Gratitude On The Farm

We share a Thanksgiving reflection on gratitude shaped by farm life, health after injury, and the strength of family. From solid yields to winter’s slower rhythm, we focus on what endures and how giving back turns abundance into action.

• thankful for family, kids who cook, and shared meals
• health after injury, journaling as recovery and clarity
• extended family traditions and the value of showing up
• solid but not record harvest, perspective on regional losses
• giving food and support to others during the holidays
• weather shift to early winter and greenhouse prep
• embracing seasonal rhythms, rest, and creative focus
• plans for more reading, journaling, and mindful goals
• gratitude for the podcast and future projects
• invitation to share what listeners are thankful for

Reach out to us at farmersgreatestasset@gmail.com. Find us on all of the socials and like and share at farmersgreatest asset. And remember, it is a good day to have a great day.

Transcript

Thanksgiving Greetings And Theme

SPEAKER_01 0:15

The Farmer's Greatest Asset Podcast. We believe the Farm's Greatest Asset is the Farmer. Their knowledge, experience, mind, and health. Well, happy Thanksgiving podcast world.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Happy Thanksgiving.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Welcome to the podcast. I'm Jesse.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

And I'm Dr. Leah.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

Well, it is Thanksgiving today as this comes out. So here we are.

Family Gratitude And Home Cooking

SPEAKER_00 0:55

What are we thankful for? We're going to talk today about some of the things that we are thankful for on this Thanksgiving day.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

So what have you got?

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Well, I've we have lots of things to be thankful for. The first that I would say is I'm thankful for my family, you and the kids. We are ham and cheese.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

More animated movies coming out.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

I'm definitely thankful for you all. As we are working on this podcast, the girls are inside baking, and Henry's been smoking meats for the last couple of days, and it's been wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

I am thankful that we have kids that can cook.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

And not just cook, but they are good cooks. Like they are better than most restaurants.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

So it is hard for us to go out to a restaurant anymore because first of all, we have American Wagyu beef at home.

Health, Recovery, And Journaling

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Right. And then and we get even our pork and our chicken and usually eggs from local fresh stuff. Yeah, we get them from farmers too. So we have good protein sources. And I also get fish shipped in too. So from Alaska. So we have really good protein sources. Thankful for you and the kids. Like such a big blessing to me.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

I would say our health may actually be the first. I'm definitely thankful we are all healthy. There are a lot of families that are struggling through health issues either personally or a relative is struggling through a health scare or problem. I am very thankful that we are all healthy right now.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

Yeah. So that was gonna be the one big thing that I talked about is that uh we are healthy. We are all still in very good health. Um, and for me in particular, I was reading my journal, which is actually right here in my hand the other day. So after I got hurt, I started journaling everything and I read it and I walked into the house and I just said, I love you to you, and you kind of did a double take. Like, where is that coming from?

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Because I usually say it first and then you respond.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Point is is that I guess I don't really remember what it was like or how I was or how bad I was. So reminiscing and remembering through the journal, I I am thankful that uh I am still here, and by the grace of God, I am still here and that I am healthy and walking.

SPEAKER_00 4:14

And I would say your strength and determination as well.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:18

And knowing that you would be healthy.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

So also thankful for you and the kids, and that you were able to care for me and put up with me.

SPEAKER_00 4:30

It was definitely a journey for all of us. We all grew in our own ways. And uh it's been over two years and it's been two and a half years almost now. And I I can see uh how it has changed all of us for the better.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

So that being said, um, look for the blessing in your family and be thankful that you still have a family, right? Actually had a meeting with somebody this morning and they met at the shop and commented on the farm. I said, Well, this is where my parents live. And he asked if they were still around, and I said, Yeah. And he said, Well, be thankful they're still alive. He said, I lost my dad a couple years ago and wish I could have him back. So thankful that all of our parents are still here with us.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Yeah. And we have multiple family get togethers to go to. You know, I think of people who live far away from their family and they don't get to experience the holidays with them.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Or don't have a family to go to. Right.

Extended Family And Holiday Gatherings

SPEAKER_00 5:45

Right. You know, that's something that's very foreign to us because we've had such a huge extended family that when only 50 people get together, it seems like nobody showed up. Like, where is everybody? I think we're going to mom's tomorrow. And I think there's only I don't even think there's gonna be 50 people there. It's gonna, well, I shouldn't say that because our family alone is like 24. So I'm sure I was thinking there will be 35, but there will probably be 50 people there. And it'll feel like no one showed up. So yeah, we are fortunate that we have a lot of extended family as well. So, like I I you talk to people who they were an only child and they have like one cousin on their mom's side of the family, and maybe two or three cousins on their dad's side of the family.

unknown 6:44

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

So when they get together, if all of them show up, it's like less than me with my brothers and sisters and my mom and dad. Like I can't I can't even imagine.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

We'll talk to some people and they'll talk about their cousins, and they may mean second third cousins. And to us, that's foreign because you and I both grew up in very large families.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

So I have second and third cousins. I have no idea who they are, probably.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

But or you just don't really count them because we have so many first cousins.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

First cousins, right?

