Life on the farm always dangerous, often deadly
6:02 p.m. Thursday, July 19, 2007
"You can never be too careful."
Life on the farm is far from laid back.
"Work didn't quit on the farm. You had to go back out," farmer Rich Runnebaum said.
It's a lifestyle the Rich Runnebaum has nurtured for 50 years - hard work, long days and dangerous equipment. He's had the bones in his hand crushed, his finger sliced off.
"I've had friends hurt, killed," Runnebaum said.
He's one of the lucky ones. Nearly 20 Kansas farmers are killed each year.
"They'll dump bales on top of the tractor," he said.
Runnebaum uses stingers to move hay, the metal forks that stick through the bales. Also a must is keeping safety locks in top condition.
"The safety feature right here, you push it in and it blocks the hydraulics," said Runnebaum.
But even the most cautious farmer can get into trouble.
"To give you an example of the dangers farmer face, take a look at this pickup. When those wheels start to spin, if someone is working near them wearing loose clothing, they can easily get sucked in. It's the same situation right over here where the baler is attached to the tractor, when this rod starts to spin.
Other dangers farmers face -- fatigue and the race against the weather.
But with a few close calls under his belt...
"My dad always said if you get tired you lay down or quit," Runnebaum said. "I never did though, mostly because I was afraid of snakes and falling in the river (laughs)."
Runnebaum says you just have to keep your eyes open.
The Kansas Farm Bureau reports that Kansas averages about 19 farm accident deaths a year.
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