Farm to TikTok: The Garner Family Story

*This transcript was auto-generated*


Cindy Garner:

Kim Gravel wants us to be on her show.

Kim:

Luke, you and Al and your brothers have a lot of, like, middle aged women fans on TikTok.

Cindy Garner:

I mean, it's just hot in Mississippi. That's just what you do. You take your shirt off.

Kim:

Y'all are superstars in the making. All of y'all are just such an inspiration to really keep family the center.

Mary Garner:

When I was young, I dreamed of being rich. As I got older, I decided that I am rich with my family.

Kim:

Hey, y'all. Welcome to the Kim Gravel Show. This is going to be probably one of my favorite episodes of the entire year. I said it. I'm claiming it. I'm owning it. Because we have five guests today that is a family of nine. There are nine.

Kim:

I've only got five today. And y'all, they are watermelon farmers from Mississippi. Yep, watermelon. Seedless and seeds, I'm sure. And they have nine kids, seven boys, two girls. Lord have mercy. This woman probably has never sat on a clean toilet seat. And they all were together on the farm.

Kim:

Okay, they've been here. They're here because I have fallen obsessively, stalkerly in love with their TikTok videos. I have. I've just. I cannot help but just. Let's welcome the Garner family.

Zac:

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Zac:

Stop. I want you to be honest with the audience for a second about why you like their TikTok videos.

Kim:

Now, I'm not gonna say that in mixed company.

Zac:

You sent me so many TikTok videos of theirs. Kim's, like, texting me videos of the Garner family, and I'm like, who are. Let me just show the audience. Let me see if the audience.

Kim:

You're embarrassing me. Show the audience because they're going to love them. Show them.

Zac:

I want the audience to decide why you like this family.

Zac:

What could it be?

Zac:

I don't know.

Kim:

There we go.

Zac:

I don't know what it is.

Kim:

Okay, let me just say before everybody. First of all, our ratings just went up by 10,000 because of those little. Follow these people on TikTok. I feel a little like cougar Ish here, which is. I'm happily married with two boys of my own, so it's all as well. But I guess I gotta tell you. The Gardner family. Welcome.

Kim:

Keith, Mary, Luke and Al. I'VE got five of them right now. How are y'all Good? Okay. I absolutely am obsessed. Y'all go follow them immediately on TikTok. But you gotta tell me, Mary, I'm gonna ask you first, because who started this whole TikTok thing?

Mary Garner:

Actually, Mama was the one who wanted us to start it. And I just never could pull the plug. I guess I was just a little nervous about posting, you know? So Luke's fiance is actually the one that posted our first video. And then from there, I started posting and all that. And me and Mama do most of it now. But, yeah, she. It was all Mama's idea. And then, Quincy, she started it.

Kim:

Mama. Cindy, tell me. Yeah, just. I'm gonna call you. Cause I wanna call you Mama. Cause they call you Mama and. Yeah, and Daddy. That's what I wanna do, as you can tell.

Cindy Garner:

Can I say one thing before we get started, Kim?

Kim:

Yeah, say what you wanna say.

Cindy Garner:

I know you don' like, you and I are BFFs. Like, we go way back to the Steve Harvey show. Like, talking, talking. And I'm sitting on my couch. That was kind of like my outlet for the day, you know, The Steve Harvey Show. And you would be sitting there, and I'm like, yes, sister, yes. Preach it. Preach it.

Cindy Garner:

Everything you said, I agreed with it. So we've been best friends ever since. But I didn't know if you knew that or not.

Kim:

I know that. And God is. Works in mysterious ways, does he not? He brought us right on together. And Steve Harvey would absolutely love y'all. I gotta. I gotta refer y'all to him, too.

Cindy Garner:

And look, when I reached out to contact us, I was mad that day. I was so mad, we sworn to a ball game Friday night. And so I. Mary and Keith decided they were gonna gang up against me about.

Mary Garner:

She was late.

Cindy Garner:

So I'm sitting here, I'm like, I'm not gonna talk to him the whole ride. I'm just gonna be quiet, and I'm not gonna smile or nothing. And Mary's like, mama, I've got some good news.

Cindy Garner:

I'm like, I'm not gonna smile. I'm not gonna smile. She's like, kim Gravel wants us to be on her show.

Cindy Garner:

And I'm like, I'm not gonna smile.

Cindy Garner:

I'm not gonna smile. So it was over with by then, so I've had to tell you all that.

Kim:

But Cindy, Cindy and Keith, I don't know if y'all believe in arranged marriages, but, you know, I've got a 15 year old son. And he's adorable. And I know how old is your daughter? I'm just saying we.

Cindy Garner:

For sure. Okay.

Kim:

We should talk. We should talk.

Cindy Garner:

Okay.

Kim:

Is this Yalls first podcast interview?

Cindy Garner:

It is.

Kim:

Oh, my God. Won't be your last. I'm telling y'all, y'all are superstars in the making. So are y'all really as tight knit? I mean. Cause I can tell you're tight knit the way y'all argue. Like sometimes y'all get bickering every day. Y'all bicker back and forth.

Zac:

I guess we are that tight knit. We're always together all the time.

Kim:

Okay. And I can tell. I'm just gonna go ahead and. Al you come across is the smarty McTarty one. Is that true?

Al Garner:

Salty.

Kim:

And Luke, you come across as the one most likely to get arrested for sure.

Luke Garner:

Yeah. Yeah, you probably right.

Kim:

How did. How. Okay, so my family are tobacco farmers from South Carolina. So every summer I would go. Yeah, I would go and work the tobacco fields, and we had watermelons, and we did that. Oh, I remember y'all. In the summer evenings, we would go crack goat in the field. We'd crack open our watermelon, just sit there and scoop it out and eat it.

Kim:

How, Keith, how long have you and Cindy been farmers? Has it been your whole life? Tell me, what's your background?

