A Dairy Farmer’s Song of Loss and Renewal

When a farmer is no longer a farmer, it’s much different than when other people retire or change professions. Often, feelings of letting down previous generations and the question, “If I’m not a farmer, who am I?” lead to depression. Jeff Corle is no stranger to those feelings.

Meet Jeff Corle

Corle was the fourth generation to milk cows on the family’s farm in the Laurel Mountains of western Pennsylvania. “In the spring of 2022, the writing was on the wall,” he said. “We were just getting too small to compete.”

He made the heart-wrenching decision to shut down, which meant selling his beloved Guernseys. “When that truck pulled out, it literally felt as though something was being ripped out of me,” he said.

Corle said he sunk into a deep depression. Needing a way to express his feelings, he reached for his guitar. “I just felt like that pain was consuming me, and I had to get it out somehow,” he said.

He played the resulting song, “Empty Barn,” for a friend, and at her insistence, posted it on Facebook. Within a few days, the video had thousands of views. “Along with all those downloads came the most wonderful comments of love, support, and encouragement. It made me see that I wasn’t alone,” Corle said. “That’s really what started my healing journey.”

Things took off after that. He went to Nashville to record “Empty Barn,” then returned to record an entire album and began touring. “People started asking me to speak about farmer mental health. I said I would do it under the condition that I could perform ‘Empty Barn’ in the talk,” he said.

He has since performed his “keynote concerts” at farm conferences, corporate events, and educational meetings. “It’s important for guys who look like me to be able to talk about what they’re going through,” he said. “If I had kept that inside, it would have killed me.”

In the performances, Corle shares a message of hope while speaking frankly about the difficult parts of his story. “I don’t leave you in that down, though,” he said. “We do some happy songs, and we get clapping and stomping.”

Episode Highlights

• Corle reflects on shutting down his family’s small dairy in 2022.
• He describes the emotional toll of selling his Guernsey herd.
• Writing the song “Empty Barn” helped him process deep grief and depression.
• After posting his song on Facebook, Corle was surprised by the number of views and responses.
• Farmers from across the country sent in photos for the “Empty Barn” video.
• The song resonated with others facing the loss of their farms.
• Corle now performs “keynote concerts” to raise awareness around farmer mental health.
• He emphasizes the need for men in agriculture to talk about emotions.

Links and Resources

• If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. If texting is preferred, text HOME to 741741 for free crisis support 24 hours a day in the U.S. If the risk is immediate, call 911.
• Visit jeffcorlemusic.com for a free download of “Empty Barn.”

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