Thanksgiving In Appalachia

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Love hearing from y'all in the comments- what are some of YOUR favorite Thanksgiving memories?

Whew, this video really brought back some memories of my Grandparents, both of which have gone on to be with the Lord, we'd all go to their house on Thanksgiving and as hard as we might, we can not replicate the feeling of going to our grandparents house...and oh my the smells coming from the kitchen you just knew that EVERYTHING was gonna be alright !! The best advice I have ever received was from my grandma, "if you got 2 nickels and you meet someone with none...give'em one of yours" !!!!

I'm building my own house alone in the woods in Australia. I feel a kinship with Appalachian folk. It is only in the silence of the woods that a man can come to understand why God so loved the world.

We raised our own food on a 23 acre farm on the side of a hill. From chickens to a hog to beef cattle, a huge garden, a strawberry patch, berry briars, apple and chestnut trees and so on. And yes...as far as I'm concerned we were rich beyond measure. ❤

Wow! What a surprise. I stumbled across your episode last night & saw my family picture in it. The large family standing in front of the house, it's the James Garland family ( my Grandfather). Also the only known picture of my Mother (Christine) as a child. She was 1 of 16 children & has since passed. Thank you for such a happy memory.

We didn't have much but no one went without I was hungry many a day but I still love my beans and taters and biscuits oh yeah lm from wva and proud of it ❤💖💕 I'm 70 plus years old and still love to here about our country thank you Josh

Reminds me of my heritage. Whispers of the past. Loved these people. Kind and giving. No one left hungry.

Something funny (and not funny) my dad would tell to whoever was hosting after the meal, “don’t worry about a dishwasher, I’ve got three.” And he would point to us three girls, lol

I'm an Appalachian woman of WV. We still carry on with a couple of the traditional ways, such as the Thanksgiving Day hunt. Women, are doing our traditions, while the men and male children go on a fun hunt.I Love my roots and traditions, and now being taught to the younger generations. Of course, it's a much easier way of life now, but I will never want it any other way. A beautiful video.

I grew up in the Tennessee mountains . Near the Virginia North Carolina border we were 20 miles from Boone NC.... Those memories have been gone for a long time now.. Family and Friends have crossed over and fewer of us remain, that remember those times.. They were hard work and long days.. In the hay and tobacco fields. Running trap lines for winter money. Hunting and fishing for the table.. Thanks for the sweet dreams of home...

I love the old wood stoves! I miss the large family gatherings with my grandparents. This was an emotional video to watch. Thank you.

I remember growing up in those Tennessee mountains. My family is from those mountains and I miss them so much but one day hopefully we can go back. All my family is still there even the ones that passed away are buried on those mountains. These pictures sure do remind me of growing up there, they are the prettiest mountains anywhere. I absolutely love your videos they give those of us that grew up there a window in the past.

I'm very fortunate to have meant Betty Jo in Boone N.C. she a native and has graciously shared her lifestyle to this native New Yorker. We've been friends for over 15 years, our friendship grows stronger every year.

A story of history well told I grew up poor in southern Missouri just this way but I never knew I was poor. We raised all our own food and that tradition held true for my family for many years while I was no longer poor I chose to raise my children in the manner in which I was raised. Thank God because that was one of the best decisions I ever made I am very proud of them.My time to leave this old world is close at hand but I will always be proud of the way I was raised. Thanks oh so much for this story what a wonder reminder of old memories.

My daddy grew up like this in southern Missouri and I got to live there for awhile, amidst all the family and traditions. It is a wonderful life and the souls are the most kind in the hills. It's a different world there, a most quiet and peaceful place to be thankful for just the basic things. Thanksgiving with a wild turkey and all the trimmings is a favorite memory of mine. Boy, could the women in my family cook. Everything made from scratch, nothing in a store bought can.

I remember my grandpa raising hogs, I loved it, I use to help him grind up sausage and learned how to render lard, I'm 62yrs old and I miss those days, and going to my grandma's for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner, it's not like that today. Thanks for the memorys

Grandma & Grandpa always welcomed you into their home. Even with a small house, my grandmother always made room for you if you asked to stay for your visit to the south. There was always a cot, pullout couch or room that my grandparents would make room for us to stay. Food was always cooked with love & my grandmother would always make a fresh loaf of bread for me & my husband to take back on our 12 hour driving trip back to New York. I miss my grandparents, they were my number one fans growing up especially since I am their first & oldest granddaughter.

Oh how I miss my Eastern KY childhood. Pot belly stoves, Thanksgiving spreads, wringer washing machines on the porch, soup beans, shucky beans and homemade fried pies...❤️ You never forget it once you've been a mountain girl. 😢

I can still see my mamaw and papaw sitting on the front porch of their old white farmhouse. I can still taste my mamaw’s biscuits and homemade jam. Mostly I remember the calm and peace up that holler in Southeastern, KY. When I need a break from this crazy world, I close my eyes and think of those precious memories long gone, and peace covers my body. All my Grandparents are gone now, but a day will come when I see them on that beautiful shore.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful occasion to THANK GOD for all HE has done for us including "LIFE" and our Children, it is disappointing to find PRAYER is Missing on many occasion, In these trying Times we need GOD more than Ever!!