The First Thanksgiving

In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nationÕs first Thanksgiving. It eventually became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving.

Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday.

The First Thanksgiving:

The first feast is said to have lasted three days. About 50 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans are said to have participated.

Canadian Thanksgiving:

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. It is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

Turkey Production

250 million: The preliminary estimate of turkeys raised in the United States in 2009. ThatÕs down 8 percent from the number raised during 2008. The turkeys produced in 2008 together weighed 7.9 billion pounds and were valued at $4.5 billion. Source

45.5 million: The preliminary estimate of turkeys Minnesota expected to raise in 2009. The Gopher State was tops in turkey production, followed by North Carolina (37.5 million), Arkansas (28 million), Missouri (21 million), Virginia (16.4 million) and California (15 million). These six states together would probably account for about two-thirds of U.S. turkeys produced in 2009. Source

$3.6 billion: The value of turkeys shipped in 2002. Arkansas led the way in turkey shipments, with $581.5 million, followed by Virginia ($544.2 million) and North Carolina ($453 million). In 2002, poultry businesses whose primary product was turkey totaled 35 establishments, employing about 17,000 people. Source

$3.8 billion: Forecast 2009 receipts to farmers from turkey sales. This exceeds the total receipts from sales of products such as barley, oats and sorghum (combined) and peanuts. Source

The First Feast

Traditionally, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie are served on Thanksgiving. But many Americans introduce foods from their immigrant ancestors' cultures.

Wisconsin Farm Bureau

Cranberries, Wheat and Beans

709 million pounds: The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2009. Wisconsin is expected to lead all states in the production of cranberries, with 400 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (190 million). New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are also expected to have substantial production, ranging from 16 million to 54 million pounds. Source

2.2 billion bushels: The total volume of wheat Ñ the essential ingredient of bread, rolls and pie crust Ñ produced in the United States in 2009. North Dakota and Kansas accounted for 34 percent of the nationÕs wheat production. Source

794,777 tons: The 2008 contracted production of snap (green) beans in major snap (green) bean-producing states. Of this total, Wisconsin led all states (320,200 tons). Many Americans consider green bean casserole a traditional Thanksgiving dish. Source

Cranberries:

While cranberries are now a staple of the holiday, it is unlikely that they were served at the first Thanksgiving. In fact, fowl other than turkey may have been the main dish and the only pumpkin dish was probably boiled pumpkin.

virginiaplaces.org

Pumpkins and Potatoes

1.1 billion pounds: Total production of pumpkins produced in the major pumpkin-producing states in 2008. Illinois led the country by producing 496 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, Pennsylvania and New York also provided lots of pumpkins: Each state produced at least 100 million pounds. The value of all pumpkins produced by major pumpkin-producing states was $141 million. Source

1.8 billion pounds: The total weight of sweet potatoes Ñ another popular Thanksgiving side dish Ñ produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2008. North Carolina (874 million pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state. It was followed by California (437 million pounds) and Mississippi (335 million pounds). Source

Volunteerism:

Many communities sponsor food drives and serve free Thanksgiving dinners to those less fortunate.

SwitchYard Media

The Feast

13.8 pounds: The quantity of turkey consumed by the typical American in 2007, with a hearty helping devoured at Thanksgiving time. Per capita sweet potato consumption was 5.2 pounds. Source

$1.33: Retail cost per pound of a frozen whole turkey in December 2008. Source

3 Number of places in the United States named after the holidayÕs traditional main course. Turkey, Texas, was the most populous in 2008, with 456 residents, followed by Turkey Creek, La. (361) and Turkey, N.C. (272). There are also nine townships around the country named Turkey, three in Kansas. Source

A Long Weekend:

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Thanksgiving is a four-day vacation for most schools and colleges. Most business and government workers are given Thanksgiving and the day after as paid holidays.[