An Editorial Opinion of The Luverne Journal

Sean Dietrich, better known as Sean of the South, is a favorite player at the Ritz Theatre in Greenville. The author, columnist and stand-up comedian visited the area numerous times and has a soft spot for the place where he felt such a warm welcome that he gave one iconic eatery and Lowndes County-based turkey farm a spotlight in his 2023 novel, “Kinfolk.”

The novel is a dark and poignant tale centered around Nub, a 62-year-old alcoholic, and Minnie, a 15-year-old unwed mother. Both navigate the lifelong repercussions of parental suicide, alongside supporting cast members living with life-challinging situations like terminal cancer, paralysis and substance abuse. 

Set in the early 1970s, the story line is a nod to Dietrich’s own boyhood and the 11-year-old child he was when his father committed suicide.

Paying tribute to the taste of our memories is a common way artists honor local eateries. Singer-songwriter Bobby Tomberlin pays homage to the Chicken Shack in Luverne, giving the place once voted Alabama’s best fried chicken joint pride of place in Bill Anderson’s song, “The Country I Grew Up In.”

Thrown right into the mixture of tragedy with a dash of southern gothic of “Kinfolk” is a heartwarming afternoon road trip which takes Nub and his estranged daughter, Emily, down the highway for a meal at Bates House of Turkey. Dietrich pays tribute to the timeless area fixture, explaining how W.C. Bates, Sr. and his wife Helen launched Bates Turkey Farm in Lowndes County in June 2023 with the wedding gift of nine turkey eggs.

Nub and Emily reconcile over two popular Bates’ sandwiches – the Gobbler and hickory smoked turkey. The account sheds a ray of hope in the tragic tale, a few bright hours amid a lifetime of sorrow and regret. The telling is a fitting tribute to the area Dietrich has grown to love almost as much as the natives do.

Southerners can’t seem to meet without eating, something that Missouri-born Dietrich seems to understand. Local community members battle life’s challenges, like the characters in “Kinfolk” and often discover hope and healing over a good meal enjoyed with those they love.

Turkey salad croissants from Bates House of Turkey are a newsroom favorite for The Luverne Journal staff, who also frequent the Chicken Shack. Like Dietrich, we appreciate the many local long-time establishments, like Bates House of Turkey and “the Shack”, that dish out comfort food in a family-friendly atmosphere and embody the warm and welcoming spirit of our communities.