by John Byron Turner, For Iron County Today
In the space of a week or so, I came across two very different acts of kindness here in Iron County, that I think are worth sharing with our readers. The first one was quite spontaneous and I wish I could tell you the names of the people who participated so that they would get their credit due, but that’s what made it so spontaneous and noteworthy. There was a family traveling up the interstate, towards Salt Lake City and they had some kind of car trouble. They had to limp off the highway into the Philips 66 gas station at Parowan exit 75. They had several small children and it was a scorching hot day, they were low on cash, so they pulled into the parking lot in front of that tourist gazebo next to the station and near those huge piles of logs.
When I was heading down to Cedar City, I just caught sight of the family who were all huddled in that gazebo, trying to stay in the shade. When I got back, the car was still there with the hood up, and the front jacked up with the front wheels removed, but the family was nowhere to be seen. I later found out, mostly through Facebook, that the kindness began with some local citizens who had really risen to the occasion. I don’t know a single name, but discovered that a group of locals saw the problem and helped solve it. Someone (or several) had taken matters into their own hands and paid for that family to stay at the new Valor Hotel across the street, rather than see them trying to sleep in their car. Others organized an effort to help fix the car and, as word spread, more local folks brought them water, food and donated money to get them back on their way. They were gone the next day, but what an outpouring of help for some complete strangers.
So, there are many locals I can’t name, who deserve a mention but they will know what an act of kindness they have performed. This community put its best foot forward and should be very proud of itself.
Somewhere in the Salt Lake Valley, there is surely a family who saw our town at its finest and will likely have some fond memories of their ill-fated trip that was saved by the random kindness just off the interstate.
Part two of these tales of kindness would hardly be called spontaneous. Many of you will remember that, for the last four years, Ben Roberts and his farming family have offered an entire month of kindness. Once again, this year, there will now be 20 acres of sweet corn, grown by the Roberts, for any and all who want to take a short drive up to Paragonah and enjoy a fun outing picking their own corn. This yearly tradition began after the Covid years and the inflationary times that followed. The Roberts farms had managed to do well and they decided to return a measure of their success to our community and “pay it forward”, so, once again, you are all invited to pick corn to your hearts content. The program has been such a success that the Roberts have announced that this year, in honor of their Grandpa Gordon Roberts, in addition to the Paragonah corn field, they will also open a second field, further up the interstate at exit 95 (directions below).
For those in need, it’s surely a blessing, and to others less needy, it’s still a blessing, and lots of family fun. Until the last week of September, you can pick till you drop, but please keep in mind you are on private property and be mindful of fellow pickers, take all you can use, but don’t waste. Take home some stalks for Halloween and Thanksgiving decoration, and please don’t let your small children get lost in those dense rows of corn, and don’t be surprised if Shoeless Joe Jackson and Ty Cobb emerge from this Field of Dreams.
Some suggestions from a seasoned corn picker:
The ground can be muddy and uneven, so wear sturdy shoes, long pants and maybe some gloves so you don’t scratch your extremities in those narrow, dense rows of corn….and bring a bag or a box to tote your harvest home. PLEASE REMEMBER pick only the 4-6 ft stalks, the 10-12 ft stalks are feed corn, meant for livestock and not so tasty. Ben Roberts also asks that you concentrate on picking just the big cobs which will be sweeter, the smaller ears will be ready in a couple more weeks if you want to make a return trip with any envious friends and neighbors.
These two different acts of kindness are surely a source of pride in this generous County where we all reside. There’s always plenty of bad news to read and hear about, so I am pleased to bring you something positive, to hopefully offset all the stories of doom and gloom. If you know of any other friends, neighbors or organizations who have reached out to help others, even in a small way, please contact us at news@ironcountytoday and we will be glad to give them the spotlight they deserve.
Here are directions to the sweet corn fields:
- From Cedar City and the South:
Paragonah West fields location (there are two different ways to get to the corn):
Parowan-exit 78, turn left, over the freeway bridge.
Continue past the TA truck stop, for 1.5 miles and turn right at the 4-way stop sign.
Go 2.25 miles up over the overpass until you see the 1st sweet corn sign and turn left and go another 1/4 mile to the 2nd sweet corn sign.From the North:
- Take Paragonah exit 82
Head into Paragonah town, turn right on 200 south
Left at 300 west
Right on 300 south
Right at the 1st sweet corn sign
1/4 mile until the 2nd sweet corn sign
3. Buckhorn (Panguitch exit) location:
Exit 95- to Panguitch
Go 1.75 miles south on the west frontage road to the sweet corn sign. Next to the big green hayshed.