Keith Garner:

Pretty much my whole life. My daddy grew watermelons. And, you know, as soon as I could walk, I was going with him. And we grew from there. And when Cindy and I got married, we sort of more in the logging business and drifted out of the watermelon business for a few years until my children come along. And then I started it up again.

Kim:

Is that why you had to have nine kids? So they could help you on the farm?

Keith Garner:

I wish I could have had two.

Kim:

Oh, gosh. Now, Cindy, I'm gonna go ahead and blush your socks off again. There is a cooking or home line for you at qvc. We gonna have to talk after this. You and I, when we connect later. Well, listen, I got you back, girl. You did? You really cook for all these men and these girls the whole time? Three meals a day.

Luke Garner:

Well, easy now.

Mary Garner:

Yes, she did.

Cindy Garner:

Luke is always telling people that she doesn't. I'm like, I don't think you understand how other people eat. You know, I don't think you understand. But, I mean, like, when they were little, I would splurge and we'd go to McDonald's and I would pay $50 in Happy Meals.

Kim:

Ridiculous. I know, I know.

Cindy Garner:

So that we might not eat. Eat high on the hog, you know, every meal, but we eat something and it's at home, you know, so you.

Kim:

Can do a little beans and rice. Beans and rice. If nothing else.

Cindy Garner:

You're not cooking just huge amounts all the time. But. But there's all. You're always eating at home.

Mary Garner:

She's always cooking.

Kim:

So, like, when did you decide to. To stop having kids? Because after, let me just say, I love men. I'm pro men. Clearly. That's why the shirtless men on your TikTok got my attention really quick. Luke, Luke, you and Al and your brothers have a lot of like middle aged women fans on TikTok. I'm just forewarning you.

Mary Garner:

We love it.

Kim:

She says we love it. But I will say like seven boys. Keith, Cindy, what in the world are y'all been drinking in the water out there in Mississippi?

Cindy Garner:

I don't.

Luke Garner:

Hey, it's better. They had seven boys and seven girls. Yeah, that's true.

Kim:

Are you serious?

Kim:

Oh, gosh.

Al Garner:

If they even only had three girls, they wouldn't be surviving.

Kim:

Okay, Mary, I've got something to ask you. So I see the videos because several of y'all have been getting married. You've had been having a lot of weddings in the family lately. And they're just so beautiful. How special. What a what a. What a what a blessing, right? To see the family even grow anymore. Mary, in the videos, there's one video where y'all are jumping in like you're in your farm, you know, attire, and then you jump through the screen and you're all dressed up.

Kim:

They're all punching you and nudging you and hitting you. What in the world?

Mary Garner:

It took us a couple of times to do that one. And the last one, I get up there and Brad shoves me. I'm just like, roll with it, whatever.

Kim:

So let me ask you, Mary, are you a rough and tumble, like, scrappy kind of girl? Cause I tell you, if Brad would have done that, he'd have been picking his teeth up off the floor. I mean, I'm that country.

Mary Garner:

But sometimes, you just have to annoy him.

Mary Garner:

Ignore them.

Mary Garner:

Okay, but it's. Ignore them. It makes them worse when you pay them attention.

Luke Garner:

So Mary was probably asking for it.

Mary Garner:

Now anybody else. Yeah, they would have pushed me. I don't know why he pushed me. He thought it was funny. I don't know.

Cindy Garner:

It goes back to Kim. You can dress them up. You just can't take them anywhere.

Kim:

Listen, now, let me ask. Let me ask you guys this. Are you very protective over your little sisters?

Mary Garner:

No, they're not. I'm more protective. I'm more protective over them than they are me.

Kim:

Yeah, yeah, they're mothered. Well, if it came down to it.

Cindy Garner:

They would just be tears. But they handle their own, she and Ella both, so he's never really.

Zac:

They got my back if I need them.

Kim:

All right, well, Luke, let me ask you this. You are clearly the Eddie Haskell of the group. I mean, if you're not, you're playing the part. Well, I'm just letting you know on TikTok.

Zac:

Who'S Eddie Haskell? Sorry, I'm gonna jump in here.

Kim:

Cindy. What am I gonna. What am I gonna do with all these millennial kids that work for me? I don't know what I'm up to.

Keith Garner:

They never seen Leave It to Beaver.

Kim:

Bless their hearts.

Mary Garner:

You know, Zac is instead of me.

Kim:

And I'm just gonna tell you, Gardner family, Zac is from New York, and he has now started officially saying bless your heart and y'all. So, I mean, I'm slowly but surely.

Mary Garner:

I saw where you said on one episode that they'd been road hard and put up wet, and nobody knew.

Mary Garner:

And we said it all the time.

Kim:

There's a lot of sayings. I say as a Southerner that people don't understand. And I say, Google it. Figure it out.

Zac:

I thought I had to beep it. I was like, that does not seem kosher.

Kim:

Speaking of bleeping out, Luke. So tell me a little bit about you, Luke. What is your background? How old are you? Where are you in the line of, you know, the accession of kids? What number are you?

Luke Garner:

I'm number two in the line.

Kim:

Okay. And you know, your oldest one, your older brother's married, right? And the young, the one under you is married, right? So what's taking you so long, honey?

Luke Garner:

I'm supposed to be next.

Kim:

What do you mean he said he's supposed to be next? I wouldn't say that like that.

Luke Garner:

I said supposed to. Cause Mary might cook in front of me.

Mary Garner:

Oh, he's getting married in June.

Kim:

Okay, Luke, tell us about you. Cause you seem like the jokester, the ham. And you seem like you're gonna follow in the family business, right?

Luke Garner:

Oh, yes, ma'am. That's the plan.

Keith Garner:

He enjoys that type work.

Luke Garner:

I do. I enjoy. I enjoy.

