By Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times
Thanksgiving and turkey are traditionally part of the same November holiday in the U.S. Although Thanksgiving is a little later this year, on Nov. 28, the options for buying a fresh, local turkey in Bloomington are decreasing. Here's what's still available at some of the local stores.
Bloomingfoods East and West quit taking pre-orders for Thanksgiving on Nov. 12. But that doesn't mean you're out of luck. Both stores will have local turkey, ham and duck as well as house-made sides and pie. All the food will be available in the Grab-N-Go coolers beginning Nov. 25 on a first-come, first-served basis.
The fresh turkey still available is Bowman & Landes birds that are free-range, vegetarian raised, no antibiotics. They are uncooked.
Frozen turkey options:
Becker Farms, local birds that are pasture-raised, no antibiotics/hormones, uncooked (limited supply at East store only)
Organic Prairie, organic and uncooked
Ferndale Farm, uncooked
Ham options:
Fischer Farms whole smoked ham that is local, no hormones, hickory smoked, only at West store
Beeler’s boneless half-ham, vegetarian raised, no antibiotics, uncooked
Beeler’s spiral bone-in ham, vegetarian raised, no antibiotics, uncooked
Maple Leaf Farm ducks that are local, frozen and uncooked are available at both stores.
There will be tofurkey options at both stores.
Other food available includes turkey gravy, mushroom gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, roasted root vegetables, roasted Brussels sprouts, cornbread stuffing, sweet potato and apples, cranberry relish (on the salad bar), vegan Wellington, cheese balls (bacon cheddar, cranberry blue cheese and goat cheese and apricot), and pies (apple, pumpkin, pecan).