08/25/2026
I couldn’t have said it better! We are so thankful for our farmers. We didn’t set out to grow/raise everything we picked what works for our land, family and lifestyle. For the rest we got to know other farmers as passionate about real sustainable food as we are!
I was 25 years old before I tasted local beef- and that was only because I started dating a super handsome cattle farmer. 😉
Before that, I just grabbed what was available at the grocery store (usually Walmart). I never thought about how it was raised, where it was coming from, how far it traveled, or the family behind it.
Now I look out our window and see the cattle. We watch them take their first few steps, we watch them graze throughout the pastures and we carefully select which ones will feed our many local families, including our own.
At 25, I finally understood how important and crucial it is to support your local farmers and ranchers. They stay up past midnight helping a new momma calve. They bust water in the ponds on those negative temp mornings. They repair broken fences more times than they can count. They make sure the herd is staying hydrated and comfortable during the extremely rough droughts. They continue to pay the feed bills, diesel, vet bills, repairs for the equipment and so much more. Majority of them also have a full time job all while raising a family.
I understand how convenient it is to go to a one stop shop and get everything you need within a tight budget. Times are hard and they are only going to get harder. Are local farms typically more expensive? Yes. There is so much that goes into raising animals for quality meat and that can be another post for another day.
With American beef & farmers, cattle supplies and processors being a hot topic right now, I hope we don’t forget the power we have right here at home. Find your local farmer. Better yet- find several! Get to know them, Advertise for them, share their posts, get their names & farms out there so people can see just what our local communities have to offer. And when you’re able, support them by making a purchase.
If we want family farms to stick around for years to come, we have to choose to support them today and everyday.
