Jeff Corle wrote the song “Empty Barn”
A retired dairy farmer is using his musical talents to support mental health conversations in the ag community.
Jeff Corle operated a dairy farm in Somerset County, Penn., until March 2022 “when economic factors forced him to shut down his small dairy farm and sell his beloved Guernsey cows,” his website says.
A songwriter and musician from a young age, Corle picked up his guitar to help him express his feelings of having to shut down the farm that had been in the family for four generations.
“When the truck puled away that day, the best way I’ve been able to come to describe this is that it literally felt as though something had been ripped out of me,” he told The Allegheny Front on May 29.
His songwriting process resulted in the song “Empty Barn,” which he uploaded in August 2022.
The song describes a farmer coming to grips with different parts of life but having a hard time accepting the empty barn.
“It's a tough time to be a small farmer,” Corle wrote in the YouTube video description of his song. “We face pressures and obstacles at every turn. As a result, our country is facing a massive farmer mental health crisis, made worse by the fact that most farmers aren't exactly the "wear your heart on your sleeve" type so they tend to keep all that pain and emotion bottled up.”
The comment section of the music video includes farmers who experienced the same kind of situation Corle did.
“I feel every word of this,” fellow country artist Bob Marshal commented. “I saw the family farm empty out, and now I am only years away from having to close my own barn due (to) my age. Bless every farmer who knows the personal connection to livestock and the land.”
“Thanks for putting the empty barn feeling a song,” one user said. “It’s been 24 years since we’ve had our dairy herd and empty barn.”
Corle hopes his song will help farmers be comfortable speaking about their mental health and seeking support when they need it.
“We’ve just got to talk about it and tell people that it’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to tell someone that you’re hurting and you’re not able to grin and bear this one,” he told The Allegheny Front.
Anyone requiring mental health support can dial the 9-8-8 national hotline.
Farms.com also compiled a list of mental health and suicide prevention resources.