Local Foods Make Thanksgiving Special

All over the world people are adopting a custom that was part of the original tradition of Thanksgiving. The TV Food Network has a "100 mile challenge" -- more and more citings all over the internet advocating the same thing. Whether your focus is a sustainable local economy, or supporting local quality foods from your own region, or that it's your assumed responsible to reduce your carbon food print -- in essence it's all the same.

In New England and other parts of the country as well, we've seen our local farms disappear through land grabs and overzealous building. Climate issues, a downward spiraling economy, rising fuel costs, health care and other labor costs, are only some of the other issues that affect small businesses, especially food producers whose margins are slim, and not to forget "real food" is perishable.

This Thanksgiving we should all do whatever we can to think about our local/regional food growers and manufacturers. One doesn't have to go to an extreme to make a positive impact. It's more important to take the first step this year, and use this year's celebration as a time to plan to do more come this time next year.

Here at Berkshire Grain we have tried to get creative and offer you the following delicious dessert for your Thanksgiving table -- We present.........Easy Apple Crisp, using Berkshire Grain Granola produced right here in Western MA, next we use delicious Apple Pie Filling jarred at the source by Out on A Limb, of Lamoine, ME. Top the whole thing off with fresh made Whipped Cream from High Lawn Farm, Lee, MA

Berkshire Grain, of Lenox, MA - is comprised of a small group of people with a love of Organic Whole Grains, Nuts and Seeds. Some of the ingredients found in Berkshire Grain Granolas are unique and not found in other similar products. Like Organic Chia Seeds which contain 6x more Calcium than milk. Chia Seeds, pure and simple are a Super Food. Organic Okara, comes from Organic (Non-GMO) Soybeans and is a by-product in the production of Soymilk. Both Chia Seeds and Okara are rich sources of protein and fiber. Berkshire Grain granolas are gently roasted at slow temperatures that infuses a delicate taste that is not too sweet, yet full of flavor -- you'll know this is true with the first bite of our Apple Crisp.

Out On A Limb, Lamoine, ME - a home-based company owned by Lori and Tim Jordan, in Lamoine, Maine offers 42 fruit-based products created by Tim that are either low sugar or have no sugar added. The original idea came about because of diabetics in the family who were unable to eat the mass-produced versions of jams / jellies / syrups on the market. Voilá, Out On A Limb was born. Lori and Tim have been creating their special products in their Lamoine kitchen for six and a half years. They grow strawberries, rhubarb, pumpkins, raspberries, crabapples and apples on their property and they do all the jarring, labeling and production in their home.

High Lawn Farm, of Lee, MA -- has been in continuous operation since before 1900. The proprietorship was assumed by Colonel H. G. Wilde and Mrs. Marjorie Field Wilde in 1935 from Mrs. Wilde’s family, and today it continues under the ownership and guidance of the next generation. It is the last remaining, complete dairy farm in the Berkshires - producing, bottling and delivering its own milk - representing over 100 years in the same family. The Jersey herd, for which High Lawn Farm is nationally recognized, dates to at least 1918, with official production records continuous from 1923. Certain cow families in the present herd trace direct lineage across 15 generations to the original herd of 1918.

Click the following link to view the Apple Organic Granola Crisp Recipe

The recipe is wonderful and easy to make -- it was prepared fresh the other day and served as part of a Thursday evening community event at Whole Foods in Hadley, MA. Funny thing happened that the Berkshire Grain associate was in the store serving Apple Crisp to shoppers, when she looked at the time, and dashed off to the in-store kitchen to discover part of the Apple Crisp missing and being enjoyed by the store staff -- so be careful , set your timer and guard your oven.

If you decide to try our recipe please write us a comment, and during your dinner service add conversation about where the various foods came from, sprinkled with interesting information either about the food or the people behind the food. By doing so we can all give thanks.

Healthy is the New Delicious™