; Tom Groninger, Jim Earl, Ed Boggs and Dewayne Klinger, all of Warsaw, in donating time, work and equipment to bring in Klinger's corn this week.
Loher said Klinger, who also is an accountant and former Kosciusko County commissioner, has helped him file his taxes for the past few years. Loher said there is nothing unusual about people in the farming community helping each other out.
"My theory is, you never know when you're going to be the one who needs help," he said. "Taking half a day off work is pretty cheap when you think if you help someone out, maybe someone will help you out someday."
Klinger said his doctors told him he can begin farming again next spring. For now, he said he's really thankful for the help. "It's nice to have neighbors," he said.
