Buying local for thanksgiving
Updated: November 19, 2012
URBANA -- People around the country are getting ready for Thanksgiving this week. For many, it's another opportunity to support Illinois farmers.
It may be a little more expensive to buy turkey from a local farmer. But people we spoke with said you can taste the difference on Thanksgiving day.
"I really try to buy local whenever I can," said Carol Synes.
And so do many others as they get ready for Turkey Day.
"It's so much better for our community if we're supporting local farmers," said Synes. "Obviously it's better for the environment if we're not trucking in turkeys from out of state and other places."
The turkeys at Common Ground were raised on Triple S Farms in Shelby County. Stan Schutte takes pride in his poultry. He brought his third truckload of turkeys Sunday.
"It's rewarding to know that everyone's getting a turkey and they enjoy it and they're real supportive of what we do," said Schutte.
Schutte said his free-range fowls are happy birds. That means his customers are happy too.
"We've seen a huge growth in the number of turkeys that people are calling about and pre-ordering," said Colleen Wagner, who is the events coordinator at Common Ground.
More than 300 turkeys were pre-ordered from there this year. And that's not all customers are looking for at the store.
"Pretty much any course of a Thanksgiving dinner you can find something locally grown or locally produced," said Wagner.
Some we spoke with said they're glad to keep the money in the community and they're looking forward to Thanksgiving.
It may be a little more expensive to buy turkey from a local farmer. But people we spoke with said you can taste the difference on Thanksgiving day.
"I really try to buy local whenever I can," said Carol Synes.
And so do many others as they get ready for Turkey Day.
"It's so much better for our community if we're supporting local farmers," said Synes. "Obviously it's better for the environment if we're not trucking in turkeys from out of state and other places."
The turkeys at Common Ground were raised on Triple S Farms in Shelby County. Stan Schutte takes pride in his poultry. He brought his third truckload of turkeys Sunday.
"It's rewarding to know that everyone's getting a turkey and they enjoy it and they're real supportive of what we do," said Schutte.
Schutte said his free-range fowls are happy birds. That means his customers are happy too.
"We've seen a huge growth in the number of turkeys that people are calling about and pre-ordering," said Colleen Wagner, who is the events coordinator at Common Ground.
More than 300 turkeys were pre-ordered from there this year. And that's not all customers are looking for at the store.
"Pretty much any course of a Thanksgiving dinner you can find something locally grown or locally produced," said Wagner.
Some we spoke with said they're glad to keep the money in the community and they're looking forward to Thanksgiving.
