Published: November 05, 2009 10:02 am      

Area farmers come to the aid of a family devastated by tragic loss

SIGEL — Dana Schutte went from room to room in her house looking out windows as neighbors showed up with combines and trucks to harvest soybeans that normally would have been harvested by her son.

But John and Dana Schutte’s son, Brett, was killed more than a month ago when he was hit by a vehicle while walking on a sidewalk near U.S. 45 in Sigel.

“We’ve got such wonderful neighbors and friends,” said a tearful Dana Schutte.

In fact, the couple have had so many people offering to help, they have had to respectfully decline.

“We don’t have enough for them to do,” she said.

Neighbors from every direction and friends of both the late Brett Schutte and his parents came to the rural Sigel farm Wednesday to harvest nearly 300 acres of soybeans John and Brett planted.

“It’s just amazing. A lot of these people don’t have their own crops cut, yet they’re doing this for us,” she said.

Mark Behl, who coordinated the harvest help, said the response was overwhelming.

“I just made a few phone calls. Everyone took care of themselves,” he said.

Not being a farmer, Behl said he was able to spend the time making the phone calls to other farmers for help. According to Behl, the farmers were more than willing to sacrifice their own time while struggling themselves to get in a harvest that hasn’t been this late in decades.

A close friend of Brett’s, Behl said he and a couple of others wanted to do something for Brett’s father, John.

“We knew he was going to have trouble getting crops out and decided to get everybody together,” he said.

That help included 10 combines, five grain carts and more than enough trucks.

While the Schuttes have more than 300 acres of soybeans and 250 acres of corn, Behl said the amount of soybeans harvested is limited by field conditions, but they planned on getting it all done.

“We’ll come back maybe Saturday,” he said.

The corn, however, is too wet to harvest at this time.

Effingham Equity provided fuel for the combines, and the Sigel Knights of Columbus served a meal for all those who helped.

“We appreciate it,” John Schutte said.

The Schuttes both agree they have a lot of good neighbors.

“We’ll never be able to repay them,” Dana Schutte said. “Our hearts are full of gratitude.”

Brett was a fifth-generation farmer who farmed with his father on land that’s been in the family for nearly 150 years. It’s what he loved to do, according to his mother.

“It’s all he ever talked about since the time he could crawl up a tractor seat,” she said.

Behl believes Brett would not have been surprised by the support.

“I think Brett would have been very pleased.”

Cathy Thoele can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 126 or cathy.thoele@effinghamdailynews.com.