From Freeze to Feasting, we’ve got it all in this week’s episode of TWILA! Karl Wiggers heads to northeast Louisiana to show how parish Farm Bureaus came together to house and feed electric workers as communities continue recovering from the winter storm. Neil Melancon checks in with sugarcane farmers and researchers to see how the crop handled the cold and what another freeze could mean as new shoots begin to emerge. Then, things get real sweet—Josh Meeks visits Haydel’s Bakery to see how this longtime family bakery mixes tradition with innovation, and Kristen invites her husband Landon back into the kitchen for a king cake challenge you won’t want to miss.

From community rodeos to preserving Louisiana traditions, this week’s episode covers the people and stories shaping agriculture across the state. In this week's show, Josh Meeks takes us to Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles to see this year’s BRODEO, a rodeo created especially for special needs children. Neil Melancon introduces us to one man working to preserve cypress pirogues and the history tied to them. Karl Wiggers takes us to Vermilion Parish and shows us how grassroots involvement allows Aaron Lee to continue farming some of Louisiana’s most iconic commodities. Plus, we look ahead to the 83rd Southern University Livestock and Poultry Show and the warmth Winter Storm Fern left behind in a heartwarming TWILA Boost.

It has been a cold week for Louisiana agriculture, and that’s the theme of this week’s show. A stretch of unusually cold weather has brought freezing temperatures, ice, and sleet, impacting livestock, farm infrastructure, crawfish production, and specialty crops from north to south. From how farmers are protecting animals and crops to what the cold could mean for the weeks ahead, we take a closer look at agriculture across the state.

TWILA went west for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 107th Annual Convention! This special episode follows Louisiana Farm Bureau volunteer leaders to the Golden State as they compete on a national stage, take part in policy discussions, and learn alongside fellow farmers from across the country. Along the way, we explore key issues facing farmers in 2026, including trade, farmer mental health, and connecting with consumers, while also taking a closer look at California agriculture, research, and wine production. Catch all that and more in this episode of TWILA!

Usually when we talk about disasters in Louisiana this time of the year it is a hurricane. However, it's the extreme heat and drought wearing on Louisiana farmers.  This week we learn how lack of rain and high temperatures are impacting grain crops, sugarcane, timber and cattle in every corner of the state and how farmers can make their voices heard. Plus, we get an update on the upcoming Farm Bill. 

This week we take you to the streets of downtown Baton Rouge, the forests of Vernon Parish, and a lot of places in between. 

 Karl Wiggers shows us how the triple digit temperatures are impacting Louisiana’s beef industry. Trevor Williams takes us to the Red Stick Farmers Market where farmers are bringing their bounty to community tables. Neil Melancon tells us about an archaeological discovery in the forests of Vernon Parish. Plus, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the 2023 Louisiana Harvest.

In this special episode of Louisiana Farm Life, TWILA’s Avery Davidson sits down with third generation farmer and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and his new bride Jennifer. Zippy tells us about his upbringing family’s dairy farm, and how a conversation with his father grew into a life-long passion for Farm Bureau. They also talk about how Jennifer and Zippy connected after losing their first loves, and the importance of mental health in agriculture.

This week, I was reminded that the real heart of Thanksgiving isn’t found on a table—it’s found in giving something of yourself to someone who needs it. I didn’t expect one day in a soup kitchen to change me, but it revealed a joy I didn’t even realize I was missing. And in that moment, I understood what farmers and ranchers have always known: the best harvest in life comes from what you give.

There’s something about the smell of beef sizzling on a grill that just feels like home.

At the Louisiana State Fair, that smell leads you straight to one place — the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Kitchen.

It’s fall in Louisiana, which means two things: the weather might dip below 90, and I’m officially knee-deep in pumpkins.