SPEAKER_00 7:19

So yeah, I that would be another thing that I'm thankful for as well. Our extended families. Really, the only like Joe and Mandy don't come home. My brother and sister-in-law don't come home for Thanksgiving, but they come home for the rest of the holidays. And Jay out in Seattle, unfortunately, our That's a long way, so it's hard to come back. Yeah, it's hard to come home for holidays and spend holidays and but happy Thanksgiving, guys.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Yeah. Yeah. Happy Thanksgiving to everybody out there. Um and just look for the blessings every day. We say that all the time, but more so now. Just enjoy your Thanksgiving feast. Don't eat too much. Enjoy a little football. Three good games on.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

I am thankful for our farm. I'm thankful we get a farm one more year. And I'm thankful for the abundance of our yield this year because I know there are areas in Iowa that really suffered. And not that it was like the biggest year we've ever had.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

No.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

But we still had a good yield. So I'm very thankful for that. And I'm thankful that you get to go out and do what you love every day.

Harvest Reflections And Giving Back

SPEAKER_01 8:52

I am too. We had a a Zoom call with somebody the other day. They were working on a project, and you can speak to it as well. But when we get to do what we do and provide food and good, healthy, wholesome food for others, that's that is a good feeling. But when you can give to somebody, especially around the holidays, I am thankful that we are able to do that. We have the means to do that. Um that is a good feeling to be able to do that. And I'm just thankful that we get to do that and help others. And that goes back to we get to farm one more year.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

Exciting new ventures.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

Yeah. I'm I'm thankful for the podcast. I think that it has been definitely a journey since March. And it's nice to put out what we're doing, educating, helping others as much as we possibly can. And I'm really excited on what's going to be coming here in the future.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Big thanks.

SPEAKER_00 10:04

Big thanks. I wanted to say I was thankful for the weather until because it'd been so nice outside until you know it changed. And now it looks like it's going, we are getting winter early. And I was really trusting that we were gonna have a 50-degree December.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

It's the Midwest, it's going to change.

Weather Shifts And Greenhouse Plans

SPEAKER_00 10:34

That's good. My greenhouse isn't ready to be put away for winter yet. So just lots of that kind of thing that I would still like to get done. So as soon as I can in March, I can start putting things in the ground. So I'd like to be ready for that. You know, Mother Nature, she does what she does. Yeah. The cycles of nature are in the rhythms of nature or how we are meant to live. So it isn't a bad thing to rest and relax and enjoy the holiday. And we talked last week, and I think that's become really the number one thing that I want to do over the next six weeks is enjoy time with my family and just relax and create. Those are the two things that I really want to focus on through the end of the year. What about you, babe?

SPEAKER_01 11:38

What do I want to focus on?

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Um, kind of like I said last week, more journaling and reading. Um, because in the journaling, it kind of helps me turn inward on myself and work on myself, being a better person in general. So like I said, I was reading through my journal the other day, and I need to get back to that.

Winter Pace, Mindset, And Reflection

SPEAKER_00 12:04

Well, I think winter is kind of a magical time for farmers and farming families because you know, we still have livestock, and you have to go out and get that, get the chores done, but it's not as much push and grind, at least in the Midwest. Um, the really cold days can be brutal, but that's a lot of push and grind. It is a lot of push and grind. And it's cold and snowy and but it's not like spring and fall and hay season in the summer and the push of row crap, sure. It feels more like there's time to step back and turn more inward, like you said, and reflect on truth and what's important to you and what you would really like to focus on. I'm thankful for this time. Usually I head into these shorter days and I'm like dreading the shortness of the days and dreading winter. But this year I'm very thankful for our seasons and really trying to become in tune with them.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

You've changed your mindset and you're taking advantage of the season.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

Yeah. So I think that's those are the things that I've been I'm really thankful for. So we'd love to hear what you all are thankful for. If you would like, reach out to us at our email at farmersgreatestasset at gmail.com.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Find us on all of the socials and like and share.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

At farmersgreatest asset.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

And remember, it is a good day.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

To have a great day. Bye.