Thanksgiving In Appalachia 

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

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

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" !!!!

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.

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. ❤

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.

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

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.

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.

Persimmon pudding at Grandma's farm in Southern Indiana. Oh .....

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.

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. 😢

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

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.

When my family and I would vacation to the mountains, we would stay in a house up out of Maggie Valley. There was an old man that lived on the property as a caretaker and I recall his stories of growing up in that area in the 1920's and 30's. Mama,would always invite him up to eat with us a couple nights and I would ask about his growing up and what he did then . also tales about people he remembered. That man has been dead I am guessing close to 40 years now. Thank you Mr. Neveland for entertaining a curious young boy with your stories.

Thank you ,Brought a lump in my throat,and a God Blessed tear to my eyes! God with a God fearing family is all ya need ,

They say a scent or aroma will recall a memory faster than anything else. The smell of turkey cooking slowly through the night reminded me that I would sometimes wake up and sneak into the kitchen to get a bigger whiff of that bird.

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!!

I remember living a lot of those traditions down in Mcdowell County when I was a kid..Great memories, holidays were extra special down in those hills..

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...

Appalachian People were Rich in Love for Family.

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

I grew up in Lexington, but had family in NE Ky along the Ohio River. Good memories at my grandparents for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and summers as kid in the Appalachian foothills. Family always hunted a couple of Tukeys for every Thanksgiving and Christmas to smoke. Grandparents grew and raised their own food from cows, pigs, chickens, and garden many Vegetables to even a fruit trees. Everything was always made from scratch.

I grew up in West Virginia. A lot of our thanksgiving turkeys were caught in the wild. ❤ Not to mention the countless hog roasts we attended. 😍 I was a navy brat and my dad was stationed in Washington DC. When I was 6-12, we lived in West Virginia to be near my moms best friend so she had someone when my dad was deployed and he would commute. I’m only 38, but this is all familiar. 😍

I spent my summers with my great great aunt Lucretia in her one room log cabin in the Appalachia’s. She had a heat stroke and died at 98 chopping wood in the summer for her potbelly stove. Tough people for sure!

Captivating, this unique pin hole view of life in earnest, people who without them we would not have a country. Backbone citizens. Honest, hardworking beholding to none yet extending a hand to every neighbor. Actual thankfulness at Thanksgiving. A vanishing portrait of what America was. I thank you for this.

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.

Really nice video that brought memories back to me. I remember my dad and mother raising hogs and processing the meat. The sacrifice they made to feed us and provide, especially the holidays. It was hard at times, but there were a lot of happy times.

Hill people are pretty fine in my book ✌️❤️ to y'all

I love these types of videos that talk about the rich history of the Appalachian Mountain folks

It's really nice to see this kind of family gathering. We lost that years ago and I long for it again. But, everyone has to meet the Maker and when you're alone you appreciate the times ago much more.

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

Very well done. The old guy at the 6:00 point reminded me of my grandfather with his happy face looking like fresh plowed ground. I sure miss that man. So many videos show how poor and unhappy Appalachian people are but really we are the most fortunate and happiest of all.

Great video . Appalachia people may not have all the fancy items etc that city folk have. But one thing i have noticed from watching these videos and listening to the stories and history you importance on family friends love helping each other when in need. Priceless . ❤

I sure remember my momma cooking on one of those stoves. She made some mighty fine hot biscuits n fried chicken on that stove. We wasn't in the Mountains though, Alabama. But I sure love to visit them Mountains. I love the Mountains ❤ ❤

Been halfway around the world and lived in the Bayou for a decade, but had to come back to wild and wonderful WVa. Spent the next 33 years practing my trade as a cement mason and now retired still reside in "Little Switzerland". My grandparents were like those described in the video to a tee! They had their own orchard, huge garden, and grandmaw was still using her wood stove up until her early 90s when she passed about four or five years after my grandpap passed. The way that woman could cook a young groundhog was gourmet. Her blackberry pies(lard/flour crusts) and peach cobblers were amazing. She began losing her sight in her early 70s but it did little to slow her down. She raised five childern and was a humble God fearing woman. My greatest blessing in life besides Christ as a ticket to heaven, was growing up in a place that was "Almost Heaven." If you have never invited Christ into you life please do so. And if you've never been to the hills of WV I suggest making that discovery as well. You won't be disappointed with either decision! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Reminds me of my Granny I miss her so much❤️

I got in on about the end of this era. I was born in early 60's and both my grandparents were gone by 1970. Those years with them were the best years of my life. By the 70's, a lot had started to change. I miss those days and times like nothing I've ever missed in my life.

