The day’s march from Earlham to Winterset is another long one — 17 miles. It’s made easier by perfect weather, quiet gravel roads, and stellar hospitality at the end of the day.

During my first break under a shade tree, a farmer pulls up in his pick-up truck and asks if everything’s ok. I explain what I’m doing. We discuss crop yields (good) and commodity prices (bad).

I ask him how President Trump’s tariff war is affecting him and other farmers. “There’s a lot of talk around here about how China hasn’t bought a single US soybean this year,” he says. Continue Reading →