This week as turkeys roast and glasses pledge , have us give thanks to the James Leonard Farmer who connect our menus from field of operation to plate . Perhaps more than any other holiday on the calendar , Thanksgiving is — or at least should be — the equivalent to a pump - tape parade for farmer - heroes who make our feast possible .
For those of us with urban farm , backyard orcommunity garden , or a few rural acres , Thanksgiving can mark our seasonal transition from outdoor duties to those quieter winter months inside , when we dive into the abundance ofroot - cellared , icy orcannedproduce — to enjoy the taste of the fruits of our labor .
So how are some of our farmer - submarine spend their Thanksgiving ? We need them , and here ’s what they state :
Using Fresh, Not Processed, Ingredients
“ For us , it ’s all about the stuffing , ” says Logan Peterman with a smile . He and his married woman , Katie , run laugh Sprout Family Farm in cardinal Wisconsin .
While they keep a mostly vegetarian diet , they do cook a Republic of Turkey for call family on Thanksgiving . Satisfying their preference for vegetables , however , they prepare a vegetable - base stuffing to showcase their dip craw .
“ I think too many people recall dressing has to come out of a pre - made , process box , ” Peterman , enjoin . “ dressing is surprisingly easy to make . In addition to the dry , hardened wampum , I ’ll add onions , Apium graveolens dulce and Daucus carota sativa , and season with sage , thyme and garlic — showcasing the harvest from our farm . ”
Showcasing Their Roots
“ My house is Greek . My mother was born in Patras , so our menu often looks a trivial dissimilar than typical American transportation , ” explains Neysa King , a young farmer outside Austin , Texas , who shares her source - grow experience through her blog , thesis to Dirt . “ There ’s the Republic of Turkey , of course , but in addition , we always have spanakopita , spinach and Malva sylvestris broil inside filo dough , along with Greek - vogue Irish potato baked with olive oil , white wine-coloured and oregano . ”
But King and her hubby , Travis Czerw , will also institute raw smack to the family table when they head to her mom ’s house in Dallas this week : “ Roasted ancestor veg were never something my mother made until I began farming and bringing home delicious and angelic beets , carrots and turnips . Now roasted roots are a touchstone at our Thanksgiving mesa . ”
Keeping Active
Beth Osmund who runsCedar Valley Sustainable Farm , the first centre CSA ( community of interests - fend for agribusiness ) serve Chicago , shelve her boots and Carhartts at Thanksgiving and put on run shoe .
“ We ’re starting a fresh tradition this twelvemonth by participating in a local 3 - naut mi Turkey Trot run / walk as a syndicate , ” Osmund shares . “ Both my married man and I along with our three sons have been training together so as to keep our activity levels up as the weather cools off . The race is on Thanksgiving morning , so we ’ll get some adept physical exercise before savor that pasture - raised turkey from farm . ”
Setting Her Own Rules
Who aver you must eat turkey on Thanksgiving ? That ’s exactly what Kriss Marion ofCircle M Farmin southern Wisconsin asked . She and her family observe Thanksgiving a calendar week early .
“ We open our room access a week before Thanksgiving and have friends and menage over for a traditional meal , including my one of the farm - raisedheritage - strain turkeysand favorite squash soup with our heirloom winter squash vine , ” explains Marion . “ Our actual Thanksgiving day is a very tranquil , informal gathering with just my married man and kids , where we ’ll kick back with no province in the kitchen , cling out in our pajama , and peradventure protrude into town and go out to eat . It ’s fun and tiptop - restful to have a totally free daylight like this — just what we necessitate after the busy summer bunk our CSA . ”
Marion really plays by her own rules : “ For that former Thanksgiving meal with kin and friends , if we sell all our joker to our CSA members , I ’ll just cook chicken and ham instead . ”
So have a tasty Thanksgiving however you celebrate the food and the Fannie Merritt Farmer who make it potential . Check back next week for technique and recipes for one of our favorite classic holiday dishes : Eggs Benedict .