I miss them days some of the best cooking a man ever set down in front of GOD BLESS

They are richer than all of the money you could have. They have true family, great food and wonderful gatherings.

The good old days

Josh, you brought back so many memories. We always visited my grandmas' over Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. My maternal G'maw always looked forward to my daddy coming 'cause he'd go squirrels hunting for her and then we'd have a mess of fried squirrel for breakfast - hadn't had any in so long now! During the depression everyone had it rough, but being in the country, my g'parents always had vegetables, meats and etc. that was raised on the land. G'maw had a dining table that was so long - she had 14 kids! Under the table top were drawers, and that's where she kept the pies and sweets. Many times I sneaked out the back door, walked down the porch, to the diningroom doorway and got into that stash! I remember G'maw sitting on that back porch churning butter - I guess that's where my love of buttermilk originated. Her big old aprons were big enough to hold most anything, The livingroom/bedroom was the place to be, with the tall old fashioned radio playing on the little table and a big fire roaring in the fireplace - the only source of heat for the house. Geeze, thank you so much for all the beautifuk mmories you brought to mind ; from this old 75 y/o lady. All this was in central Alabama. My paternal G'maw was in Linden, Al. She had no electricity for years. I remember my mom saying that she saved 90 cents out of every dollar - she'd been thru enough hard times to be cautious. She had really bad varicose veins and once, while trying to round up some stray cows, one of them popped. She said she simply sat down by the pond and packed all around her leg with clay, and stayed there till the morning! Finally one of my uncles convinced her to get electricity. When mom wrote her a letter to let her know when we'd be coming for a visit, she'd plug in the fridge and make some ice for tea! Soon as we left, it was unplugged. LOL Awe, what times. Young folks nowadays are being cheated out of these precious memories. God bless you and keep 'em coming.

Thank you for your video we use to go down to west virgina every Thanksgiving most all the men would go deer hunting Friday sure miss those that have passed on

Thank you, God bless you no matter the God you love from one hill to another thank you

Thanks for this! I can still smell Mama's kitchen cooking. Priceless. I hope these characteristics will continue throughout all time. Many lessons have been lost by the young-uns sorry to say, but God shall prevail! My mothers family was from Memphis. Same cloth, different cut.

We normally butchered our hogs on Thanksgiving...therefore the best meal of the year with fresh tenderloin. Thanks for sharing the video.

We never had stuffing because no bird could hold enough to feed everybody. We had huge pans of moist cornbread dressing with lots of giblet gravy to pour over the top of it.

I grew up in Appalachia and I would not trade it for anything.

We killed hogs right around Thanksgiving if it was cold enough.(and it usually was back then!) But never on Thanksgiving itself. It was reserved for the big, wonderful meal Mom would cook and the closeness and love of our little family. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Josh.

Your mountain roots has become a real gem. Your creativity make me realize I have so much to look forward to. I sure hope your family get to come on location when you are filming. If not hope they do not have to suffer too much with you away. Hope you will get to cover the new river in up coming videos. Your work is absolutely stunning. You keep me hanging until the next video. It now longer matters that Hollywood has lost touch with how to entertain us. You have certainly replaced Hollywood with much better experience. Your fan Church View, Va George Netroe

Josh I absolutely love your stories you share. Thank you for keeping this history alive. I feel like without people like you sharing the history. It's going to be lost.

This is the first video I've ever seen from this channel. I subscribed immediately. It was filmed and edited very well; almost documentary like in nature. But, it's the subject matter I enjoyed the most. My kin have been in these mountains since the beginning of time. Others trickled in around the late 1700's and early 1800's. These hills hold a special place in my heart and I appreciate the way you've captured them. I look forward to seeing the other videos you've produced. God Bless you for sharing this and keep up the great work.

