This morning I began preparing for Thanksgiving. Like families throughout Rhode Island, I am looking forward to my family gathering around the dining room table, enjoying a meal and pausing to acknowledge all that we have to be so thankful for.
I have spent a lot of this past year traveling around Rhode Island and meeting small business people who are committed to our state as part of Buy Local RI. Many of them are farmers, and I'm extending my thanks to them by serving my family a truly Rhode Island Thanksgiving.
My turkey was raised at Pat's Pastured in Saunderstown; my potatoes, courtesy of DEM director Mike Sullivan, who brought me potatoes grown on his land; squash from Barden Farms in North Scituate and brussels sprouts from Wishing Stone Farm in Little Compton; and finally, apples for my pie from Hill Orchards in Johnston. My only miss was in finding cranberries for my cranberry-orange relish—the bogs here sell only to Ocean Spray, so I found mine at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers' Market from a grower in Massachusetts.
I encourage everyone to visit the winter farmers' markets in Pawtucket, North Kingstown and South Kingstown (visit farmfreshri.org for more information), and look for local produce, meat and poultry in the grocery store. Not only will you be serving wonderful food to your family and friends, but you will help support and strengthen our Rhode Island economy.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday—a celebration of family and everything we have to be thankful for—but already I am looking forward to a Buy Local RI Christmas as well.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!