At the end of a work day, Britt Harris, 26, stands atop a rice bin overlooking harvested soy bean fields on at the Harris family farm in Kennett, Mo. Britt prides himself on being the first to plant and harvest. "Come Thursday, we will look like the smartest sons of bitches out here because they are calling for rain all next week," Britt said of the farmers who made fun of his haste.

From the center of the rice bin, Britt takes a moisture sample at a grain bin property. He rotates his 3,000 acres of farm between rice and soy beans each year to maintain soil nutrients. 

Britt, center left, gives end-of-work-day instructions to farm hands, from left to right, Bill Inman, John Young, Connor McElworth and Glen White at a grain bin property. Britt has worked this farm for five years, but this is the first time he has taken charge of four farm hands working the 3,000 acres, rotating between soy beans and rice. 

Bill, left, and Britt, right, watch the last soy beans fall from the grain cart auger into a long haul truck in the last harvested field at Inman’s farm in Kennett, Mo. Britt had driven down Missouri Highway 412 in the rain with a sick feeling in his stomach knowing the storm could cause a setback. He expressed great relief to emerge from the storm into a dry field where the combine was kicking out husks and dust. 

Bill, left, and Britt right, look over invoices for soy beans on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, at a bin property in Kennett, Mo. Prices for grain and soy beans depend upon the moisture content. The optimal level is 13%. 

As the work day comes to a close, Britt, left, and Bill, right, go separate ways to complete their last tasks. Britt said Bill is glad to “retire” from farming full-time, electing to work only part-time to do what he enjoys most.

Britt, sitting at the head of the table, takes a break for lunch and converses with, from left to right, his wife Reagan; father, Darren; grandfather, Jerry; sister, Kayton; mother, Malinda; and 2-month-old son, Henry at Bill’s Bar-B-Q. Jerry started as a hobby farmer. His son Paul became a pharmacist, and no one could dissuade Britt from becoming a farmer as well.  

Reagan, left, watches as Britt, right, comforts Henry early in the morning at their home in Kennett, Mo. This is Reagan's last week of her two-month maternity leave before returning to work as a dental hygienist.

Britt looks at the gages and dials of his long-haul truck after emptying its load of soy beans at a grain bin property. The truck became stuck, and an air leak was found to be the issue, which was fixed to get the truck back on the roads to transport a new load from the field.

Britt climbs out of a rice bin. He tested the moisture content to ensure the conditions in the bin are optimal to predict the value of the grain for when it is sold at a later date.