The Mc Morris farm, above, is the image I use at the top of the Farm Journal every day. I am drawn to photographing family farms because of the emotion in them. Almost all are struggling overwhelmed by debt, government regulation, animal rights regulation, expensive infrastructure and most of all, the impossibility of competing with enormous corporate farms.

Since these farms are struggling, there is emotion in visiting and photographing them. Today I learned that Mr. McMorris, the farmer who has worked this farm for many years, died suddenly while I was on book tour. His is one of the most beautiful farms I see, and the sun always comes behind it in the afternoon in a way that draws my camera. I thank Mr. McMorris, who I met once on the road while I was taking photos and he waved, for the image above and wish him Godspeed. A farmer down the road told me of his passing. “Way we like to go,” he said. “Sudden.”