Kim:

I love to put all the, you know, show dogs on the spot because I'm telling you, Luke, you've got a personality that will not quit. I'm telling you, you're made for. You're made for entertainment now.

Zac:

Alright, Kim, let's. Let's let the audience look at Luke on. On TikTok here because Luke is a hot mess. This video, to me, I think, subs up the Luke experience.

Kim:

This is the Luke experience. I love you.

Zac:

Tell me if I'm wrong.

Luke Garner:

How y'all doing? This is what I got.

Mary Garner:

What's her name?

Luke Garner:

2016 black Chevrolet. Big black Chevrolet Duramax.

Mary Garner:

What do you call this?

Luke Garner:

I mean, everybody knows it as love shack. I don't know why they call it that, but they do.

Kim:

Yeah. Right, Luke? Yeah.

Mary Garner:

All right. What you been doing today?

Luke Garner:

Made a lot of love.

Mary Garner:

Shut up.

Mary Garner:

He thinks he's hilarious. All right. What have you been doing today?

Luke Garner:

So I just finished up. Why, Big mama, I do better with an audience. Get out. Get right out here front and center. A lot of folks gotta be on their own. Me, give me an audience.

Kim:

Oh, my gosh, Luke, I do believe if you keep it going, you.

Luke Garner:

They talked about me laughing at myself. If I did think it wasn't funny, I wouldn't say.

Kim:

Well, I will tell you this. There's something about, I don't know, for this, the Garner family to have these tiktoks right now. I will say on a serious note that, you know, God's timing is perfect. I know you're a people of strong faith and that is really probably what connected me to you guys from the jump. And you're so earnest in it. Tell me how that foundation of faith has really cultivated your family, Keith and Cindy. Tell me, tell me how faith has been that foundation. Because I think people long for the kind of family that you have.

Kim:

I'm not saying you perfect, but you're definitely family.

Keith Garner:

But we, we struggle. We struggle to make it day to day. And you know, I just always believe and always know Lord's gonna take care of us. And every day when you wake up, that's. That's the first thing on my mind, you know, I'll get through the day. The Lord will take care of you. And he has.

Kim:

He never lets us down. And I will say this to Keith, don't you think? And Cindy, don't you think now, in such a time as this, that we're in such a modern world with technology and TikTok and all of these things. But. But really what people long for is to fill that void, that God void in their heart. Would you agree with that?

Keith Garner:

I would, but I didn't mean to say. I said we struggle and we do, but we're so thankful to have the opportunity. We're so blessed. We've got so much to be thankful for. There's no use in feeling down about it. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to say.

Kim:

No, no. But I thought. I thought what you said about the struggle was. And people can relate to that, y'all.

Cindy Garner:

I tell kids all the time, it's. We. We just have financial struggle. I said, yeah, that's all we have.

Cindy Garner:

You know that. That's nothing.

Cindy Garner:

But we have. You know, at first, when we started, it was in the middle of watermelon season. And I mean, it's just hot in Mississippi, you know, the boys. I mean, that's just what you do. You take your shirt off. Cause it gets soaking wet. So they'll have a dry shirt to put on when they finish in the field, you know, so that's just what they've always done and stuff. But when we started, oh, you know, they came at us like, oh, you know these guys and all.

Cindy Garner:

But it has just been so funny how it's evolved. And people tell us all the time what a wholesome show we are. And even though they think we're provocative, they tell us we're so wholesome. And they'll tell us all the time that they wish they had a family like ours, or they feel like they're part of our family.

Mary Garner:

And so many people will comment that they pray for us every night. And that's why I told Mama, like, I can feel their prayers. Like, life is just. It's not so much different. But I know they're praying for us, you know, and that's just crazy to me that anybody would even comment that. You know, like, we.

Cindy Garner:

But we. We feel their love that they have for us. It's like they're part of our family now. And it's just. It's just been the most wonderful experience for us, you know, just. But. But I think that's what it is, Kim. It's.

Cindy Garner:

There's a lot of lonely people in the world.

Cindy Garner:

Yeah, I think they feel that. And they feel like they belong in our family, you know, And. And it's just. It's just been a. It's been a blessing. It's been a true blessing.

Kim:

Now, Al, have. Have anybody. Have you had any cyber stalkers? Because you do. You come. You. You're shirtless a lot. You're shirtless a lot.

Al Garner:

They just use me for my body. That's all it is.

Kim:

I know the feeling the same way for me. They do the same thing for me. I feel your pain. No, I'm serious.

Al Garner:

Somebody I can relate to.

Kim:

You can relate to me, Al. You can relate to me.

Al Garner:

I wore a shirt for this interview.

Zac:

I was gonna say shirt's optional when we booked.

Kim:

So, Al, what is your goals and dreams and plans? Are you gonna stay on the farm? You're in college, aren't you?

Al Garner:

Yes, ma'am. I'm at my second year of college right now, but I'm just at a junior college, so I'll be done after this year.

Kim:

Good for you. And what do you want to be when you grow up?

Al Garner:

I'm just taking life one day at a time. Just taking life one day at a time.

Kim:

Do you have a girlfriend, Al, or are you single and ready to mingle? What's going on?

Al Garner:

I only think the last single one of the bunch. I'm the only smart one I guess.

Kim:

Gosh, I love it. Now, Mary, what do you do for the. Are you just working for the family, or what's your goals and dreams, girl?

Mary Garner:

Yes, ma'am. Well, I graduated from Jones Junior College down the road, and I opened a little online boutique. But then, you know, times get tough. I ran out of money, so I just work for mom and Daddy, and I do all of our TikTok and in our shirts and stuff like that.

Kim:

Now, look, are y'all being able to make this TikTok thing into a business? Because I tell you, TikTok Shop and what's going on at TikTok, taking over the world, you know, that's my game is, you know, online sales and TVs. What. How's that working out for you?

