Producers mentioned safe harvests and perseverance
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Ahead of Thanksgiving on Nov. 23, Farms.com connected with two U.S. farmers to share what they’re thankful for this season.
Randy Kron, a cash crop producer from near Evansville, Ind., and president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, uses the holiday to pause and reflect on what this life has given him.
His family, which includes his wife of 40 years, Joyce, two children and two grandchildren, is the most important, he said.
“The first thing I’m thankful for is my family,” he told Farms.com. “In this world we get so busy that we forget to appreciate some of the things we have and take those things for granted.”
Within the fields, Kron is appreciative for the way the 2023 harvest went.
His crop yielded well, and everyone made it through harvest safely.
“We had a safe harvest and a very good harvest,” he said. “When I think about the season we had, our harvest was probably questionable. But we had good yields and are extremely thankful for that. And when you look out into the fields, it’s another time to pause and reflect on what you have because we take so much of what we do have for granted.”
Kron is also thankful for his fellow farmers in Indiana.
As the Indiana Farm Bureau president, he witnesses the passion for agriculture.
“It’s great to have the members who are willing to volunteer and put the time in to be strong advocates for Indiana agriculture,” he said. “We are extremely blessed.”
In addition, Kron appreciates all U.S. farmers.
“You do a great job, you’re great stewards of the land, and you take great care of your animals,” he said.
Kyla Hamilton raises row crops and beef cattle in Shallowater, Texas, with her husband, Cole and their four children.
This time of year, she’s thankful for perseverance.
Not all years are good, but having the drive to continue to work is a blessing, she said.
“This year wasn’t a very plentiful harvest for our row crops,” she said. “We got a fluke hailstorm in September that pretty much wiped us out. That’s disheartening when you’re so close to the finish line and something out of your control happens. But we got through it and we get to try again next year.”
The beef side of the operation, however, provides a feeling of appreciation for a different reason.
“You can’t help when you drive to the pasture to see new babies and new life and get sentimental about it,” she said. “Those new calves represent new opportunity and moving forward, so even when things don’t go well, there’s always something good happening somewhere.”
Being thankful for perseverance also extends into the home.
Parents need to be strong to support their children, she said.
“We have a 14-year-old, and teenagers aren’t for the thin-skinned,” she said. “You’re in it, and you’re there for the good times but also their challenges as they find themselves and continue to grow. And they need you to be a source of support and strength.”
Hamilton is also thankful for her faith.
And she cited that when sending a Thanksgiving message to her fellow producers.
“God is good, and he has entrusted you to look after his land,” she said. “Even when tough times come, remember that if you put your trust in him and thank him for all of your blessings, he will take care of you and everything will work out just fine.”
Farms.com wishes all members of the U.S. ag community a Happy Thanksgiving!