Gobble, gobble

Preach it, live it.

For the past few months, I've been on a mission to tell readers where they can find seasonal, locally grown foods. Part of it is due to reading Michael Pollan's absorbing, scary and ultimately fascinating book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" (Penguin Press, 2006.) And part of it is consumer's sky-rocketing interest in sustainable agriculture. Simply put, people want to know where their food is coming from and how it's grown.

Last week, I wrote about T.A. Farms in Kent County, which sells Delaware turkeys. The free-range turkeys, raised by the Palmer family, are fed Delaware grown soybeans and corn. (The photo above was taken at the farm by News Journal photographer Scott Nathan.) It's the only turkey farm in Delaware. This morning, I drove to the Wyoming farm - it's about an 1 hour and 15 minute trek from my New Castle County home - to pick up three pre-ordered turkeys. (A couple of colleagues also were interested in eating Delaware raised birds this year.) The cost was $1.89 a pound.

I plan to make this trek my new Thanksgiving tradition. You drive up to the Mud Mill Road farm - pass the inflatable turkey - and enter the retail operation where Amish women are packaging sticky buns, rolls, breads and pies. A bin of fresh broccoli for sale was set out in a basket. On the other right side is "the turkey operation." Customers can buy whole turkey breasts, ground turkey, turkey sausage, drumsticks and turkey wings. Fresh turkeys come in plastic bags with cooking instructions and include an oven mitt. (The turkeys also have pop-up timers.) A young boy helped me carry the 16 (plus) pound turkeys to the car and was so sweet, he didn't want to take the tip I offered.

I was planning on brining the turkey, but now I may just give it a good rub with butter, sprinkle on salt and pepper and stuff it with fresh rosemary, thyme and other aromatics. I'm very psyched about this turkey. I'll let you know how it tastes!