As a public service, New South Essays would like to inform you that Thanksgiving is just 19 days away. If you haven’t already started planning this year’s feast, now is the time to jumpstart your meal preparation. Of all the holidays and traditions we experience in a year, Thanksgiving is a meal-based celebration. It requires … Continue reading The official New South Essays Thanksgiving Meal Planner →

Tell me if this sounds familiar. Because of COVID-19, we are supposed to… Avoid gathering in crowds in indoor spaces.Avoid isolation because of the negative impact on our mental health.Wear a mask to protect others from the droplets in our breath that might spread the coronavirus to others.Wear a smile to help lift the spirits … Continue reading Social dilemmas →

Milestone birthdays tend to end in zero. I had one Thursday, and like that first trip to the gym after too long a layoff, I’m feeling a little sore today. Twice a year like clockwork, I contemplate my life: New Year’s and my birthday. However, the extended period of being homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic … Continue reading I was told there would be answers →

Today’s New South Essay comes from good friend and former colleague Don Durham. I’ve invited Don to tell us about his life on the farm, feeding the hungry, launching a podcast, and challenging all of us to do our part to end hunger. In another life I had the privilege of working with Lance for … Continue reading Planting Generosity →

We all need a vacation from COVID-19. But in case you haven’t figured it out yet, that’s not likely any time soon. Sorry to be a downer, but after a week at the beach, our annual family vacation was impacted by the global pandemic in many ways, some subtle and some obvious. If you have … Continue reading COVID Beach →

Growing up, I opened enough tubs of butter only to find three-week-old green beans that I developed serious trust issues. I recently confronted these past traumas when Carla and I spent the day in her hometown of Sandersville cleaning out her mother’s refrigerators and freezers in preparation for selling her house. Most of my experience … Continue reading Containers and Surprises →

It took a global pandemic to resuscitate New South Essays.

The weather is often our cue for seasonal change. The calendar helps, but not until the temperature dips below 60 does it officially register as fall here in Atlanta. Seasons in our lives don’t always have such markers. Rarely do we know what season of life we’re in until we’re through it. When I last posted … Continue reading Seasons →