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Iowa farming community rallies around injured friend

An injury left Rodney Hoversten unable to harvest

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A group of Iowa farmers came together to help a friend when he needed it most.

Rodney Hoversten, a 63-year-old farmer from Radcliffe, fractured his hip while taking two steers to the Nevada Locker.

According to a Facebook post by KCCI anchor Eric Hanson, Hoversten was tossed by a 1,200-pound steer, suffering multiple fractures in his hip.

“Instead of going through the chute, the Brahma turned, took my dad at his knees and threw him on top of the Brahma and then threw him against the shoot, where my dad finally landed on his left hip into concrete,” Rodney’s son Josh told The Des Moines Register.


Some of the farmers that came to help Rodney Hoversten with his harvest.
Photo: Eric Hanson/Facebook

Rodney can’t put any weight on his leg for up to eight weeks, leaving him unable to complete his harvest.

That’s where the local farming community came in.

Starting at 10:45 a.m. on October 18 and equipped with six combines and 10 semis, as well as tractors and grain carts, farmers harvested Hoversten’s 95 acres of corn in about two hours.

Despite his injuries, Hoversten is itching to get back into the field.

Michelle Sweeney, Rodney’s daughter, said her father’s doctor is worried about him doing too much.

“That’s the farmer in him,” she told The Des Moines Register.


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Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.