From the Ground Up: Appreciating agriculture during the holiday season

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - It’s easy for most of us to take agricultural producers for granted. During the holiday season, it’s important to realize how much agriculture has to do with the way we celebrate.

Brazos County Rancher Bobby Kurten says our favorite holiday traditions wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for producers.

“Christmas involves agriculture in so many ways from the food, any food you eat for Christmas comes from agriculture, whether it’s meat or vegetables or fruit or whatever,” said Kurten

Even gifts we may receive during the holidays are thanks to the hard work of farmers and ranchers.

“Whatever you get for Christmas, if it is cotton club or wool or if it’s leather boots or leather shoes or a wallet or a belt, those kind of things are straight out of agriculture,” said Kurten.

Producers also believe that Christmas is the start of preparing for next year’s harvest because that is when they start putting seeds into the ground.

“Thanksgiving is the time that you give thanks for your harvest. It’s a harvest celebration. I feel like Christmas is the beginning of a new crop for us. We’re going to be putting seeds in the ground saying using the Lord sunshine and the Lord’s rain to produce another crop. It’s a new beginning and from Christmas Day on we’ve got the past behind us and the future is right in front of us,” said Burleson County Farmer & Rancher John Malazzo.

Malazzo also mentions that he appreciates Christmas because it brings everybody together and you get a chance to practice your faith and be with your family and friends and prepare yourself mentally for another crop.

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