(WSIL) -- One year after a derecho ripped through the state of Iowa, a farmer is looking back on the progress he and others have made picking up the pieces.
Farmer Ben Olsen and his daughter Madeleine have gone through a lot this year. A massive hurricane-force storm cause $11.5 Billion worth of damage to the corn farms in Iowa and neighboring states in a matter of hours.
Damage at Ben's farm happened in, "I would say probably about. Oh, about three to four minutes. As you can see, the neighbors have a new home that's actually from here. Wound up on their home."
One of his $90,000 grain bins ended up in the neighbors yard, torn from where it was bolted to the concreate by winds blowing over 100 miles an hour.
The neighbors field looked like much of Iowa, flattened worthless corn. Corn prices went nuts, there was more demand, but 60 percent less supply.
"Between feed and ethanol and food, fuel and fiber. We didn't have enough corn to fit those needs."
Local Amish carpenters have spent the year raising barn after barn.
"They come in and matter a week, they have the roof up and it looks back like it was."
But, there is still much to rebuild. Corn is still sitting in tarped off piles as busy contractors build the newer, more wind resistant bins.
"From March 1st on, these guys, these crews have been working seven days a week, 10, 12 hours a day."
The corn is back, almost ready to harvest. Ben says some farmers did call it quits after the one-two-punch of 2020.
"I think we'll be easily us alone or easily in the millions."
Madeleine will help sell another corn crop, grown in a field of her great-great-grandfather's dreams.
