A Thanksgiving Reflection on Hardship and Gratitude

The holiday season is here. The crisp autumn air has settled in and decorations are going up. But as any farmer or homesteader knows, this season also carries its share of challenges.

A few days ago, I was reminded of that reality in a way that hit close to home.

A Hard Moment on the Farm

While I was out working on the tractor one evening, my daughter called. She often walks our fields checking on her animals, and this time, her voice had that tone every farmer recognizes. “Dad, we have a dead cow.” It was under the oak tree.

Thankfully, my daughter was okay, but losing an animal is never easy. As I finished my work on the tractor, I had time to think about the situation, and it brought me back to my own childhood.

Remembering What Our Fathers Carried

Growing up, any time we found a dead cow, it was a major event. Moments like that brought real strain.

Looking back now, I understand why. It wasn’t just the animal; it was the financial hit, the unexpected work and the burden he quietly carried for our family.

He’d fire up our old thirty-horsepower tractor from the ’60s, dig a hole mostly by hand and drag the animal who-knows-how-far to bury it with dignity. As a kid, I didn’t fully grasp it. As a father now, I do.

That memory struck me this week and filled me with deep gratitude for the generations before us—those who paved the way through seasons far tougher than we may ever know.

Thankful for Farmers, Homesteaders and Everyone Feeding Our Nation

That same gratitude extends directly to you. Whether you’re a homesteader or a full-time farmer supplying America’s food system, your work is essential yet often unseen.

You navigate hard seasons, losses, unexpected challenges and the emotional weight that comes with raising animals and tending land. Mortality issues are part of farming, but that doesn’t make them easy. Every loss, big or small, takes something out of you.

At Southland Organics, we see you. And we are grateful for your resilience, your care and your commitment to feeding families across this country.

Encouragement for Hard Seasons

As we enter Thanksgiving, we want to offer a simple encouragement: Hold onto gratitude, even in the difficult moments.

Gratitude doesn’t ignore hardship. It gives us strength to move through it. It helps us look ahead with hope instead of getting stuck in the challenges of today.

From all of us here, thank you for what you do—not just during the holidays, but every day of the year.

From Our Family to Yours

From our family at Southland Organics to yours, Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for you.