This past weekend the world has lost a great humanitarian. When one says “Norman Borlaug”, many say “Who?” But we here in Iowa are proud of our favorite son. He was born and raised on a small farm almost a century ago in my community of Cresco. He crossed the border and went to college at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Borlaug went onto save more people in this world than any other by developing a strain of wheat, allowing the bulging population of India to feed itself in the 1960’s. These efforts, the Green Revolution, were the basis for his Noble Peace Prize in 1970.
My husband and I had the opportunity to talk with him a couple of times when he returned home to visit. Like all great men, he was the humblest of men. Take time and do a Google search on the man. You too will be humbled by his greatness.
The family’s message at his passing was…
“It is the hope of the Borlaug family that his life be an example to all. We would like his life to be a model for making a difference in the lives of others and to bring about efforts to end human misery for all mankind,” his children stated. “One of his favorite quotes was ‘reach for the stars. Although you will never touch them, if you reach hard enough, you will find you get a little ‘star dust’ on you in the process.’”
Humbled to be an Iowan--oksewglad