Susan Berkson, going Homegrown for the HolidaysWe go home for the holidays. Why not go homegrown?
I spent Thanksgiving in Tyler, Texas, where I feasted on Tyler's own Greenberg smoked turkey and Scenic Waters Wild Rice I brought from Minnesota.
Some of you got turkeys raised in Minnesota by farmers you know, like those from Blue Gentian, Bar 5, or Wild Acres. You served side dishes made with local vegetables and pies baked with Minnesota apples. You know the value of eating local food.
At the holidays, it matters even more. Local food, local traditions, local lore enrich our celebrations Local growers depend on us. And we have celebrations galore these days: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years.
Here in Minnesota we still have potatoes, onions, local meats and eggs, honey and beans, maple syrup and breads. Local bakers, food artisans, and restaurants who source locally. Just as we choose how we spend our holidays, we can choose how we spend our food dollars.
We can honor our families, our homes, our community, our sense of the earth and each other by making our holidays homegrown. My Hanukkah menu centered around a Bar 5 turkey and latkes made with local potatoes and onions.
What about you? What are you doing to make your holidays homegrown?
Susan Berkson is a avowed locavore, a terrific writer, a colorful radio personality, and the creator of The Minneapolis Farmer's Market's Fresh and Local radio show. We're thrilled to have her contribute to Simple, Good, and Tasty.
