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Rick Kimberly is still amazed at how the future leader of China, Xi Jinping, ended up visiting his farm near Des Moines. In 2012, an advance party from China's delegation showed a particular interest in agricultural areas in Iowa, and Kimberly's family farm growing corn and soybeans matched their criteria. However, the officials were concerned about safety and explicitly stated that no one should get on the farm machinery. But Xi, then Vice President, ignored these instructions when he spotted a John Deere tractor. Kimberly recalls offering Xi the chance to climb onto the tractor and, to his surprise, the Chinese leader immediately understood him and went straight towards it. Despite the officials' worries, Xi's ride on the farm equipment went smoothly, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This incident further highlighted Xi's curious connections to the rural state of Iowa. Xi first visited Iowa in 1985 as part of an agricultural delegation. He stayed in Muscatine, a small city surrounded by farmland and the Mississippi River. During his visit, Xi interacted with the local community, attended various events, and even stayed at the home of Eleanor Dvorchak, who described him as a pleasant and polite man. Although Iowa is not part of Xi's current itinerary, it is expected that he will meet with Terry Branstad, a former governor of the state and former US ambassador to China. Branstad has expressed admiration for Xi's personal qualities but has raised concerns about some of the Chinese government's policies, including their actions in Hong Kong, mistreatment of the Uyghurs, and lack of transparency regarding the origins of COVID-19. For Kimberly, Xi's visit was a transformative experience. He has since been invited to China and has made over 20 trips to the country to promote sustainable agriculture and share his farming expertise. Furthermore, Kimberly's farm has become a popular tourist attraction for Chinese visitors who want to see the spot where their leader once rode a tractor.