Rural Route 2: No Tricks, Only Treats

Rural Route 2: No Tricks, Only Treats

By Bethany Baratta, bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

"What's a ghost's favorite fruit?" my 8-year-old asked.

"Hmm. Scare berries?" I replied, hoping he wouldn't recognize that I made it up.

"Booberries," he says, laughing. "Get it?"

He was rehearsing his joke for the upcoming trick-or-treating in the neighborhood; some participants wait for the joke before handing over the loot.

The date has been set, the costume ideas are stacking up, the jokes are locked in and plans are underway for trick-or-treating later this month. (No sweaty plastic masks here, and we're hoping there isn't a need to wear winter coats under our costumes like I recall growing up.)

As we and other participating homeowners decide whether to fill treat buckets with Skittles or Silly Stix, Iowa farmers are out in the fields harvesting the real treats that provide everything from food to fuel. They're treats you can't fit into a 5-quart plastic bucket decorated with cats, bats and witches'; hats.

According to the August crop production report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Iowa soybean farmers expect to harvest 587.8 million bushels of soybeans this season.

It's the protein — in various forms — that helps humans and livestock to thrive. It's the oil that provides fuel for tractors, cars and airplanes. It's soy that's even sold and shipped to customers around the world.

It's no joke: farmers routinely face some of the tricks that outside forces have on their business. Having the inside scoop on the soybean industry in Iowa, it's difficult not to think about unpredictable weather, volatile markets and confusing ag policies.

While our son prepares his punchlines in anticipation of peanut butter cups and Pop Rocks, farmers continue working through the season, harvesting the treats of months of planning, planting and perseverance.

The fruits of their labor last longer than the gumballs; soybeans and their related products are headed for feed mills, biodiesel plants and overseas ports.

As we enjoy the glow of jack-o'-lantern-lit porches, the crunchiness of the leaves below our feet as we hunt for additional treats, and the fun of the season, we also recognize the commitment of those in the fields and the support from those shuffling vehicles, providing field meals and catching grain on the go. Your work feeds, fuels and sustains more than you'll ever know. The harvest season lasts longer than any Beggars' Night, and I pray for your safety as you traverse your fields and roads to and from harvest.

Here's to a safe, bountiful harvest — and maybe a few well-earned treats of your own.