[SustainableTompkins] 50 mile Thanksgiving

[Lael S Gerhart]

Celebrate the 50-mile Thanksgiving and get stuffed with local food!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  As we prepare to share this
holiday feast with family and friends, lets show our local farmers that we
are thankful they are working diligently to produce us with high quality
fresh foods.   This Thanksgiving join thousands of others across the
nation by celebrating the flavor of our local harvest and participate in
the 50-mile Thanksgiving.  It is easy to prepare a seasonally inspired
Thanksgiving meal from food grown or raised within 50 miles of our home –
apples, pumpkins, potatoes, winter squash, milk, cheeses, and even turkeys
abound!

Purchasing local this Thanksgiving not only makes this seasonal meal truly
reflective of our local harvest, but also connects us to our community and
builds the strength of our regional economy.  Currently, 51% of all turkey
production in the Unites States is controlled by only four agribusiness
corporations and we have lost nearly 5 million family farmers to
industrial agricultural operations since the 1930’s.  So this Thanksgiving
let’s keep our dollars circulating locally, help keep family farmers on
the land and savor the joys of eating delicious foods grown close to home!

To find a list of places to purchase local produce and turkeys visit the
Cooperative Extension website at:
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins and click on the 50-mile
Thanksgiving icon.   While you are there, register your support for local
farmers by letting us know what local foods you will be fixing!  Please
contact Lael Gerhart at 272-2292 or lsg8 at cornell.edu with any questions.