09/11/2025
🌿 Processing Day Reflections 🌿
I’ve seen people say that if you don’t feel sad on processing day, then you must be detached and maybe even in the wrong line of work. I have to firmly disagree with that. My heart doesn’t lean toward sorrow on this day, it leans toward pride, joy, and gratitude.
✨ Pride because I know the way I raised these animals matters. They were cared for, respected, and allowed to live full, healthy lives the way they were intended. I poured myself into making sure their days were good ones.
✨ Joy because this work is meaningful. Nothing about it is careless or cold, it’s deeply intentional. Knowing that the food provided is honest, nourishing, and raised with love fills me with happiness and purpose.
✨ Gratitude because life is a gift, theirs and mine. I’m thankful for the lessons they’ve taught me, the provision they now offer, and the cycle of life I get to be a part of. Farming isn’t about being numb or detached, it’s about being so connected to the process that you can stand in thankfulness instead of regret.
Processing day isn’t easy, but it isn’t meant to be a day of grief for me either. It’s a day to honor the whole circle, from birth to care, from growth to harvest. It’s a reminder that true stewardship doesn’t stop when life ends, but carries on in the way we acknowledge and appreciate it.
This life is raw, real, and sacred. And on days like this, I stand firmly in the belief that pride, joy, and gratitude are the truest ways I can honor the work and the animals that made it possible. 💚
👇🏽Comment below and share your feelings on this topic, I’d love to hear your perspective.