Meet Jerry Turner, a fifth-generation peanut farmer in Appling County, Georgia, where he grows cotton, peanuts and tobacco. For Turner, one of the most rewarding parts of farming is planting peanuts, watching them grow and seeing the results of a year’s hard work at harvest.

Throughout his lifetime, Turner has seen crops change as farmers adapt to market demand. Through those changes, his family’s commitment to agriculture has remained strong.

Turner and his family also make it a priority to educate the next generation. Each year, they participate in a local school’s agriculture day, bringing equipment and teaching students how crops are grown and where their food comes from.

“It’s good to teach them where their food comes from,” Turner shared.

Working alongside his father and grandfather has made farming a rewarding family tradition for Turner. As his eight-year-old son grows up around agriculture, he hopes to pass that tradition down to the next generation.

His advice to young farmers is to lead with faith, recognize the challenges and appreciate the rewards that come with the industry. With farmers declining in number, Turner believes continuing to grow our own food is more important than ever.