As November winds down and the days grow colder, the holiday season is just around the corner! Thanksgiving is this Thursday, offering a perfect opportunity to gather with loved ones, share a delicious meal, and kick off the festive season together.
Nowadays, turkeys are almost synonymous with Thanksgiving but, was it always that way? Not necessarily. The first Thanksgiving was a large feast between the settlers at Plymouth colony and the native Wampanoag people in 1621. Historians believe that the Wampanoag brought deer and the pilgrims brought some kind of “wild fowl”, but probably ducks or geese. It was only until the late 18th century that turkey became the most popular way to celebrate this holiday. In the United States, turkeys are abundant, with one expert estimating at least 10 million turkeys before European contact in the territory, and they are large enough to feed a whole family, making them the perfect food for a large feast. Today, Americans eat over 46 million turkeys a season, keeping the tradition alive.
Today, most turkeys come from farms rather than forests, but the Bay Area has plenty of options for sourcing your ideal bird. Whether you are interested in buying fresh or farm-raised, or you are interested in where your turkey might come from, local farms can add an additional layer of connection and gratitude to your meal. Here are some of our favorite Bay Area farms:
1. Root Down Farm, Pescadero: This small farm started in 2014 and has become one of the best sustainable turkey farmers in the Bay Area. This year, they have raised over 500 Broad Breasted White and Black breed turkeys, fed an organic and non-gmo diet. You can reserve a turkey here, or find them in the Ferry Building on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. This weekend is also their Fall Farm Fest, where you can enter their farm and enjoy fresh veggies, apple cider donuts, honey, and much more for sale! It is free on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
2. Diestel Family Ranch, Sonora: Though located a bit further away, Diestel’s turkeys are available to purchase at Mollie Stones, Whole Foods, and other specialty stores across the Bay Area. Their birds are raised in a large pasture with an organic diet, as they have been for the last 70 years. They also have deli meats available for purchase, so you can enjoy turkey year-round.
… and many more! Check out your local farmer’s market or grocery store to enjoy the best turkeys the Bay Area has to offer!!
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