We are well past the midpoint of fall and closing in on winter. It is not an official thing but to me the defining point on the calendar between fall and winter is Thanksgiving. Generally, it is the time of the year when harvest is at least winding down, if not done, and the livestock are all in their wintering places.

I think Thanksgiving comes with extra meaning this year. It has been quite a year, especially for those of us in agriculture during the past 12 months. We have had a lot of, because of the lack of a better term, stuff going on in agriculture. Some of the stuff is good but a lot this stuff is not so rosy.

For many of us this has been a hard year with lots of challenges, and that is what makes Thanksgiving so important. No matter how bad things are, we still have a lot to be thankful for in the farming and ranching community.

We have, in my humble opinion, the best job anyone could have. Every morning, I am tasked with caring for God’s creation. We have been entrusted with the land, water and air, and it is our duty to protect them while raising the food and fiber a hungry planet needs.

We get to care for animals and watch as they are born and grow, and the cycle of life continues over and over on our watch. We plant seeds each spring and watch as they become a harvest of grain in the fall.

Yes, agriculture can be a tough way to make a living. Some days are better than others, but I cannot imagine doing anything else, and I am thankful to have the privilege for all this stuff. . Many of us are on farms and ranches built by generations of hard work and others have built their operations from very little. The common denominator is we all have a passion for what we do.

It has always seemed right to me that Thanksgiving, the day we are thankful for the nation we live in and all that we have, is celebrated with a huge feast. Agriculture and a safe and abundant food supply is at the core of our nation’s success. It is what frees most of our workforce up to do all the other jobs that help us all prosper. Our food supply is what fuels our freedom and safety.

That is why I am so thankful to be just a small part of agriculture. I know some of the news is grim. There are outlooks that are not favorable, but those of us in agriculture know better times are on the horizon. That knowledge is what keeps us going in times like this.

We have almost a month until Thanksgiving, A month to reflect on all the blessings in our lives. A few weeks to remember why we love doing what we do. For a moment forget all the negative and focus on the good. Celebrate this great nation we live in and be thankful you have the opportunity to get up every morning and help feed and clothe your fellow citizens. We always have much to be thankful for and this Thanksgiving is no different.