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This is Iowa: Family remembers farmer's legacy as they harvest field with tribute message

This is Iowa: Family remembers farmer's legacy as they harvest field with tribute message
brian rick left works *** full time job at *** bank in Pocahontas County. But his heart is out here in the field. Okay, here we go brian's love of farming was inherited. It all started when he was *** boy hoping to grow up to be just like dad, it was *** metal cabinet, it wasn't really *** seat and it was just there and it happened to work really good for *** seat, but, but that's my favorite memory and the sweetest part of those long days in the field seemed like there was always some Tootsie rolls bag of tootsie rolls somewhere in the cab to be found. And by the end of the fall the entire floor was covered with Tootsie roll wrappers. We've tried to continue on that tradition *** little bit with our kids too. So um under the buddy seat we've got *** bag of Tootsie rolls for the kids to snack on and every once in *** while on some longer days I find my way into them also. So grief has *** way of creeping into even the happiest memories these days. So this is your first harvest without your dad, Was it hard? Absolutely. We first introduced you to the rick left this summer in *** story that ended up airing around the country and reached out to more people than we ever would have imagined brian's dad tim rick left dedicated his life to his family and their farm right before the spring planting season. Tim unexpectedly died of *** heart attack coping with the recent loss of his dad brian and his wife Katie wanted to honor Tim's legacy. It's amazing what technology can do today in the agriculture world using these tools and *** special field as their canvas. I remember being on this farm and farming this ground with my dad. They quietly hatched *** plan to create something they'd never done before. *** massive message in their soybean field. Miss you dad with *** heart right in the middle as the leaves green and grew. The message became clear. That's when they surprised brian's mom, Jan Tim's widow just means so much to me that they went to all this work. The extra work. It wasn't *** lot of work, but it was just *** special focus on *** special thing to do for their dad. It means *** lot. And so this message sat hidden in plain sight, best viewed from the heavens, *** constant reminder of who was missing going about it by ourselves. It was *** lot more challenging. Just not having him as *** sounding board adding to the challenges. Drought plagued northwest Iowa. We really didn't get nearly enough rain this season leaning on each other. They made it work. Katie learned how to drive *** semi three year old Casey is now the unofficial bean tester, Her sweet little hands popping open *** pod nabbing out the beans and chewing on them to see if they're dry. She explains that's how you know, they're ready. As for five year old brock. He's keeping an eye on dad brian now sits in tim's seat and like his father did with him. His son is right there with you. The leaves have turned golden marking the end of growing season and time for harvest. It's kind of *** culmination of *** season long effort and *** season long tribute. So it's bittersweet. I'm kind of sad with his family. Standing by brian returned to the message in the bean field one last time *** little faded but still here. Row by row brian starts cutting down the beans, Katie, Casey and jan watch from the edge of the field anticipation as brian makes his way toward the message hangs in the air. His first pass goes right through the middle kidding when *** different message pings Katie's phone an outcome they didn't think possible through it all. The field produced *** decent crop. What's more right through the middle of the heart High yields they embrace because this means so much enjoy. There's *** power bigger than us that is *** part of our everyday life in an everyday world and there's times when he makes his presence known. Give me *** second. Like the freshly stripped field emotions are raw at the end of the day. We've underestimated how many people form with somebody in their heart instead of by their side and that's the hard part for us to get through, but we're doing it and I think he'd be really proud of us. Long days in the field are physically tasking and mentally exhausting. When the wind is unrelenting and drought creates uncertainty, Love endures. What would you say is the biggest lesson you learned from your time with? Probably don't need more tootsie rolls. So the message in the field may be gone now, but tim rick Cliff's legacy lives on in his family. Miss you, sweetie, miss you grandpa, Miss you grandpa, miss you tim, Miss you Dad.
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This is Iowa: Family remembers farmer's legacy as they harvest field with tribute message
Brian Ricklefs works a full-time job at a bank in Pocahontas County. But his heart is out in his family's field.This harvest was Brian's first without his father, Tim Ricklefs.Earlier this year, Brian wrote a special tribute to his father in his field — a message saying, "Miss you Dad."The story ended up airing across the country."It went out and reached more people than we ever would have imagined," Brian said. When the harvest was ready, Brian returned to the message in the bean field one last time. Anticipation hung in the air as Brian made his first pass through the middle of the field, discovering an outcome they didn't think possible.Through the tough season, the field produced a decent crop, with high yields right through the middle of the message."There's a power bigger than us that is part of our everyday life, that's a part of our everyday world, and there's times when he makes his presence known," Jann Ricklefs said.The message in the field may be gone now, but Tim Ricklef's legacy lives on. You can view more This is Iowa stories here.

Brian Ricklefs works a full-time job at a bank in Pocahontas County. But his heart is out in his family's field.

This harvest was Brian's first without his father, Tim Ricklefs.

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Earlier this year, Brian wrote a special tribute to his father in his field — a message saying, "Miss you Dad."

The story ended up airing across the country.

"It went out and reached more people than we ever would have imagined," Brian said.

When the harvest was ready, Brian returned to the message in the bean field one last time. Anticipation hung in the air as Brian made his first pass through the middle of the field, discovering an outcome they didn't think possible.

Through the tough season, the field produced a decent crop, with high yields right through the middle of the message.

"There's a power bigger than us that is part of our everyday life, that's a part of our everyday world, and there's times when he makes his presence known," Jann Ricklefs said.

The message in the field may be gone now, but Tim Ricklef's legacy lives on.

You can view more This is Iowa stories here.