WHY TECHNOLOGY WILL NEVER REPLACE THE HUMAN HEART, HANDS, AND SPIRIT ON THE FARM

On this episode of Trent on the Loos, Trent Loos travels to Spencer, Iowa, to attend the Spencer Chamber of Commerce event. There, he sits down with 90-year-old farmer Larry Peelen, a man whose life and work tell the story of America’s heartland. Larry shares what it was like growing up on a farm in Iowa, long before tractors had GPS and machines did half the work. He paints a picture of a time when hard work, grit, and family held farms together, not fancy gadgets or computer screens. While technology has certainly changed agriculture, Larry and Trent agree on one thing—machines will never replace the human touch.
Larry speaks from experience, having seen everything from horse-drawn plows to modern-day combines that steer themselves. But as impressive as these advancements are, Larry knows that farming—like life—still requires human hands, sharp minds, and hearts that care. No amount of technology can replace a farmer’s instinct when watching the sky for rain or knowing just the right time to plant. Machines don’t understand the feel of healthy soil between your fingers or the sound of content cattle on a quiet morning. Those are the things only people can sense—things that come from a lifetime of working the land.
Trent and Larry discuss how society is getting more and more dependent on technology. While computers and automation can make life easier, they warn that people are starting to forget the value of work, community, and real human connection. Larry reminds viewers that machines break, systems fail, and when that happens, it’s still people who have to step in and set things right.
This conversation is more than just about farming—it’s a reminder that no matter how advanced technology becomes, it will never replace the wisdom, work ethic, and heart that people bring to everything they do. Trent and Larry’s discussion is a powerful call to appreciate the role humans play in keeping this country running—from farms to families to local businesses. It’s a message that every American needs to hear, especially as we look to the future.