Set the table in sustainable style by serving a locally produced feast. Eating food that travels a shorter distance to your table is better for the environment, plus you'll be contributing to the local economy.
Buying fresh and local is possible in central Iowa, thanks to a combination of farmers markets, farmers willing to deliver their meat and produce straight to the consumer, and food co-ops and grocery stores that stock products raised and grown on central Iowa land.
With Thanksgiving a week away, we found nearby sources for everything from the bird to the butter.
Turkey
The centerpiece of most Thanksgiving feasts. You could thaw a Butterball, or opt for a humanely raised bird with lots of local flavor.
"Many store-bought birds are injected with a sodium water compound," said Ryan Marquardt, 29, who raises pastured poultry at Wild Rose Pastures, north of Pella. He said some of those injections can flare up common soy and wheat allergies in customers, making a pasture-raised bird a better alternative. Since his birds are active, they're also not quite as fatty, so Marquardt said you don't have to feel quite as guilty about munching on the browned and crunchy skin.
Tai Johnson-Spratt of Foxhollow Farm will sell white and heritage turkeys at the Downtown Farmers Winter Market on Saturday. She will also be selling duck and heritage chickens at the market, which means poultry lovers could create a locally sourced turducken.
Find it: Wild Rose Pastures, wildrosepastures.com (Wild Rose sold out of their pre-ordered birds, but is also distributing pasture-raised turkeys from a nearby Amish farm.); Foxhollow Farm in Elkhart, foxhollowpoultryfarm.com.
New City Market will carry free-range organic turkeys from Henry Miller's farm in Kalona ($4.49 per pound).
Squash
For a delicious squash soup, roast one squash with onions and sweet potatoes, then puree. Combine with a bit of broth and cream, then season to taste.
Find it: New City Market, 4721 University Ave., carries butternut squash (when available) from Bill Jahn's farm near Cedar Falls ($1.49 per pound), and pumpkins ($1.15 per pound) and acorn squash (99 cents per pound), from Kalona. Squash from Glenwood Century Farm in Albion is available through the Iowa Food Cooperative, iowafood.org, or the Marshall County Market in Marshalltown, a source for other locally grown and raised produce and meat. Go to marshallcountymarket.com or call (641) 691-8937.
Rolls
Ditch brown 'n serve dinner rolls in favor of baking your own. Paul's Grains, a Laurel, Ia., farm that's grown chemical-free grains since 1964, sells a wide variety of flours, from corn and rice to whole wheat. The company lists several of their favorite recipes for everything from old-time cornbread to honey carob cake at paulsgrains.com.
Find it: Gateway Market, 2002 Woodland Ave. Also available at the Downtown Farmers Winter Market, inside Capital Square (400 Locust St.) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
New City Market will feature artisan bread from Keller's Bread in Newton. French loaves of sourdough and roasted garlic and cheese are $5.99 each. Go to kellersbreads.com.
Milk and butter
Picket Fence Creamery sells whole, 2 percent, skim and chocolate milk in gallon and half-gallon sizes, and salted or unsalted butter in one-pound and half-pound packages. See exactly where your dairy products come from and enjoy farm events and other vendors at monthly Sample Sunday sales. The next one is noon-5 p.m. Sunday. (And it's free.)
Find it: Picket Fence Creamery, 14583 S. Ave., Woodward, picketfencecreamery.net
Apple pie
Iowa Orchard will sell handmade two-crust or Dutch crumble pies filled with its locally grown apples for $10 to $12 (low-sugar options are available).
Find it: Downtown Farmers Winter Market, or pick up at the retail location, 9875 Meredith Drive, Urbandale, with at least one day notice. Go to iowaorchard.com.
Resources for buying local
Downtown Farmers Winter Market
Where: Capital Square and outdoors at Nollen Plaza, 400 Locust St.
When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
Info: desmoinesfarmersmarket.com
Sample Sunday
Where: Picket Fence Creamery, 14583 S. Ave., Woodward
When: Noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
Info: picketfencecreamery.net
Gateway Market
Where: 2002 Woodland Ave.
Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Info: gatewaymarket.com
Campbell’s Nutrition
Where: 4040 University Ave.
Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday;
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.
Info: campbellsnutrition.com
New City Market
Where: 4721 University Ave.
Hours: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday and Friday; 9a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Info: newcitymarket.com, 255-7380
Iowa Food Cooperative, iowafood.org.
This Web-based marketplace of Iowa-grown food requires a $50 first-time membership and $10 annual fee.
Ordering: The ordering period begins at 8 a.m. on the first day of each month and ends at midnight on the second Thursday of each month.
Wheatsfield Cooperative
Where: 413 Northwestern, Ames
Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Info: wheatsfield.coop, (515) 232-4094
Buy Fresh, Buy Local
This Drake University-sponsored organization publishes a newsletter and hosts events for promoting the production and sale of fresh, local foods in central Iowa.
Info: buyfreshdrake.org
