Thanksgiving 2014

Appleseed Country is well known for our wide variety of farms. And what is the most exciting part of the farming season? Harvest time! And then biggest celebration of the harvest? Well, it’s the fourth Thursday of every November: Thanksgiving.

Planning a Thanksgiving meal is often a week long process. Shopping for food, preparing the meal for days, and then finally eating the meal and the days of leftovers that follow. We would like to highlight a few places for you to find some local food for your meal this year. But first, we have a few places where you can forget the whole planning process, relax, and enjoy a fine meal while others do the work!

First up is the Chocksett Inn. This year, the Chocksett will have turkey, ham, haddock, lasagne, autumn vegetables, and, of course, pie! As a bonus, take a turkey sandwich home to enjoy! Dinner is served from 11:30am-3:30pm. Reservations required. Call (978) 422-3355. For more information, visit chocksettinn.com/thanksgiving.html.The Colonial Hotel in Gardner will also be having their Thanksgiving Dinner. This year, they will have turkey, ham, baked haddock, four cheese lasagne, pumpkin cheesecake, apple pie, pecan pie, and so much more! Call (978) 630-2500 for reservation or visit www.colonial-hotel.com/thanksgiving.html for more information.

New this year is Thanksgiving Day Buffet at Great Wolf Lodge in the Grand Ballroom. Carving station, appetizers, salads, seafood, pasta, desserts, and more! Served from 11am-5pm. Click here for the menu. Adults $38.00, Kids under 12 $16.00, Seniors $32.00, Kids under 3 Free +Tax and Gratuity. For Reservations call (978) 516-0147.

If you are a locavore, we have an exciting option for you! Thanksgiving Dinner at the Bull Run Restaurant. Slow roasted organic turkey, meat loaf, local beef stew, vegan vegetable ravioli, baked salmon, bread, desserts, sides, and more. As much locally sourced food as possible! Adults $32, Kids 6-11 $17, Kids 5 and under are free. Click here for the menu and information on reservations.

And then it’s Cyprian Keyes‘ Thanksgiving Dinner. Turkey, salmon, pork tenderloin, many sides, lots of desserts. $28.95 for adults, $13.95 for children 12 and under (5 and under are free). Served from noon-3pm. Reservations available every half hour. Click here for more information.

Already have plans for Thanksgiving? That’s great! Here are some great local places where you could find some yummy desserts to bring in case you don’t have time to do it yourself this year. Or, if you are doing it yourself this year, we have a few places where you can still get apples to add that local touch to your dessert!

Harvard Sweet Boutique has delicious gourmet cookies, toffee, brownies, and so much more yumminess that it can’t all be listed here! Check them out at harvardsweetboutique.com.

The Kitchen Garden has a whole slew of pies and they use local apples year ’round to make their apple pie. Check them out at www.kitchgarden.com.

And for the chocolate lovers, we have our own local chocolatier in Gardner! Check out Priscilla Candies at www.priscillacandy.com.

And all sorts of local goods can always be found at Bolton Orchards. They also have apples all year as well as a wide variety of unique food. Check them out at www.boltonorchards.net.

Carlson Orchards (www.carlsonorchards.com) and Lanni Orchards (www.lanniorchards.com) both have great farm stores that are still open. Get some delicious locally made pies, preserves, and more for your Thanksgiving meal.

And there is also Red Apple Farm‘s farm stand stocked with delicious apple items! And catch their X Games going November 22nd and 23rd from 10am-4pm! Archery, Hay Bale Toss, Pole Toss, Home Brew Competition, and so much more! Celebrate the fall while it is still here in Appleseed Country!

Westminster Farmers’ Market is having a Holiday Market at the Senior Center American Legion Hall, Main St., Westminster (across from the library and the pharmacy). The market will have winter vegetables, fruits, and cheeses, a full array of baked goods, herbs, spices, apples and more… Check out the hand crafted gifts for family, friends, and pets. All will make your year-end holiday parties and dinners special. Come support local agriculture on November 22nd from 10am-1pm.

And finally, for those of you who like to know the history of this holiday, check out our Thanksgiving story here.

We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving 2014!