Beauty of agriculture shines through in all seasons

In one of the weirdest years in recent history — and one that has been especially difficult for many in agriculture — it can be easy to consider it a dark year, devoid of beauty and light.

But even in the hardest years, farming and ranching reveal the beauty in summer sun and winter snow — and certainly under the rainbow.

In November, we asked readers to submit their photos that show the beauty in agriculture in 2020. The 54 entries show beauty in a variety of ways and a variety of places, beyond even just the Upper Midwest. Readers voted on Agweek's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Our winning entry, from Kelsey Wolf of B&B Wolf Farms, Blooming Prairie, Minn., shows a combine sporting an American flag at nearly the exact center of a full rainbow. She took it at the beginning of harvest on a day where they were able to keep cutting through several short downpours.

"The scattered showers set up a beautiful background for some awesome farm photos," she said. "I was running the grain cart and had to quickly jump out for a mini farm photoshoot when a full rainbow appeared!"

Everything, she said, seems more beautiful on the farm.

"Of course, rainbows represent God's promise to the world; so with seeing a symbol of Him looking over us on our first day of harvest 2020, it reminds us to have hope and faith," she said, noting that farming takes both. "I think it truly shows how blessed we are to not only spend our lives farming with our family but also to have a bountiful harvest at the end of such a difficult year."

Tony Loomer took the second place photo, of a Case combine with a MacDon header harvesting soybeans in western Minnesota. The photo showed one beautiful thing many in the region experienced in 2020: a pleasant harvest.

"Harvest this year was fantastic in comparison to the two previous years," Loomer said. "Dry ground conditions and dry grain moistures lead to rapid progress in harvested acres per day, and the yield was decent for the most part."

He took the photo on the first day of soybean harvest. Things were going well after "the initial first day blues," he said. His boss's father, a regular AgweekTV viewer, suggested he enter the contest.

"I like this photo because I took it from the tractor cab while unloading on the go (the boss doesn’t pose for pictures), and the sun lowering in the west along with the dust flying seemed to capture what grain cart operators get to see often, things purring along and the beauty of harvest," he said.

The third place photo came from Kelly Lahren of Mobridge, S.D., and featured snow falling on a traditional red barn. The photo conjured up feelings of peace and quiet, according to some of the voters who commented on Agweek's Facebook page, and certainly was fitting for the holidays.

Lahren said the photo was taken during the first "and so far only snow of the season."

"The barn is very old and although in need of repair still serves us well during calving and never seems to disappoint for a great photo in any weather," she said.

Here are the rest of the entrants. Enjoy!