Photographs by Melanie Thortis
As we all welcome the new year and celebrate another issue of The ’Sip, thoughts of gratitude — and family — abound for me. The holidays are behind us but the warm feeling of family lingers. I am the youngest of five siblings, so, for me, family is ever-present, as it is for any deeply rooted Southerner. On both sides of my family, cousins are as common as cocktails, which also are usually at hand. I seem to bump into relatives — no matter how closely or distantly connected — wherever I go.
The families keep growing, too. Our gathering spot, my mom’s house, where my siblings and I all grew up, once welcomed what seemed like herds of family and friends. Now, as our own families grow with new spouses and babies, we have more bodies than beds, but we always find a way. And, we continue gathering.
This issue of The ’Sip, especially, seems to capture the significance of family. Our cover story showcases three families from all over the state who run dairy farms. They give a bigger meaning to “family affair” as young and old work together to support not only their families but also the local economy and dairy production. Our Delta Blues Rice feature focuses on another group of farmers who makes rice the family business. From making jewelry to publishing newspapers, the stories in this issue display how important family is in the ’Sip.
I am grateful not only for my own family and the families that fill the following pages, but also for the family that has grown out of our ’Sip staff, readers, advertisers and many supporters and followers. We are embarking on another year in print and this issue marks a big transition as we move from free distribution to rack and subscription sales.
I look forward to growing our ’Sip family as the magazine makes its way to readers across the Southeast, sharing the stories of people, places and cultural traditions that make us who we are as Mississippians. We should all be proud of who we are and where we’re going.
And, like my own big, loud, loving family, we will always find a way to gather and celebrate that. Please join me in celebrating The ’Sip. You will find information on subscribing inside this issue and online at thesipmag.com/. I don’t want you to miss a ’Sip.
Cheers, y’all,
Lauchlin
PHOTOS Melanie Thortis
