farmer

*Featured image contains photo by Soul Winner's For ChristIt was deafening. At that moment, all David could feel was his heart beating and his eyes welling up with tears. When it's over, he and his father are too stunned to utter a word.Broken Family TiesPhoto by Jalent HueserWe all have different symbols that keep our family's memory alive. For some, it's pictures, others jewelry. For David, it's land that keeps his family roots rich. Nowhere is that tradition stronger than in his hometown Nebraska.Per Nebraskacorn.com, 98% of the 45,901 farms in the state are family-owned. Of them, over 9,000 have kept them in their family for over a hundred years.Yet, according to Good News Network, when David was just a baby, 80 acres of his family's land was divvied up and sold off to a distant relative, with it, his family history being sold off as well.As he'd heard this story retold growing up, it gave him the motivation to one day reclaim that land to make the farm -- and family -- whole again.For years, that seemed like a distant dream. Incredibly, when he was in his 20s, his father and he learned that the 80 acres were being put up for auction in two short weeks.David said that while it was a long shot, it was one he had to take. “Even though I dreamt of getting the land back for as long as I could remember, when the day came, I wasn’t ready,” he recalled. And so, after two stressful, sleepless weeks, he put together his 'best number' to put forward in the auction.But no amount of planning could prepare them for what that day would bring. A Stunning Auction BidPhoto by RDNE stock projectWhen father and son arrived at the auction, their collective hearts sank.That's because they were surrounded by 200 farmers, most of whom they knew could easily outbid them. But, here they were, and with bated breath, they put forward their bid. The auctioneer turned to them as David and his father made their opening bid. The auctioneer nodded and called for a second bid.Silence.Maybe the room needed a breather, so the auctioneer called for a break. When they reconvened, the auctioneer again called for a second bid.Silence again.Another break, another call for bids, another bout of silence. At that point, the auctioneer awarded David and his father the 80 acres, and with that, they completed this family puzzle. How 200 Farmers Proved That Community Is FamilyReflecting on that day, David is still overcome with emotion. When asked what he thought happened, he can muster only one word: Respect.Meanwhile, the other 5 million viewers had much more to say."I take my hat off to the ‘200’ farmers who banded together in total compassion for one of their own. More than brilliant — simply wonderful," wrote one."That's what you call a community. A beautiful sight to see!" beamed another. Sure enough, among quotes about family, one by Richard Bach reads, "The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life."While blood ties were motivation for David and his father, it's family that gave this story its incredible ending.Just imagine for a moment a world where we treat everyone like the salt of the earth. What a wonderful world that would be. More from Goalcast:Man Buys $40 Desk At Auction – What He Finds Inside A Secret Compartment Changed A Family’s LifeFallen Sheriff’s Son Loses Auction For Father’s Old Car — Then The Most Unexpected Thing Happens