I live off grid 5000 ft up a mountain in Oregon. I feel such a kinship with these folks 👍😍

You are a beautiful story teller, Josh. Your videos are always so captivating. Keep it up! I’m looking forward to your next video. Happy Thanksgiving🤎🦃

That’s right money can’t buy that life. I’d say it’s earned. There more true to life then we’ll ever comprehend. Thank for reminding me of my people of the mountains in the west. Brooks Oregon

We weren't poor we were loved by family!

May The Lord Bless Them Always.

Wonderful show. We so enjoy all you do. I think people in those days were more fortunate than today. More time with family and less time in a chaotic world. God bless you and your family 🙏 ❤️.

Too short, found myself wanting more! Enjoyed this episode. 👍

Amen to that I miss the simple days of the family togetherness my favorite memories would be of my Granny and Papaw cooking for us 9 grandbabies and spending time out on the farm with my great-uncles family on their farm for the family reunion every year and all the things that mean the most to those who are leaving those things behind because of the world I Pray for you and your family because you are missing the most important things in life

The same in black forest Germany

I grew up here in Virginia been here all my life in Appalachian mountains. I remember the wood stove growing up I have one in my house in case the power goes out

Loved this video clip. Many memories. You’ve caused to rush back into my heart and mind. Thank you!

My best Thanksgiving memories lie in the southeastern Ky’s Cumberland plateau. Our families would gather at the grandparents and the kids all slept on the floor. Relatives were all over the house, and even the family dog and cat seemed happy. The food was excellent and the house was heated with coal. We’d pull pranks, tell jokes, enjoy life. Most are gone, buried on the family farm. The rest of the farm was donated to build a church, school, and a meeting place. Many good memories were made at the church as well considering the old folks would call us young’uns heathens, just because we’d sneak to the neighboring bootleggers for a 16 Oz can of beer or visit the uncle’s jail and pilfer a pinch of weed. Can’t help it if our parents raised brats.

The mountains in the beautiful Appalachia never disappoint whether with leaves, bare or covered with snow. Thanks for sharing the heartwarming stories of these great people on such a special time of the year. They really did work so hard but had so much to be thankful for as we should also be today. I recall many a time when my parents fired up the cook stove. Oh such memories. We had heat year round. Lol. So thankful I got to experience and be a part of that lifestyle. You are doing a great job at delivering these stories and the history behind them. Keep them coming!

I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy what your doing. Love your channel, from Thurmond ,WV to this thanksgiving episode. Thank you.

Thank you, Josh, for yet another well done video, this one highlighting Thanksgiving in Appalachia. It occurred to me while watching this video that my own ancestors likely shared experiences similar to those you recounted. My heritage is Finnish, Swedish, and Polish - mainly farmers - in rural Northern Minnesota. The farmland and growing seasons were different, but the self-reliance and toughness needed to carve a living out of the wilderness just might be quite similar. Now I better understand the affinity I have for the stories and history of this region you provide. Happy Thanksgiving!

Man, this was the best video thus far, in my opinion! I felt like I was in a story. The sounds, music, warmth, and visual appeal you brought to this video was incredible!!! I’ve watched this twice already and plan on watching it again lol. Thank you for such an excellent video on this Thanksgiving 🦃🍁♥️

What a wonderful well made and touching video. I wish I could still go to Memaw's house. I need a rocking chair on the porch.

Beautiful video and music. Thanks Josh. Thanksgiving blessings to you and yours also. 🍁🍂

I remember going to my great grandmother’s home. It was originally two rooms. The front room was her bedroom/ sitting room. She had a great big cannonball bed in one corner with an extra mattress on it that would be pulled off onto the floor for an extra bed when needed if someone came to stay. The back room was her kitchen. She had one cold water tap and water was heated on the stove and baths were taken in a #3 washtub in the kitchen. Her refrigerator was a propane refrigerator. She didn’t have an indoor toilet, there was an outhouse at the back of her property. My great grandpa built another room onto the house. We called it the lean to because the ceiling was lower than the rest of the house because he just followed the roofline downward to make the roof of that room. They didn’t have money for sheetrock so their daughter my grandma collected big cardboard boxes the kind toilet paper, paper towels or appliances came in and tacked that to the walls and painted it. When I was about 8 or 9 my daddy put her in a hot water heater and a indoor toilet. I always thought it was neat to go stay with great grandma in her little rustic home.