Mary Garner:

We're trying our best. We've. We've sold a lot of T shirts, and I don't know if you saw, we got calendars and we sold a lot.

Kim:

Yeah, I did.

Kim:

Yeah, that might be stocking stuffers for a lot of my friends. I'm just saying.

Mary Garner:

And Mama, she's been. She started pouring candles and stuff like that. So we try to get something new every other week or so.

Zac:

Oh, those are your own candles. I saw those candles on there. You're making them nice.

Mary Garner:

We've got some good names from some of them.

Kim:

They really are. They really are.

Mary Garner:

They're vulgar names.

Cindy Garner:

Yeah, we just. We just started with the PG versions. We're. We're easing everybody into Luke all. Luke's Candle.

Kim:

Wait a minute, y'all. I don't know if y'all missed it, but did Mary. Did you just say vulgar? I love that word.

Mary Garner:

That is like, Mama said the PG ones and that we came up with and Loops are all the vulgar ones that are going to be on the next.

Kim:

There's always. There's always one in every family.

Luke Garner:

Mary berries.

Mary Garner:

Yeah, Mary's vanilla. That's one. Or.

Cindy Garner:

We had a pine tree smell.

Kim:

Oh, yeah.

Cindy Garner:

So I was telling Keith, you want to do it like Pine bell, because we're from the pine belt.

Cindy Garner:

And I said, do you want to do pine belt or maybe garner logging? And then.

Cindy Garner:

No, no.

Al Garner:

It just come to me, right?

Mary Garner:

It does. It really does.

Al Garner:

And I was like, so what?

Mary Garner:

No, tell her what you actually said. The part before it.

Kim:

Oh, my God, I love it so much.

Mary Garner:

Warm, sticky SAP.

Kim:

But today is not.

Cindy Garner:

What he says is how he sat.

Kim:

How he says that. Absolutely. I'm telling you, Luke is living on the edge. I'm telling you, he's on the edge.

Luke Garner:

The only way to do it.

Kim:

What I love about you guys, and I was telling Zac this the other day, you know, it's almost like. Well, it's not almost like it's this. I don't even know why I'm saying this. This could be completely inappropriate. And y'all, I apologize, and we'll cut it out if it is. But this alpha male thing, because I have two sons. This alpha male and this feminine female is coming back in a big way, and I am digging it. Am I the only one? No, I'm serious, y'all.

Kim:

Cause, like, I'm a very. You know, I've traveled the world. I have my own businesses, you know, but I'm a wife, and I'm a mother and a woman of faith. But I just. I love seeing your family. Not that you have to fit a stereotype, but it's good to see wholesome young men being men, women being women, and family being family. Again. And I think that's what y'all bring to the world of social media is this aspirational family.

Kim:

And I know, look, I know. I get it, Keith. And you know, Cindy, y'all said that, you know, who doesn't struggle? We all struggle. But you're doing it together. And that's what is so special.

Cindy Garner:

Well, we really hadn't, you know, like, we're on the inside, so we don't really know what other people are thinking, but we've wondered ourselves, like, what do they like about this? You know, like, we. We don't know either.

Zac:

Everyday people from a town with, you know, 200 people.

Kim:

Yeah.

Al Garner:

Oh, you know, I just look that good.

Kim:

Yeah, well. And you know, Al, I'm telling you that that's. They need your. They need your body, so keep showing up. But, you know, I just. Luke, I'm telling you, there's a breakout role for you somewhere. Luke and Al, I just want to just encourage you guys because, you know, there's such a big future for you, for you. In any way I can help to make that light shine a little bit brighter on you guys, I want to do that.

Kim:

What is the goal for the future, Keith? I mean, did you ever think you were going to be all over TikTok and be a handsome stud all over TikTok?

Keith Garner:

I've always said that, you know, when I was young, I dreamed of being rich, you know, when you're a little kid. As I got older, I just decided that I am rich with my family.

Kim:

You are.

Keith Garner:

You know, if I can. I've always said if I can give them a little something of what they want, and then whatever they need, I'll be, you know, consider myself successful.

Kim:

Did you ever think you would be doing this, Cindy? Did y'all ever think you would be, you know, have the opportunity to do it?

Mary Garner:

Yeah, that's what's so funny is we are such private people, like, don't want anybody knowing our business, especially Daddy. He's very private. If we didn't have to tell anybody where we live, we wouldn't, you know, and now we're all over TikTok and video, Everything we do.

Cindy Garner:

We didn't have a choice.

Cindy Garner:

You know, where our backs were against the wall and we had everything else. We had to come out fighting, you know, so it's. And so last year, a year ago, I bought one, a commercial on the radio, and it took me a year to pay for it, you know, and so that's what I thought. This. When this watermelon season started, you know, we have fruit stands. So I was just trying to bring it, you know, to free advertising. It's free. You know, TikTok is free.

Cindy Garner:

So I'm like, well, maybe we'll just do that. I remember on Facebook, on our Facebook, I. I put a picture of Dave, and he didn't even show much, but did show his shoulders. And I'm just like, y'all get ready for you. Smith county watermelons, they're coming. You know, and people went crazy about it. I'm like, I think we might be on to something. You know, that's what we started on TikTok.

Cindy Garner:

And. But it's free. It's free advertisement. And that's why. That's the reason we had to do it, you know, just to get our name out there and get business to our store.

Mary Garner:

Well, and we started making shirts and all because we close our stores during the winter, so we figured that would be a lot for us. Through the winter.

Cindy Garner:

Through the winter, you know.

Kim:

So how many more watermelons did you sell with Dave's shirtless picture?

Cindy Garner:

We say it helped us. It helped us, and it helped us. You know, we sell wholesale, so it really brought in a lot of more wholesale business, you know, and so we just thought, well, it's free.

Cindy Garner:

Let's just go for it, you know, we didn't have a choice, so. So we had to sell out on a lot of our privacy, you know? And like, Keith, he is so shy. They are just shocked that we've gotten him to be on TikTok, you know.

