A Local Vermont Holiday Feast is at your Fingertips

Find a local farm for fresh turkeys and local Thanksgiving dinner ingredients!

November 1, 2024 | Montpelier, VT - With daylight hours decreasing and holiday feasts fast approaching, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) and the Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) are looking towards a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that Vermont's local farms can help prepare. Ingredients from the turkey to the stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, pies, local beverages and spirits can be found at a farm, farmers market or store near you! The time to order your local bird is now!

Vermont is home to many turkey farms and diversified farming operations raising turkeys across the state, just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. According to the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 16 pounds, meaning that approximately 736 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in 2016. In Vermont, nearly 48,000 turkeys and chickens were produced in 2016.

To help locate your dream bird and other ingredients to grace your holiday table, check out the Vermont Fresh Network's Local Holiday Meal Finder. And to add a little extra "spirit" to the spread, visit VFN's Cider and Wine Pairings for the Holiday Table!

"Buying a Vermont turkey is a wonderful way to support our rural farm communities and families. We give thanks for their commitment to producing fresh food during the seasons of holiday feasts," said Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. "Thank you, farmers, for your hard work to feed us on this day and every day of the year."w

The Vermont Fresh Network can help connect you to a local farm and farmer near you, for a fresh Thanksgiving feast for your family. You can also find farm fresh dinner ingredients for your turkey dinner at the same time.

"Thanksgiving is a time for us to celebrate with our family, our friends, and our farmers. A Vermont farm locally raised grown turkey and a locally sourced Thanksgiving dinner offers the freshest ingredients for a truly delicious meal and supports our rural economy," said Tara Pereira, Executive Director of the Vermont Fresh Network, "And food grown in Vermont pairs perfectly with our local wine and cider."

Along with local turkeys, produce and spirits, the Vermont Fresh Network can connect you with more local products for your holiday meal and beyond. Visit DigInVT.com - an interactive website for authentic agricultural and culinary events and experiences in Vermont.

*Image courtesy Dig In Vermont