Eating directly from the farmer is something we will always advocate for (or should we say agvocate), no matter the time of year.
While shopping and eating food supplied by national retailers can be a convenient choice and one that may be more budget friendly depending on you and your family’s needs, if you are able to shop directly from the farm, you’ll be positively contributing to a sustainable food system, economy, environment, and more.
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when incorporating farm food in your holiday meals, so we asked our team how they use organic food from our farm in some of their favorite holiday traditions, to give you some inspiration!
“Last year my go-to dish was roasted vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, carrots, and onions. But no matter the recipe, I love that bringing an Elmwood dish also is a way for me to share my passion for local, healthy, delicious food with my loved ones. Food is one of my favorite ways to express love, and it’s extra special when I can share it in a way that expresses the values that are important to me too. I’m sharing veggies but I’m also sharing who I am.”
“Every Thanksgiving I bring an Elmwood turkey which always makes a huge impression on my parents when I pass it along to them to prepare for the family’s holiday table.”
“I use the farm’s cinderella pumpkins as a decoration in October/early November, and then I process them and make my own pumpkin puree! Pumpkin desserts are non-negotiables at my family’s Thanksgiving table, and they are made even better with homemade pumpkin puree. An added bonus is that you also have a bunch of pumpkin seeds that you can roast and use to top a fall side salad or just have as an extra snack.”
“My family has been getting heritage turkeys from Elmwood for Thanksgiving since 2015 and we just can’t buy grocery store turkeys anymore – they’re nowhere near as good. We also usually have an abundance of pumpkins saved up from CSA and use it to make pumpkin bread and pumpkin cake which is at this point a requirement for Thanksgiving.”
“I have had something from Elmwood on my Thanksgiving table for almost 10 years now. Sometimes a turkey, sometimes the best arugula salad, sometimes baby ginger grated into cranberry dressing (a recipe from Ann). The tradition isn’t necessarily a food item, but it is the practice of giving thanks for all the folks who grew (and packed and delivered) so much of my food that year. It’s a privilege to know their names and faces and to have a bountiful table to share with others.”