Kim:

Was Keith. Is he. To me, he's like my daddy. Like my dad. I loved him so much, everything. But I didn't cross it, you know what I'm saying? Like dad, I'm like, you know, I never got a whipping for my daddy. I mean, he just looked at me the wrong way, and I was like, oh, yes, sir. Is Keith this okay? All right.

Cindy Garner:

It's just like that. And I think that's why a lot. Like, if we put a TikTok with Keith on it, oh, it's because everybody loves him. But that's what they say. They like, he reminds me so much of my daddy or my granddaddy or my great school strong. And they, like, he's a manly man, you know?

Kim:

That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. There's a lot of strength there, even in the boys and even in your girls, Cindy. Okay, so when are you going to do the cookbook girl. Can I. Can I help you get something on QVC that you would kill on qvc?

Cindy Garner:

I will do anything.

Mary Garner:

Anything you want her to do, she will do.

Kim:

We will do a collab.

Cindy Garner:

I've got a cookbook. I've already gotten my recipes, but now I'm working on my pictures. But anyways, you know. Well, we don't know what we're doing whatever we can do.

Kim:

When I watch your videos. I think of that hymn little as much. When God is in it, you know, all he needs is our five loaves and two fish. And I tell my children, who my kid, my boys. Now they're walking around shirtless, okay? And they need to get a tan. I mean, they not out in working. They need to get a tan. But they're all like, you know, I'm like, oh, Lord have mercy.

Kim:

You know, I'm like, thinking, you know, they follow y'all, too. My boys, they're 17 and 15, and they think they're watermelon farmers, too. And they're not.

Cindy Garner:

That's great.

Kim:

I was gonna say, Keith, I'm gonna ship them up to you and ship them to Mississippi, and you can make them work this summer. But this is little as much as when God is in it. What do y'all see? What's your dream for the future? Have y'all dreamed bigger now? Are you seeing, like, what are the boys wanting to do? What are the girls wanting to do? The sky's the limit. God is limitless.

Cindy Garner:

We have huge dreams. That's always been our problem.

Cindy Garner:

We got huge dreams. You know, we just can't ever make the connection.

Mary Garner:

If we could just start by paying our bills, we'd be happy. And then we go from there.

Kim:

Well, I will tell you, I think you're well on your way to not only living your dreams, but ministering and really speaking to so many people because you don't even know. Like, Luke, you're funny and how funny you are. And, you know, al, that video where you were like, who's your favorite? He goes, I don't have a favorite. I can't say that. And then they were pressing you about, who are you. You dating anybody? You gonna get married? How many kids? You're like, that's really none. I'm not thinking about that right now.

Kim:

I mean. And, Mary, we need to meet your boyfriend. He's so cute. We've seen him pass and repass.

Mary Garner:

He's on there some.

Kim:

He's on there some. And just the whole family, Brad, all of them. All of y'all are just such an inspiration to really keep family the center, because that is. That's what makes you rich. So how can we all be of service? We'll pray for you and support you, but, like, tell us. Speak out your dreams. Tell me. Just tell me anything you want to do.

Kim:

If I can be of help, I'll make it happen. I'll help you make it happen.

Mary Garner:

Well, Mama's always said she would love her own clothing line, so when we.

Kim:

Go, I can help with that.

Mary Garner:

Yeah, that's right.

Cindy Garner:

Oh, yeah.

Cindy Garner:

I don't know if you've seen me on YouTube, but I'm.

Cindy Garner:

And also, you know, anything I would love. You know, I've got, like, 25 cookbooks that I've got titles written down, you know, So I would love to make cookbooks and all that good stuff.

Kim:

Well, y'all. Y'all have got to go follow the Garner family in cooking with Mama Garner on YouTube. I will tell you, Cindy, if you go ahead and get those boys as your sous chefs in the kitchen with no clothes, with no shirts on your YouTube channel, Explode.

Luke Garner:

Nothing. Nothing but an apron.

Mary Garner:

Dave is away at college. I hate. He's not here. He would eat this up, but he sent me a video of him cooking and what was he gonna call it? Dishes with D. Yeah, he wanted.

Mary Garner:

We didn't even know he knew how to cook.

Kim:

Bless his heart. Bless his heart. No. I have one request, and I will say, this does not just come from me. My mother, who is 78 and she is fine. My mom is gorgeous. She did say, well, is Keith the dad ever gonna go shirtless? I said, I don't know. I'll ask him.

Keith Garner:

I'll do it when no one's around.

Cindy Garner:

But look, the boys are like, every time he gets hot, it's got to be really hot for a second. And he starts taking his shirt off. They're like, no, Daddy, put that back on. Put that back on. So finally, I got him some of those little tank tops, A clear of the little white tank top. Okay, Keith, he'll wear that, and they'll let him do that.

Kim:

I was gonna say, keith, show them how it's done. Okay, so before y'all go, I've got to do one thing. Now, Al, I expect you to pipe up. Now. Don't just sit there and look cute. Okay. I do a thing called rapid fire where I ask you a question and what the first thing that comes to mind comes out. So what comes up comes out your mouth.

Kim:

Luke. I know. I'm forewarning. Luke, stand up straight.

Luke Garner:

Cut this off the show. If we say something wrong, he said so.

Kim:

I'm probably gonna add that in and extend it like. Do a slow mo in that. Rapid fire. Questions at one time. Tell me one word that you would use to describe Keith.

Cindy Garner:

Oh, bashful.

Kim:

Keith, how old are you? You can't be that old.

Mary Garner:

He's not that old. He just has a lot of white hair.

Keith Garner:

I must be 95.

Mary Garner:

He used to have pitch black hair.

Keith Garner:

But I think I'm 55. I think.

