Across the region, the recent extreme weather in Missouri brought chaos and disaster. The results were quite distressing for one Springfield farmer, Jared Blackwelder.
Jared and his wife Misty went about their regular Saturday morning routine of feeding their dairy cows. They had no idea that a storm was approaching from a distance. They carried on with their everyday chores despite the thunderclap and lightning strikes.
The dead bodies of all 32 cows piled on top of one another was a sight that no farmer should ever have to see later in the day when Jared went back out into the pasture to gather the cows for the evening milking.
It occurs frequently. It does occur. Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, said, “The sheer number of cows that were affected was what made this the worst.”
Lightning was, in fact, the cause of death, according to a local veterinarian. Unaware of the approaching catastrophe, it is thought that the cows sought shelter together under a cluster of trees during the storm.
Coday sympathized, “This was nothing that he had any control over,” considering the harsh hand Mother Nature had delivered. He was aware of the severe effects lightning can have on farmers, having himself lost a cow to it a few years prior.
Not only is the loss of the cows a huge financial setback, but it is also a painful emotional trauma. Each certified organic cow is worth between $2,000 and $2,500, according to Jared’s estimation. The loss of 32 cows in all resulted in a loss of around $60,000. Even while there is insurance, there is still uncertainty about coverage, which exacerbates the situation.
“The majority of producers lack insurance. The dangerous aspect of farming was highlighted by Coday when he said, “If you lose a cow, you’ve lost everything.”
Furthermore, when nearby residents asked about the flesh from the dead cows, they were told it was not fit for human consumption. Coday stressed that the animals were not fit for processing because they had been outside in the weather for a few hours.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that, despite the severity of the disaster, this was an uncontrollable and unavoidable natural event that no farmer could have avoided. Such an event leaves a lasting impression on the impacted farm and its owners, having financial as well as emotional ramifications.
It acts as a prompt to value the creatures under our care and to recognize the effort and commitment that go into farming. Even though Mother Nature is strong, farmers like Jared Blackwelder will always be remembered for their tenacity and determination.
