It's the most N.C. time of the year

We typically highlight this just about every year on this blog (though we apparently forgot to last year -- sorry!), but right around Thanksgiving is when we start to get into the most N.C. time of the year?

What does that mean? you ask? Well, first of all, thanks for asking. What it means is as you're digging into turkey and sweet potatoes, and decorating that Christmas tree, you are probably doing some of the best economic support for the Old North State that is possible. And the good news is that families all across the rest of the nation are doing it too.

We published this a few years ago. While the numbers may be off some, they're probably not off by that much.

At that time, the state was the second-largest turkey-producing state after Minnesota. (And probably is still.)

And then there are the sweet potatoes.

North Carolina has been the number one producer of sweet potatoes in the United States, according to the Department of Agriculture. "Today more than 40% of the natinal [sic] supply of sweet potatoes comes from North Carolina."

And, finally, the holiday season closes out with Christmas trees.

"The North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested and first in the nation in terms of dollars made per tree," according to the N.C. Christmas Tree Association.

"The North Carolina Fraser fir has been judged the Nation's best through a contest sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association and chosen for the official White House Christmas tree nine times (more than any other species) 1971, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, and 2007 [and 2008]."

Update: According to this article, N.C. is still second for Christmas trees. Damn you, Oregon! We're gunning for ya!