For the last few years, I have been heavily involved in the Eastern Iowa Branch of the Juvenile Research Foundation’s (JDRF) annual Promise Gala, which has raised more than $250,000 each of the last two years. In addition to emceeing the event, usually held in the fall, I am also on the Promise Gala and Procurement committees.

One of the duties of the Procurement committee is to gather items for the gala’s silent and live auctions. One of my ideas for the 2008 JDRF Promise Gala was a “Be a Farmer for a Day” package. The auction winner would get to experience the life of a farmer, even getting to drive a combine. One local farmer, Jim Lensch of rural Linn County, volunteered to be the real farmer who would let the auction winner operate his equipment.

I am from the small Iowa town of Corydon and have been surrounded by farming my whole life, but have never actually got my hands dirty, so to speak. I had friends, and even family who farmed, but I never did. However, I did have a fascination with tractors as a child. My favorite part of going to the county or state fair was to see the tractors and combines. I hoped that some of the gala attendees would also be excited about the opportunity, but I ended up being the winner when my wife bid on the package for me.

Once the real farmer heard that I won the auction item, he called me up and pitched the idea of making the auction item more than farmer for a day and instead make it farmer for a whole growing season. After a quick pitch to KCRG management, Farmer Josh was born.

I think Farmer Josh is an important project for Iowans. I feel I represent many people who live in Iowa who have a basic understanding of corn, but not a thorough understanding because they don’t actually farm. By getting me out into the field, perhaps people will better understand the corn growing process since we are surrounded by it year after year. After all, Iowa produces more corn than any other U.S. state.

When it comes time to sell the corn I harvest, all money will be donated to JDRF, the organization that helped get this started.

-Josh Baynes