Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Turka-lurkey

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I'm sure we're all starting our plans for dinner. If you are not hosting, it's a different story, but for the rest of us, it's a lot of planning, enjoyment and work.

Although I wasn't able to acquire a local turkey (there aren't enough processing facilities in Washington state to support many local turkeys), I did win a free turkey from the grocery store I shop at most. I was able to get a $40 organic turkey (frozen, alas) for free from Organic Prairie. Since they are part of a coop, it's possible it's local, but I doubt it.


11 comments:

Unknown said...

I voted "Tofurkey or other Vegetarian Analog", but actually we do something that's fairly common among vegetarians - just leave out the turkey and have a meal of lots of side dishes.

Anna Banana said...

Half of the people coming to Thanksgiving dinner at our house don't eat turkey, so there will be Tofurky AND organic, non-local turkey.

katecontinued said...

You left out the option of not doing Thanksgiving. More and more I work to create rituals with real meaning as I reject the obligatory ones. This is primarily because most national holidays have become unrecognisable (compared to origins) and deeply saturated with consumerism.

I am honestly not trying to be reactionary or contrary for no reason. Our bountiful resources and our thankfulness are worthy reasons to gather.

Chile said...

Like Rebecca, we are simply omitting the "main course". In years past, I've purchased the grain-based Celebration Roast but we've never really cared for the sausage stuffing. So, we're just doing without this year. I make a mean cornbread stuffing (in a pan), awesome mashed potatoes and turkeyless gravy, orange yams, and smoky green beans. I'm ashamed to admit I prefer canned jellied cranberry sauce to homemade but maybe I'll try making my own jellied version this year. Oh, and my pumpkin pie. It's to die for.

QT said...

I purchased a pasture raised organic turkey from my CSA - I just picked it up yesterday.

Jennifer said...

I also voted "Tofurkey"... because I am vegetarian and there will be no real turkey... but I think that tofurkey is about the grossest thing I've ever seen!
I just can't stand foods that are created to "look" and "taste" like something else... I like my food to look and taste like what it is!

No offense meant to anyone who likes it... I'm sure there are many who don't like the things I eat, either!

Anonymous said...

While it probably isn't local, at least you can rest assured that Organic Valley (the parent of Organic Prairie) makes a strong effort to support local farmers and community groups, and uses biodiesel in all their trucks. I, meanwhile, usually end up buying a sad supermarket turkey breast because I'm cooking for two in a not-very-interested-in-local-food area. Alas.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is very interesting... I feel like I've stepped into a different world. We are (gulp) not on the "green" bandwagon... and (cringe) have two SUVs. (don't be hatin...) We are actually from Bellevue, WA. We've since lived in L.A., Jackson, MS, and now in Colorado Springs. We actually joked around about getting vanity plates for our Trailblazer that said, "EAT MEAT." Truthfully though, I've been bothered for quite some time about all the excess packaging and plastic... among other things.

Our 18 yod recently decided to become a vegetarian. We are supportive in that we make sure she has alternative things to eat but I worry that she isn't getting everything she needs. Oddly, she's actually gained weight since making the switch.

Anyway, I've been slowly going through your site. I kind of have to do it in small doses because I need time to digest what I've read.

Miss Kris said...

Field Roast - the Celebration Loaf. It's delicious and local to Seattle! Well, at least the company is...not sure about the ingredients used to make it. I've never been a fan of Tofurky products.

Anonymous said...

I'm going the no-turkey, high consumption route: flying to Germany to visit my hubby for the week. We will probably find a place to eat some turkey, but will not make the whole bird.

sigh... I'd rather be here.

Oldnovice said...

"I'm cooking for two in a not-very-interested-in-local-food area. Alas."

I've been thinking the same thing lately. We're in North Texas and our Farmer's Markets have already shut down for the season. I've googled local farms and come up with NOTHING. I've gone to the "Find your local CSA sites" and found nothing, as well. There IS a Whole Foods store 30 minutes away that SOMETIMES labels stuff "local". I wonder how much they added to the price for that five-letter word.