Kim:

Yeah, I'm 53. I mean, this is what's killing. You've had nine kids. I'm 53. Are you 55 and they're calling you old? Oh, Lord, I'm in trouble. Okay, one word to describe Cindy.

Mary Garner:

Loving. Loving.

Al Garner:

Loud.

Keith Garner:

You ought to say beautiful.

Kim:

Okay.

Cindy Garner:

Oh, God, here comes love.

Luke Garner:

There's so many of them coming at one time.

Kim:

Tell me, Luke. Tell me one.

Luke Garner:

I can't tell you what come to my mind.

Kim:

Say it. Say it a little bit.

Mary Garner:

It's probably me.

Luke Garner:

No, Loud.

Cindy Garner:

You cheated.

Kim:

One word to describe Mary.

Luke Garner:

Attitude.

Cindy Garner:

Motherly. Oh, she's so motherly.

Luke Garner:

Attitude.

Kim:

Oh, one word to describe Al.

Al Garner:

Yeah, what you got.

Cindy Garner:

Sweetheart.

Mary Garner:

I got an attitude for him.

Al Garner:

That's more like it.

Kim:

That's my kind of guy. All right. The last but Certainly not least, Mr. Luke himself.

Luke Garner:

Hello. Go ahead.

Mary Garner:

Insane.

Luke Garner:

Insanely. Good looking.

Mary Garner:

Crazy.

Kim:

She said insane. Oh, my gosh.

Cindy Garner:

Madman. Actually. I'm gonna tell you the truth about Luke.

Luke Garner:

Don't rat me.

Cindy Garner:

He is the sweetest one, biggest heart, and he covers it all up with all that foolishness. That's exactly what he is.

Kim:

Luke, what is the most farm boy thing that has happened to you recently? You know what I mean by farm boy thing?

Luke Garner:

Oh, no, I don't.

Cindy Garner:

Anything on a farm.

Kim:

Yeah, like, you know, the most things that we all the city folk don't.

Luke Garner:

Yeah, yesterday. Well, we've been planting grass. And after you broadcast, you see, you gotta pull a whore over it.

Luke Garner:

You know what a section ore is?

Kim:

Yes.

Luke Garner:

And I dropped one in the field the day before and I had forgot about it. And I run smooth over the thing, door toward him. And I told Al he shouldn't have put it there.

Al Garner:

But Luke was right there. Whenever I put it there. So he had the chance to tell me where to put it.

Kim:

Luke. You can't be everything to everybody. You know what I mean? Luke and I could be like brother and sister. I'm telling you. There's some mischief there. Or let me just say I could probably be old enough to be his mother. Cindy. So let's move on.

Kim:

Here we go. Cindy, which of your children is most likely to get a questionable tattoo?

Cindy Garner:

They better. None of them have. Yeah. I think they're all too scared of their daddy to get a tattoo.

Kim:

I told you. Yeah. Al, what's the best prank that's ever been played on the farm?

Al Garner:

I don't know. I ain't prank. Luke threw a rotten water line in Brad's face one time.

Mary Garner:

Very mature.

Luke Garner:

Guilty.

Cindy Garner:

And it didn't go down well.

Kim:

Did you? What? What did he throw in his face? Did I hear you right?

Al Garner:

We was in the field clipping water mines. Knocked out. There was one that was rotten and it had a rotten side on it looked through the other side to Brad and then it just all got all over. I threw it and it looked like.

Luke Garner:

A good watermelon when I threw it. But I put a spin on it. So as soon as it hit it. Like this.

Mary Garner:

Now, keep in mind this is the oldest person out there that's supposed to be mature. The boss.

Luke Garner:

I'm just trying to help everybody loosen up.

Kim:

Yes. Everybody's too serious. Bring the joy, honey. Bring the joy. Okay.

Luke Garner:

And they give me no credit for.

Kim:

Bloke. You've got. You've got a champion in me. I got your back. All right, Mary, Which Garner is most likely to accidentally start a fire?

Mary Garner:

Start a fire. Let's see, Luke

Mary Garner:

I guess he started one. Ten minutes before we had to be at Brad's. Senior night for football. Was it senior night or homecoming? No.

Cindy Garner:

You haven't seen it or not.

Mary Garner:

Homecoming. Where her and Daddy were, you know, on the field. Yeah. And he called.

Cindy Garner:

Keith was in a taxi. Though. We were driving to the football field and Luke calls.

Mary Garner:

Yeah, I started this fire. I think it's going to get away from me or something. And we needed to save seats. Help us save the seat for all of them. So. Yeah. And he started a fire.

Kim:

Now, what about you two boys that are still in high school? That's. That's Brad and Keith, right? You're both in high. Jack. Jack. How are they? How are they handling their newfound fame? Because, you know, all their friends are on TikTok watching this.

Mary Garner:

Well, we were at the football game last week, and some of the guys they were playing against, the first play, they said they told them that they love their tiktoks, so that made them feel good.

Kim:

I don't think they meant that in the loving, best, supportive way that was trying to get in their head a little bit.

Cindy Garner:

And even I think they did.

Cindy Garner:

And Jack said even he did a tackle, a good tackle or something. He was like, pumped up, you know. And one of the other guys came up to him and said, all right, Jack, calm down.

Cindy Garner:

Don't be so rough.

Cindy Garner:

He's like, brother team, brother team. And he's like, how do you know my name?

Kim:

Let me ask you this. Did they win?

Cindy Garner:

No.

Kim:

Okay, well, that's all right. Well. Oh, well, at least. At least they got recognized.

Cindy Garner:

I thought Brad was going to be upset about it because it was his last night. You know, they lost. And I was. He's a senior, so I thought he was going to be upset. But all the other team was around him, wanting to talk to him, and.

Mary Garner:

And so he was grinning.

Cindy Garner:

Yeah, he was grinning ear to ear because the other team knew him. You know, he thought that was funny.

