Thanksgiving is this week, so now is as good a time as any to reflect on the many ways the Old North State impacts the holiday season ... namely through agriculture and forestry products.
It's almost impossible to have a Thanksgiving meal without some part of North Carolina touching the dinner table. To wit ...
In a streak that would make John Wooden's UCLA basketball run look "ok," North Carolina has dominated the production of sweet potatoes since ... 1971! This is mostly due to the "hot, moist climate and rich, fertile soil [that is] ideal for cultivating" sweet potatoes. According to USDA data, N.C. harvested nearly 95,000 acres of sweet potatoes in 2016, nearly 30,000 more acres than California, Louisiana and Mississippi combined!
North Carolina is the second largest turkey-producing state in the nation (behind Minnesota). Gobble gobble, y'all!
Maybe you prefer ham this holiday season? North Carolina is in the top four when it comes to pork production.
And, finally, some of y'all early birds already have your Christmas trees up. There's a great chance it came from North Carolina whether you live here or not. Nationally, N.C. ranks second (behind Oregon) in tree production; however, the Tar Heel State is first traditionally when it comes to Fraser firs. And as if that's not good enough, more White House Christmas Trees have come from our fair state than any other.
(Photo by Craig Adderly, Pexels.com)
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