AgWired

With the death of my grandfather on November 1, God called another farmer, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend home. Robert Glenn Sandfort was 94 wonderful years old when he passed to his heavenly home. But you, my readers, knew him simply as “Grandpa.”

I began writing my AgWalk stories in June 2010. My motivation was being able to visit my grandpa and listen to his stories of how things were “back then.” Oh, how he loved to tell stories! In addition to his titles in the first paragraph, Grandpa was also a writer, editor, and storyteller. He submitted stories to magazines and newspapers and read everything he could get his hands on. I used to joke and say he would read the back of a candy bar wrapper even if he’d read it a hundred times before! He also completed his memoirs “From Lamps to Lasers,” which is quite an interesting account of his life. He witnessed so many changes during his 94 years.

Over the course of six years, and along with help from Aunt Jeanette, who later joined in my ‘walks’, we posted 292 times. A quote from my very first story was this, “I only ask you to come back next week and take an AgWalk with me. It’s a break from the ordinary, and a glimpse into the life of a work-from-home PR mule.”

Now I realize it was much more than that. It was the art of storytelling.

Grandpa and I covered everything from cream cans to 9-way wrenches to hay rakes. Souvenir marbles to check-row planters to spike-tooth disks, and even an ice hook. I had the great honor of spending HOURS with Grandpa and Grandma (who later joined in the storytelling). Each week they would search their house for antique items to showcase, and dig through old family photo albums or newspaper clippings they had saved. To tell you the truth, I barely made a dent in how many stories Grandpa had to tell. He would jot lists on napkins during breakfast so he wouldn’t forget to tell me about things.

In the words of a dear friend: “…telling the stories of our loved ones keeps them in our hearts and comforts us as we hear. We never really lose our loved ones. God has placed within us their essences through the stories and the memories they shared.”

One wonderful thing about technology is that I recorded our sessions so I didn’t leave out any details. When someone says, “I can still hear him telling stories today,” I truly can.

AgWalk has come to an end, but Grandpa’s stories will live on in my heart. I hope you have learned a little about what a wonderful, interesting person he was.

Thank you for coming along on the AgWalk journey with me.