Are you hoping to eat locally raised turkey this Thanksgiving?
Here are some tips and resources:
- Find poultry farms in the NL Farm Guide and on avalonfresh.ca and either contact producers to purchase directly if they do that or find out where they retail.
- Ask butchers and grocery stores where they source their turkeys from. Suggest that they stock local turkeys if they don't already and share the NL Farm Guide and avalonfresh.ca with them.
- Talk to producers at their farm stands or farmers' markets. Some vegetable producers may also raise poultry but don't bring it to market. Producers could also connect you with other farms in the area.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions about how the turkeys were raised if that is important to you. Inform yourself and build relationships with producers that you trust.
- It's now just a week away, but for future holiday meals order turkeys early because farms sell out. Turkeys freeze well so you could buy extra now to have for the winter holidays too.
- As an alternative try using other poultry available locally, like chickens or ducks, or host a vegetarian Thanksgiving using the bounty of local vegetables and fruits available this time of year. There are great recipes on the blog!
- Don't feel like cooking? Check newspapers and community bulletins to find public meals happening this weekend and look for ones that raise funds to benefit your community. You can also find restaurants through eDining that offer local fare and are having Thanksgiving events.
Post a comment to let people know where you buy local turkeys from, or to share your favourite cooking tips and recipes. Happy eating! There's certainly a lot of local food to be thankful for in this province!
