Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

U.S. farmers thankful this season

U.S. farmers thankful this season

Producers mentioned family and an end to harvest

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Americans are preparing to spend time with family and friends for Thanksgiving.

Before slicing into a moist turkey accompanied by a side of perfectly seasoned stuffing, many individuals will reflect on the year.

So, Farms.com reached out to American producers to find out what they are thankful for in 2018.

Grain farmers, like Randy DeSutter from Woodhull, Ill., are appreciative of how well their crops performed this year.

“I’m thankful we had the yields that we ended up with,” he told Farms.com. “We had some dry weather in the summer, but our soybeans ended up being the best we’ve ever had and our corn yielded well too. It was a good year on the farm.”

Dennis Gardner, a soybean producer from Croswell, Mich., is thankful that harvest is over.

Unpredictable weather made harvest a challenge, so he welcomes not having to think about it for a little while, he said.

“It’s finally over,” he told Farms.com. “It was a stressful fall, so I’m glad I get to just put that behind me now. But it was also a safe harvest, which is what farmers always want.”

Producers are appreciative of the industry in which they work.

A main theme around Thanksgiving is family. But operating a farm means producers get to spend time with family all year, said Kelly Reynolds, a dairy farmer and executive manager of the New York Holstein Association.

“Even in the challenging dairy economy we’re in, we get to work with our families on a daily basis and strengthen relationships,” she told Farms.com. “Not many industries allow for that.”

Gardner also expressed his gratitude for his family.

“I’ve got four daughters,” he said. “One is in college and another is in high school. It’s been wonderful to watch all of them grow up into the young women they’ve become. I’m definitely a proud father.”

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Farms.com!


Trending Video

FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.