Our Thanksgiving holiday can trace its origin to a three-day celebration in 1621, probably in October, that the colonists shared with Wampanoag Indians. Native Americans celebrated harvests for centuries before the Europeans arrived. The feast the colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared was a more heartfelt celebration than today's meal of mysterious origin, then football and shopping extravaganzas. Times were lean. Those not challenged by starvation faced diseases and unrelenting daily physical demands. The only thing historical records prove were on the menu were venison and wild fowl. Vegetables were limited. Potatoes and sweet potatoes weren't available yet. There were no ingredients for pie crusts or bread, let alone ovens. Cranberries were used as tart flavoring, not sweetened with that rare commodity, sugar. Historians say guests may have also enjoyed local seafood, herbs, grapes, plums, Indian corn, barley, nuts, honey, eggs, squash and beans.

An all-local harvest celebration today could fill a table with an eye-popping feast, different from recent tradition but so unforgettable as to inspire renewal of the original intent.

Make notes now for next year:

Turkey

Local birds, especially heritage turkeys, are increasingly available. However, you must reserve them in the spring because it takes months to raise them and growers do so according to customer pre-orders. All the Linn and Benton county growers I contacted last week were sold out, although Abundant Life Farm in Dallas had a few. Many have pasture-raised fresh chickens as an alternative. Find them in the Local Foods Directory at www.tenriversfoodweb.org. Some families will celebrate as pilgrims did with wild game or seafood. Those who shun meat can still prepare a table groaning with riches.

Cranberries

Native to the East Coast, cranberries were first grown commercially on the Oregon coast in the 1880s and the industry thrives today. Unfortunately, it's not easy to determine if what you buy comes from Oregon. Cranberry bags in local grocery stores indicate they were packed in Massachusetts, Washington, Wisconsin or San Francisco. But if you act immediately, you can get organically grown Oregon cranberries at First Alternative Co-op. Produce Manager Bill Genne gets them from two certified growers near Bandon, but demand is high, so he usually runs out about Thanksgiving. He'll still have berries later, but they could come from Michigan or Canada. Tip: they freeze well; stock up early next year.

Hazelnuts

Did you know you can substitute hazelnuts for pecans and still have guests clamoring for seconds? Besides eggs, butter and honey, few of the other pie ingredients can be local. It's a decadent part-local splurge. Julie McMahon of Filberts Are Us suggests tossing in chocolate chips. Of course, there's pumpkin pie, made of pumpkin from your garden or a local grower. And always local whipped cream or ice cream.

In these uncertain times, many families' tables will be emptier. Local food banks and soup kitchens are struggling to meet higher demand. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, gather a little extra, use a little less, and donate food or money to them.

Fresh Sheet alerts readers to the seasonal foods that make the mid-Willamette Valley such a rich culinary area. Contact Chris Peterson at localfood@peak.org.