Every year about 270 million turkeys, 572 million pounds of cranberries and 831 million pounds of pumpkins pass through supermarket checkout counters across America during the last week of November. They are destined for the Thanksgiving table, on a day when Americans express gratitude for their abundance of goods and blessings. The feast of Thanksgiving traces its roots to the 17 th century Pilgrims, who were grateful to have enough to survive.

In the harsh winter of 1620, many of the Pilgrims died of starvation and disease. They had no flour for baked goods and no cows for milk or butter. But they did manage to grow pumpkins and corn with guidance from the Native Americans of Plymouth. During the… Continue reading →