Kim:

I will tell you, I think Brad's a little Luke in the making. I'm telling you. Because he loves that camera. He loves that camera.

Cindy Garner:

Absolutely.

Mary Garner:

Yeah. His personality really doesn't pick up on camera. So he is more so than you even realize.

Kim:

Yeah, but how bad is it that I know all of your family intimately in yalls personalities? I need help. I need to really get off TikTok. Here we go.

Zac:

Is that weird? Is it, like, very strange? Should we talk to Kim and have her know all of you guys?

Kim:

I know all of them.

Mary Garner:

No, I feel like we're best friends. So.

Kim:

Okay, which Garner is the pickiest eater?

Cindy Garner:

Probably Frank.

Kim:

Oh, really?

Cindy Garner:

But now when they are picky eating and everybody else is picky, two different things.

Kim:

Oh, do tell.

Mary Garner:

You either eat supper, you go to bed hungry. Yeah.

Cindy Garner:

Because my aunt always laughs because one of the boys was. This is when they were little and they were saying, mama, what are we having for supper? And I was telling them, you know, what we was having. And they was like, oh, I don't like that. I said, well, it's all right. I said, maybe you like breakfast, you know, and my aunt fell out laughing.

Cindy Garner:

I said, breakfast would be good for you. Then you'll love breakfast if you don't eat Supper, you know, when you don't eat.

Kim:

And feeding all those boys. I mean, my boys eat like they've got bottomless. I don't know how you cook all that. And the Lord, she cooks seven or eight courses, Zac, on Sunday. Okay, wait a minute. Keith. Keith, which Garner is most likely to be president of the United States of America?

Kim:

So help me. Right hand. I'm telling you. I was gonna say that earlier. Why didn't I say it? I knew it. Cause Brad seems like a politician to me.

Mary Garner:

He talks to everybody. Everybody loves him.

Cindy Garner:

He does. And if you need something, you call Brad. That's your first call. Brad, I need something. And he does it for you.

Cindy Garner:

Doesn't complain about it. And eager to. He wants to help everybody, you know, and. And he takes pride in helping people so that.

Kim:

Well, listen, tell Brad to hang out with Luke a little bit more because he gonna have to have a little roundster in him to be president. So tell him he'll learn a lot from Luke. What are you looking for, Al, in a woman?

Luke Garner:

Oh, that's a good one.

Cindy Garner:

Oh, that's a good one. That's what we been wanting to know.

Al Garner:

Well, first of all, she's got to look good.

Kim:

Of course.

Al Garner:

And it don't hurt if she got a little bit of money.

Kim:

What did he say? What did he say? What did he say? If she's got a little bit of money.

Al Garner:

It hurts if she got a little bit of money.

Kim:

All right. Okay. All right. You're a modern man. You're a modern man. I love it. Keep going. What else, Al? Put it out there, honey.

Al Garner:

That's about it.

Mary Garner:

Do you like a traditional woman?

Al Garner:

Yeah, you know, she gonna.

Al Garner:

Cooks me some supper, I guess. Yeah, you know, I'm not much of a cook. I like somebody who's a good cook.

Luke Garner:

Washes, underwear, stuff like that.

Al Garner:

Yeah, good cook.

Mary Garner:

Somebody like his mama.

Al Garner:

Somebody. Yeah, Somebody like my mother, I guess.

Cindy Garner:

I can't believe.

Kim:

I said I guess so, Al, it sounds like to me you're looking for somebody a little loud. If you're saying she's like your mother. That's what she said about your mother.

Al Garner:

In some parts I want to like my mother.

Luke Garner:

You like that? You like controlling? Hey, that was. That was the word I was looking for earlier.

Kim:

Controlling.

Kim:

But Luke, Luke, let me just tell you right now. And you know, your family might not shoot you straight, but let me just tell you, as somebody that's on the outside looking in, Luke. Okay. You get ready to get married in June, honey. June. Okay. I'm telling you, as women, we are controlling. We can't help it.

Kim:

It's just who we are. It's how God made us. I'm just saying he had to make the man the head. Cause the woman would try to take over if he didn't. I'm just saying that is how it goes.

Luke Garner:

I understand that. I understand. But mama here, she's to the 10th power.

Cindy Garner:

We're just trying to help them be their best.

Mary Garner:

Okay, here's what that is. Let me add this. Mama is not controlling at all. She's very laid back. Luke is just rebellious. She has to be on you no more.

Luke Garner:

I do everything my mother asked me she should.

Kim:

Amen. And let me tell you something, Luke. I'm telling you, I have two boys. And I said, when you get out of this house and can pay your own bills, then you can do it your way. But until then, we're going to do it my way.

Cindy Garner:

That's right.

Luke Garner:

It'll probably still be Mama's way.

Kim:

Oh, look, look. I love you. Okay, here we go. Starting with Cindy. Each of answer this question. Starting with Cindy. So we're going to do Cindy. Mary.

Kim:

We do. And then, Keith, we'll go from the back row. Your favorite junk food is my favorite.

Cindy Garner:

Just chocolate candy.

Kim:

Oh, God. Right? There's nothing better. What kind of chocolate?

Cindy Garner:

Anything chocolate. Sometimes you need that kick, you know, Some chocolate.

Kim:

Yeah, yeah, I agree. I'm 100 in agreement. Mary.

Mary Garner:

Mine would be Reese's. I've always loved Reese's.

Kim:

Yeah.

Mary Garner:

Or Doritos chips.

Kim:

Doritos. Doritos. And Reese's is the perfect sweet and salty. Okay, Keith. Keith, don't say watermelon. Give me something junkie.

Keith Garner:

No, I love Milky Way and Reese's chips.

Kim:

You're my kind of people, Keith. You're my kind of brother from another.

Luke Garner:

Can we say desserts like.

