We've talked some about Christmas traditions, but Thanksgiving will be here in just a couple of months. What traditions do you and your family have? What about favorite recipes? Does anyone raise your own Thanksgiving turkey?

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), September 18, 2000

Answers

We don't raise our own turkey - unless, of course, you were referring to Uncle Jerry? And we only call him that in the family...

Pop's whole family tries to get together on that day - ususally 60+ of us make it. Scary to those who know us well! We invite in-laws and out-laws and folks that aren't going anywhere else for the holiday. We rent the same hall every year, and we all carry in food. Everyone has their own specialties - it's kind of a learning experience for new wives. They always bring something that we haven't had before and then no one eats it - Cousin Bets was madder than heck! Those of us experienced in the way of the Mulvaney clan told her to bring it again next year - and sure enough, the pan was scraped clean! (Once they had seen it before...)

We all work together to get the food on the tables while everyone visits. We kiss new babies and aggravate teen-agers there with their new boy/girl friends. We admire new cars and slip a few dollars in an envelope to tuck in a pocket of someone who's having a rough go of it. We eat way too much (did I mention that stretch pants are considered haute coutier?) and anyone who tries less than three different types of pie is considered backwards. There are no diets on Thanksgiving!

My daughter will read a poem she wrote a few years ago honoring our family and our Thanksgiving tradition, we'll all haul out the photo albums, Aunt Susan will show us her new craft she is making, the guys will pull out the guitars, banjos and mandolins, someone will have the game on a portable TV and Julie's dog will get sick from all the tidbits the kids slip to him! It'll be a wonderful day!

Now, if any of you all will happen to be in East Central Illinois on Turkey Day - we'd be right pleased to have you join us! E-mail me for directions!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), September 19, 2000.

My kids feel deprived unless I make 7 pies. There will only be about 6 of us. Then we must have homemade Parker House Rolls (although this year they are getting croisants because of an easy 'keep in the fridge recipe I found) and jello 7-up salad. An absolute must are the decorated nut cups with mints and nuts. Mostly I make the dinner for the leftovers. This year my two toddler granchildren will get their own pumpkin pie made in a patty pan.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), September 19, 2000.

We always have Thanksgiving at my daughter's home. She bakes the turkey & I bake the pies & also fix the vegetarain dishes. After dinner we decorate sugar cookies that my daughter bakes. And my grandsons always put on a play or skit for us about Thanksgiving or about our blessings, etc. We always stop & pick up my Mother & take with us. So, we always take a 3 generation picture after lunch. I always have bought my daughter an antique Christmas decoration some time during the year or I give her one of my family keepsake decorations to decorate for the hollidays with,& with the understanding they are to be passed on to the grandchildren when they have their own homes. I always have a goodie basket fixed & the whole family goes through it--they try to make the goodies last for most of the holiday season. (it has party mix, spice tea, hot cho. mixes, that sort of things.) My daughter usually shows my Mother her latest garage sale finds or estate sale finds & has Mother appraise them for her & tell her all she knows about it/ we latier check in my antique priceing books to see how well Grandma knew her stuff! ha We leave in time to get home before dark & do chores. Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), September 19, 2000.

Hi! I'm raising my first thanksgiving turkey this year. They are getting big! Can't wait. I think it will be a tradition.

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), September 19, 2000.

It changes every year for us, being alone as far as family goes. Being vegetarians and a family of 2 cuts down on the costs substantially. Last year's main dish was a HUGE (almost football sized) baked sweet potato, carved up like a roast. We gleaned it from a local field after the pickers had gone - a great source of free, high energy food that will keep forever; they only take the "saleable" ones (ie the pretty ones) and the fields are usually full of honking big, butt ugly sweets that are just fine.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 19, 2000.

Here, my hubby smokes the bird in the bar be que. Delicious, and it frees up the kitchen and oven for the rest of the dinner. Try to make it as much of the homegrown stuff as possible, squash bread/rolls, daughter in law makes her wonderful sweet potato pie, we play games and sometimes watch a movie on tape. Not a lot of family here, but a good quiet time and leftovers for all! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), September 19, 2000.

We like to raise 4 turkeys. After butchering we keep 2, give one to friends, and give one to the pastor to give (without mentioning us) to anyone who may not have one. We lost all but one turkey this year, but will certainly resume this custom next year. If anyone decides to do this, I know that people appreciate a fresh unfrozen turkey.

-- Anne Tower (bbill@wtvl.net), September 19, 2000.

My in-laws are Italian and they have two hughs tables always set up in the basement with an open door policy. No matter how full you are from coming from somewhere else, you have to eat something.

They were happy when I came into the family because I know how to carve the turkey. I now get to carve the turkeys, roasts and hams for all the holidays. I'm missed if I can't come for no other reason.

The one thing I cannot get used to is pasta before the turkey.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), September 19, 2000.

Polly, That sounds like a great Thanksgiving celebration to me! Being in north central IL, your offer to join you all is mighty tempting, but our family would probably disown us. :( Jean

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), September 20, 2000.

Our family seldom has a Thanksgiving dinner. We usually spend the day hunting instead.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), September 20, 2000.

This one's a little on the non-homesteading side!

We always get together at my mom's house for Thanksgiving. She enjoys having us all there, but doing the meal preparation has become quite a chore for her (even though the rest of the family participates.) She was diagnosed with cancer about 3 years ago and had some surgery right around the holiday, but still wanted to do the Thanksgiving event, so she ordered a pre-cooked turkey from Safeway! It actually turned out pretty tasty (we all brought our traditional side dishes...didn't use the "fixins" that come with the package...well, maybe the rolls, but not the instant mashed potatoes!)Anyway, it was a great solution, and we have repeated it a couple of times...Mom still gets to provide the bounty for the table, and it also saves some time and we get out of the kitchen after the meal faster. I guess we will probably do something like that again this year, since it's her choice.

We host the other big holiday meals, so we get our Harvest/homestead experience at our house the rest of the season.

We also have enjoyed the local Lion's Club/Grange Thanksgiving dinner that has been a tradition around here for over 60 years. Unfortunately, the Grange has dismantled...nobody can keep it going anymore. Sad...and I'll sure miss the turkey, and pies, and even the green jello salads!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 20, 2000.

Well, OF COURSE we raise our own turkey, as well as a few others. For anyone who hasn't had a fresh turkey (read homegrown, even if not free-ranged) there is no comparison to those flavorless, plastic wrapped, water injected piles of semi-meat such as a "butterball"! Even if you butcher early and freeze the turkey, it loses very little in the process! Try it, you'll like it! Anne - do you know what happened to the turkeys you lost? I lost some to blackhead this year, even though I thought I knew everything about that malady. Had to have an autopsy by Cooperative Extension! Let me know if you need info! GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 25, 2000.