“I live a pretty boring existence,” says Nedetria Talbot of Pike County, but anybody who’s ever heard her big, vivacious laugh or seen her mischievous smile knows nothing could be further from the truth. “Of course, it’s not boring to me,” she adds, “but people who have never lived and worked on a farm just can’t imagine it.”

Nedetria and husband Frank live in the Tarentum community where they grow peanuts and pecans and raise chickens and beef cattle.

“I enjoy being home and doing things with Frank on the farm. I enjoy the animals, and I feel blessed to be feeding somebody almost all the time. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re four-legged or two-legged; if you show up at my place I’ll be happy to give you something to eat,” she says.

Nedetria says she inherited the gift of hospitality from her mother, who passed the responsibility of hosting family functions to her soon after she and Frank married.

“And it suits me. Gluttony is definitely my sin of choice. I can eat with the best of them, and I cook pretty often,” she adds.

Friends and family take full advantage of Nedetria’s warm heart and open door, dropping in for home-cooked meals anytime they get the chance.
Frank and Nedetria have four children and five grandchildren, all of whom know something delicious and homemade is always waiting for them at home.

One of Nedetria’s favorite family traditions is what she refers to as her Charlie Brown Christmas.

“We have a wonderful time with a houseful of guests for Thanksgiving, but we do a smaller, simpler Christmas with just our children and grandchildren. I make homemade lasagna ahead of time and freeze it, so it’s all relaxing and family time once they get here. But it’s still special because I don’t make lasagna any other time,” she adds.

After working with computer systems for other businesses for a number of years, Nedetria now manages the bookkeeping for their farm.

“Frank and I actually worked together at Anderson’s Peanuts for a while. We were married the year the peanut business computerized, so I wasn’t sure if he married me for love or my knowledge of computers,” she jokes.

Frank now works as the procurement manager for Brooke’s Peanuts in Samson, and Nedetria says working at home and being available to her family is one of her life’s greatest blessings.

“There’s never a shortage of things to be done on the farm, but it feels wonderful to be able to help our children and grandchildren when they need me,” she says.

As a reflection of the love she has for her family, Nedetria says the recipes she shares this month are favorites among her family members.

“So they are tried and true,” she adds.