Kim:

Yeah, anything junkie. That. Yeah. Yes, yes. Oh, please.

Luke Garner:

I like a pecan pie with. With some Blue Bell ice cream.

Kim:

Yes. Vanilla. Of course. I love it.

Al Garner:

I guess I like. I like any and everything sweets, but I guess any kind of chocolate, really.

Mary Garner:

We all have a sweet tooth.

Kim:

Yeah, we do, too. The Garner sweet tooth. That sounds like y'all need to start your own candy line too. Okay, we gotta wrap this up. I don't want to. Y'all gotta come back and be with us. I Think we should just have, like, one at a time.

Mary Garner:

The other ones would love to come back.

Cindy Garner:

Yeah, we would love to.

Kim:

Okay, we're gonna do it. We're gonna do it. We gonna work. Cindy, I'm gonna get all your information. We're gonna hook up, talk, me, you, and Mary. And since we're so bossy, we're going to do that. So controlling. I want each of you to really from the heart.

Kim:

If you don't mind, I'd like to start with Al. I want to go Al, Luke, Mary, Cindy, and then Keith. I want you to give me share one piece of advice for people. Y'all people watching this. Like you said earlier, I think it was you, Cindy, said that people are so lonely. And, you know, we hear that quite often, don't we, Zac? Don't we hear people? And that's why I want to tell everybody, go follow the Garner family. They listen to you. They take your messages.

Kim:

People send them things. They talk to all their followers. So you got to go follow them. But I want Al, starting with you, one piece of advice that you can give to people who are watching this. Give them a little bit of hope, just a little bit of encouragement.

Mary Garner:

We started with the wrong one.

Kim:

No, we started with the right one. We did.

Al Garner:

Just buying you some good people to be around. That's all it is.

Kim:

I agree with that. That is a good. That's amazing, Al. You are who you hang around. That's amazing.

Luke Garner:

So I'm gonna steal daddy's. Daddy has always told us this. You'll never have better friends than your brothers and sisters. So always do right by them and keep peace.

Cindy Garner:

That's right.

Kim:

It's easier said than done.

Mary Garner:

When you feel like you're at rock bottom, there is a basement. But all you can do is pray, you know, when you hit the ground, all you can do is pray. You know, the good Lord will get you through it.

Cindy Garner:

And I just. I can't say too much or I'd start crying.

Kim:

Just speak from the heart, Cindy. Speak from the heart, honey.

Cindy Garner:

That's a whole other story, a whole other podcast.

Kim:

That's me and you later. Me and you later.

Cindy Garner:

But, you know, you just gotta keep a smile on your face. And, you know, you. It's. Everything's gonna be better, but you just keep a smile on your face sometimes. I tell the kids all the time, you gotta fake it till you make it, you know?

Kim:

Yes, yes.

Cindy Garner:

But you keep a smile on your face, and you may not feel good that day, but it Makes somebody else feel good, you know?

Kim:

Yeah.

Cindy Garner:

Smile you can. And tell them something nice about. About them, you know, if you can put a smile on somebody else's face, it. It makes your day better. No matter what you're going through.

Kim:

It does. Keith.

Keith Garner:

Pray the power of prayer and is like nothing else. And believe nothing. Believe miracles.

Kim:

Oh, my gosh. I love y'all. Oh, my gosh. I'm coming to Mississippi. I'm coming out there. We're going to do a live thing. I'm telling. Bring the cameras.

Kim:

We're going to get. Luke is finally going to get that moment in a big audience. We're doing. Al. We're going to get you a woman. I'm working on it. How old?

Al Garner:

Are you on the lookout for me?

Kim:

Listen, listen. Zac knows a lot of New Yorkers. We can make that happen. You can be city meets country.

Zac:

Kim, Amy's still single. How do you feel about older women, Al?

Mary Garner:

Y'all ask what one of our dreams are. I would love to go to New York one day. Ooh, I would love to.

Kim:

We can make that happen. We can make that happen.

Zac:

You got that?

Kim:

I gotta tell y'all this. God has got big things for the Garners. I know it in my soul, you know, and for such a time as this, I will tell you, we need what you guys are giving us. And it's just that loving family that is just there for each other in the craziest, funnest kind of ways. Y'all, you can follow the Gardener family on Tick Tock. Please do it. A lot of eye candy and a lot of love that happens on that channel and Instagram at Garner Farms. Nine.

Kim:

That's because there's nine of the family. There's nine kids. So nine kids. There's how many that? Nine, 10, 11. That's 11. Okay. I don't do math much. Say nothing, Al.

Kim:

Say nothing, Al. Nothing. Check them out. Check them out on the website. And that's shopgarnerfarms.com where you can buy a lot of merch things like candles, cookbooks, the calendar. I'm getting those for stocking stuff for sale. My girlfriend. And y'all check out cooking with Mama Gardner on YouTube and buy their watermelons.

Kim:

I hear that. They are the best. Thanks for coming on the show, y'all. Will y'all come back?

Mary Garner:

Thank you for having us.

Cindy Garner:

Thank you so much for having us. We just can't. It's just been an honor.

Mary Garner:

It has.

Kim:

Same, same. I feel like I've known you forever.

Kim:

The Kim Gravel show is produced and edited by Zac Miller at Uncommon Audio. Our associate producer is Kathleen Grant from the Brunette Exec. Production help from  Emily Bredin and Sara Noto. Our cover art is designed by Sanaz Huber at Memarian Creative. Our show is edited by Mike Kligerman. Our guest intros are performed by Roxy Reese. Our guest booking is done by Central Talent Booking. And I want to give a special thank you to the entire team at QVC and thanks to you for making this community so strong. Listen, tell somebody about the show and leave us a five star review. And make sure you're following The Kim Gravel Show on your podcast app so we can keep growing this love who you are message together. I can't do this without you. So thank you so much for listening. And y'all, I love you with everything I got.