As storm season rolls in, Farm Rescue ramps up efforts to assist farmers in need.

Richard and Nancy Marshall and their son, Kevin, live roughly 3 miles apart near Alta, but all were awakened on the morning of April 18 by the same powerful storm that tore through Buena Vista County, leaving widespread damage across farms and in the nearby city of Storm Lake.

At Richard and Nancy’s home, trees were uprooted and power poles were knocked down by winds estimated between 60 to 80 miles per hour. But the storm’s impact was more severe at Kevin’s nearby farm.

“Kind of shell-shocked to be honest,” said Kevin, as he surveyed the remains of a 100-year-old renovated barn that sheltered 40 ewes and 70 newborn lambs. “We’ve had high winds go through here before and the hog house was untouched, unscathed. These buildings were built to last, so seeing it lying flat on the ground ...