Thanksgiving is at hand, and before I go any further - Yes, they do celebrate Thanksgiving in Panama! On that note, no, we will not be able to find an organic turkey this year. But, with the help of Local Harvest, however, anyone in the US will be able to outfit their holidays with organic products from soup to nuts, turkeys to cranberries, and every ingredient in between.

Local Harvest is probably the most comprehensive site for ‘real food, real farmers, real community’. Local Harvest serves many purposes. You can find farms, farmer’s markets, and organic co-ops in your area; catch up on all the latest sustainable farming news around the globe; and the best part - shop for locally grown, organic food. The range of what’s available is amazing. Of course, there are the turkeys (and from what I’ve read, they’re going fast so you’d better order!); cranberries (fresh from the bogs!); and they top it off with desserts that look like they were all made by hand (which they probably were!). I could go on and on, linking to every category. Check out the shop for yourself and try not to do it hungry, ok? Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Local Harvest is a true testament to the belief that you should not only buy local foods because it supports local farmers, but to support oil and energy conservation. The less distance food has to travel, after all, the safer the food probably is, and the less we have to rely on airplanes or large ships. More important, it’s time to change our kids’ beliefs that everything on their plate and in their lunchboxes comes from a supermarket. Find a farm near you and see if they allow visitors - many of them have stores right on the premises, and it’s a good outing to show kids a hard-working, sustainable farm that needs local support. I think the more you can make your holiday table (or your table any time of year) organic and local is beneficial for your family and your community. Think about how amazed your kids will be when you tell your kids the Thanksgiving turkey came from a farm less than 100 miles away, rather than from the freezer!