50 Mile Thanksgiving

“It’s not a road race, but an event to celebrate the history and future of our regional harvest.“ 

This Saturday evening on Nov. 6, [1] Slow Food Seacoast will be hosting their annual 50-Mile Thanksgiving Celebration from 5 to 8 pm at South Church (292 State Street) in Portsmouth, NH.

Community members are encouraged to bring a potluck dish that contains at least one main ingredient sourced from within 50 miles.    The potluck buffet will feature organic Bourbon Red heirloom turkeys raised by [2] Tiny Hill Farm in Milton Mills, NH, along with traditional trimmings.  To minimize waste and cleanup time, participants are asked to bring their own plate, bowl, cup, cutlery, napkin and beverage.

After the feast, Special guest Lynne Christy Anderson will talk about her new book, [3] Breaking Bread: Recipes and Stories from Immigrant Kitchens. (Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.)

RSVPs are requested via the [4] online form  at the Slow Food Seacoast website, or send an [5] email to Slow Food Seacoast with “RSVP for the 50-Mile Thanksgiving” in the subject line.

Suggested donation is $10 per adult; no charge for children accompanied by adults.
Time: Doors open at 4:30 pm; dinner begins at 5 pm. Author talk from 7 to 8 pm.

According to John Forti co-founder of Slow Food Seacoast, “If you value place-based foods like heirloom plants and rare breed animals, the best thing you can do is to eat them”.  Traditional Thanksgiving dishes offer us a reminder of how we were able to feast from our back yards and local farms with seasonal fare that could be harvested and stored throughout New England’s long winters.   The blend of native and imported ingredients commonly found on the Thanksgiving table, remind us of the long history of blending immigrant traditions in our kitchens and around our holiday tables.  The event began as a 100 Mile Thanksgiving five years ago, but with the success of local farmers markets, farms and backyard gardens in recent years, the event name has changed to reflect the recent positive shift in our local economies. 

This event is cosponsored by Slow Food Seacoast and the Green Sanctuary Team at South Church.