Fun Facts For Thanksgiving

Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by Tom Curtis

For those of you who like this sort of thing, here are some fun facts related to all things Thanksgiving.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) Census of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau, this Thanksgiving farmers will raise and harvest:

• 254 million turkeys
• 768 million pounds of cranberries
• 47 billion pounds of potatoes
• 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins
• 1.9 billion pounds of green beans
• 2.7 billions pounds of sweet potatoes (NC leads the production.)
• 73.1 million pounds of cherries (if you prefer cherry pie to pumpkin pie)
• 2.27 billion bushels of wheat (the essential ingredient of bread, rolls and pie crust
  

4 - Number of places named after our beloved "Turkey"

• Turkey Creek, LA
• Turkey, TX
• Turkey, NC
• Turkey Creek, AZ

9 - Number of places named after our crimson delight, "Cranberry" including

• Cranbury, NJ
• Cranberry Township (Butler County), PA
• Cranberry Township (Venango County), PA

37 - Number of places and townships named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims.

• Plymouth, MN
• Plymouth, MA
• Pilgrim (only township in the US named Pilgrim) Dade County, MO
• Mayflower, AR
• Mayflower Village, CA

The following are America's top turkey producing states.

Turkeys: Number Raised 2009-2010*

State	2009	2010	% of 2009
Minnesota	45.0	47.0	104
North Carolina	35.5	30.0	84
Arkansas	29.0	28.0	96
Missouri	18.5	18.0	97
Virginia	17.0	17.0	100
Indiana	15.0	16.0	106
California	15.0	15.2	101
South Carolina	11.9	11.9	100
Pennsylvania	9.0	7.4	82
Ohio	5.2	4.6	88
Other States	46.3	49.1	106
US Total	247.4	244.2	98

*Numbers raised in millions





For those of you looking for alternatives to turkey, here's a link to some vegan choices.  I have not tried any of the choices listed, so I cannot speak to their authenticity or flavor.  If any of you have had them, please leave a comment so we can help someone else who may be looking for an alternative to turkey.  Thank you.

Karina
I love comments!

The Tradition of Crimson

Oops!  I forgot to post this last month.

I associate autumn with cranberries.  Maybe it's because the deep crimson color of the cranberry is a staple during this season.  Maybe it's because cranberries are a Thanksgiving tradition.

I decided to get some information on this edible autumn beauty.  Here's what I learned:

• Cranberries are harvested September through the first part of November.
• White cranberry juice is made from regular cranberries that have been harvested after the fruits are mature, but before they have attained their characteristic dark red color.
• States that grow cranberries: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin; Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries, with over half of U.S. production.  Massachusetts is the second largest U.S. producer. 
• Raw cranberries have moderate levels of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, minerals, manganese, and other essential micronutrients.

I love to promote creating jobs by purchasing products made in the USA.  Let's not forget our hardworking farmers.  They feed us year round so that's definitely a job that I support.  If you find yourself traveling around the northern part of the US, here's a link to some cranberry farms.  Stop by and say "Hi" to your local farmers.  I'm sure they would appreciate sharing their crafts with you.  Some offer tours of their farms.  The best part that I have found is that some of them have links to recipes.  Yes, recipes!  Who better than the farmer to tell you how to cook the food?!

If you visit one of these farms, please come back here and share your stories.  I would love to read about them.


Karina
I love comments!