Community honors legacy of Iowa farmer by harvesting his crops after his tragic death

Dozens of community members stepped up to harvest an Iowa farmer’s crops after he died in a farm accident, community members said.

Dana Sitzmann, 58, of Kingsley was fatally “ struck by an unattended wagon ” while harvesting his fields Oct. 5, according to a news release from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office.

“Dana loved all aspects of farming , started helping his dad at a young age, and knew all along that farming was what he wanted to do,” Sitzmann’s obituary said.

On Oct. 16, more than 70 farmers came together for a “Harvest Bee” to help Sitzmann’s family finish the work he cared so deeply about, KTIV reported.

“Dana was a very caring, compassionate person,” Chad Isminger, who helped organize the effort, told the outlet.

“If the roles were reversed, he would be the first one there to help somebody else,” Isminger told KTIV, calling it a “testament to the outpouring of help” the Sitzmann family received.

“No words can put this into perspective,” the Kingsley Police Department said in a Facebook post sharing photos of the community effort .

“God bless this family, this community, and all those that came to the call for a small town community in a time of need,” the department said.

AgState, an agricultural cooperative in Kingsley, said they paused their operations to allow loads from Sitzmann’s fields to be brought in.

The co-op said the pause was about “so much more than just business; it’s about standing together in the face of heartbreak.”

Kingsley is about a 195-mile drive northwest from Des Moines.

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