Hi Josh, I am new to your channel and I love to listen to you tell the stories of these mountain people. We didn't live in the mountains, we lived in Indianapolis and I grew up in the 50's and 60's. We were very poor (9 children) and I can remember Grandpa and Dad going out hunting for rabbit, squirrel, racoon, you name it, that hunted it. Even though I'm not from the mountains, I can relate to these people. Thank you for sharing and Happy belated Thanksgiving.

Hi Josh, I want to thank you profusely for redirecting your focus and creating work that celebrates the heritage and traditions of the people of Central Appalachia (EKY, SWVA, WV, WNC, E TN). It is imperative that those who value the heritage of the region preserve it and the land as best we can. While I grew up in Cincinnati, my maternal family has very long roots in Central Appalachia and when they moved during the depression to Cincinnati, a lot was left behind but enough was still apparent in my childhood to keep me both curious and connected. I have resided in E. TN since 2019 - first in Blount Co. (Maryville area) and recently am privileged to begin calling NE TN home. And, the atmosphere in the "city" here is one of trying to change the culture (it's been happening covertly for many years but now it's more apparent). So, I was very happy to find your channel and intend to share the videos to local groups on FB when able so they see what they are messing with is not going to go away so easily. Thank you!

I am sixty five years old now I still live in southeastern ky I would give anything to just go back in time and have one Thanksgiving dinner with pa and mama and my brother and sisters. People just don't care anymore.

Your production is getting better and better. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Virginia .... Manassas I loved you, became American there.... UK to USA. America is better than anywhere else, yes better

Thanks that warmed my heart,Happy Blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours. P.W.D.

Hello from Barbour County, WVa, where my family has lived since 1850!

This is a beautiful video; thank you, sir.

Much love from NE TN, elizabethton, carter county, roan mtn, Hampton, tiger creek❤❤ what a good documentary it's like staring off into the fields off granny's porch again

Just beautiful country

I think I was born in the wrong time and place. This is so awesome and the History is remarkable! I love it, please keep doing what you're doing?

They all looked happy !!! A very warm video thank you ~!!

Reminds me of when I was little, many of the things you have mentioned, happened here in Arkansas. Popcorn balls. WOW. Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the old family civil war era log cabin. Many thanks.

music & dancing

My mom was from West Virginia ... Appalachian is what's listed for me on Ancestry. Thank you for these memories that I don't personally have.

Happy belated Thanksgiving. I enjoyed this video, even more so the pictures. It's like the pictures came alive as you were talking about Thanksgiving and the Appalachia mtn

Beautiful. The real America, with real American values and purpose. Thank 🌿 you.

Thanks Josh. This video really warmed my heart. Those times were very special. Far beyond the world today. You earned a new subscriber here. :-)

So sweet. Should be a movie about these wonderful people.

I certainly remember all this. Wonderful parents.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Josh! Truly hope your day was blessed with many blessed and wonderful memories 🙏🏻

This was such a well done and memory evoking video. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The memories that came to mind were more of times traveling to the Smoky mountains and up and down the Blue Ridge parkway than they were of times at Thanksgiving. Love those mountains! Thank you so much for sharing this. Happy Thanksgiving!

If you've got family and love, you've got everything you need

Gona make me cry, tks for the memories at mamaws

Climbed Big A a whole bunch of times just for fun. Can’t wait for Christmas next week.

I love this, I'm not sure why but I found tears just rolling as I was watching this, I guess in the ever revolving, ever changing world, with it's high dollar living and striving for material things etc. This just brought back such wonderful memories of love and family and. community, that we don't see much anymore. I remember now just how blessed I am. What a wonderful upbringing I had. Thank you sooo much for this video!

Wonderful memories Thank you!