Winfield-Mt. Union students lend a helping hand in local farmer's field

When we saw four buses parked outside Swedesburg -- this would clearly be a day full of mud drenched students doing hard work.

"The buckets get heavy," said Lacie Pfeiffer, a high school junior. "The five gallon buckets get really heavy. "

"Not too bad," said seventh-grader Lane Dedic, when asked about how his hands were holding up. "I got 3 cuts on my hands."

Middle schoolers and high schoolers from Winfield-Mt. Union Schools filled these charred fields. Earlier this month, fire burned about 50 acres of corn. Insurance kicked in for the land owner -- but what to do with all of this corn?

"They can't combine it but people can pick it up," said high school principal Dave Edwards.

So these students did -- getting the corn off the ground and stalks, into these buckets -- and off for cattle feed. Money from this corn will go back to the school district for new facilities -- including a football field.

After hours in the field before and after lunch -- the reality of the day - and the grime - sets in.

"It's gonna take forever to get it out of our fingernails and our face," said eighth-grader Max Frike, with a face full of fresh soil.

"I can't feel my toes," said seventh-grader Sarah Hartman.

Now the question for the parents -- will Henry and Johnson Counties have enough laundry detergent to take care of this group?

Chris Earl, KCRG-TV