Hardin County, Iowa, has some tight-knit communities and when it comes to farming, everyone is willing to help each other. That’s exactly what they did for the Schwarck family after the unexpected death of Mark the end of August.

“We all came here to get his crop out. Thirteen combines, 14 grain carts and 22 semi-trucks showed up to help get this done,” says Paden Lawler, Union farmer who organized the October harvest. “We had more people show up that we expected, which shows what a great guy Mark was for our community.”

All the volunteers donated their time to get the crop taken out. More than 20 women cooked a meal for the group. The local cooperatives, where the grain was hauled, also donated fuel and trucking to help for the day. The bank even brought out coffee and doughnuts for the group to start the day.

“Mark was a very community-oriented person. He was always willing to help someone in need,” says nephew Jared Cook. “It’s great to see the outpouring of support for Mark and his family. It’s a true testament to the kind of person he was.” Besides volunteering in the community, he also enjoyed the Hardin County Fair, where he spent many years helping at the swine show, fair cleanup and other projects.

The group of more than 60 people harvested 400 acres of corn and hauled more than 90 loads of grain to the co-op. His soybeans were harvested the week prior. Mark is survived by his wife, Barb and children, Garrett and Lauren Schwarck. The farm will continue to be farmed by the family.