Have Yourself a Central Jersey Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the ultimate farm-to-table holiday, the perfect opportunity to bring the fruits of Central Jersey’s 2024 harvest into your own kitchen for Thanksgiving, or to take advantage of the prepared foods from a region that can be fairly called the farm-to-table capital of the east.

Originating with the Pilgrims in 1621, Thanksgiving became an official United States holiday in 1942, in a celebration of America’s bountiful harvest. It’s a tradition with special meaning in New Jersey—the Garden State—described as the “Garden of America” in the journal of a French officer during the American Revolution.

By including the bounty of Central Jersey’s harvest on your Thanksgiving table you will enjoy delicious, local food. You may also find the foraging experience to be its own reward. Spend a day or weekend by combining visits to Central Jersey farms with stops at our vineyards, breweries, and distilleries, our farm-to-table restaurants, historic sites, recreation areas, and cultural destinations.

The appeal of Central Jersey as a special place for Thanksgiving has been noted in a newly published article about “friendsgiving” on the Rent.com blog that features many of our region’s farms and vineyards.

Turkeys and Roasts

We begin with the star on most Thanksgiving tables, the turkey. Griggstown Farm near Princeton has been growing and selling traditional white meat and free-range heirloom turkeys for more than two decades, and they offer a wide variety of fixings.  Over in Hopewell, Doublebrook Farm and the Brick Farm Butcher are collaborating on locally raised turkeys and lots of fixings for a truly local Thanksgiving. New to Central Jersey this year is Abma’s Farm in Hillsborough offering fresh, local turkeys, ham, and fixings, too.

A few other local turkey options include Lee Turkey Farm in East Windsor, Lima Family Farms in Hillsborough, Dipaola Turkey Farm in Hamilton. Wherever you go, order as early as you can because almost everyone will be sold out a week or more before the big day.

Of course, some folks prefer something other than turkey for their Thanksgiving meal. You can find beef and pork roasts, among other centerpiece entrees at Norz-Hill Farm in Hillsborough, Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrence.

Pies and Fixin’s

Beyond the main entrée, Central Jersey farms offer pies and many other fixin’s that are essential for a traditional Thanksgiving. Terhune Orchards and Winery near Princeton is open almost every day, and offers their own pies, ciders, wines, apples, potatoes, vegetables, and more. Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse along with Gorgeous Goat Creamery and Cherry Grove Farm offer local cheeses for a memorable happy hour as you watch the Thanksgiving football game.

And the folks at Hidden Spring Lavender and Alpaca Farm in Skillman can provide you with the perfect house gift made with lavender, including plush animals, lotions, fragrances, and products made from the wool of its adorable alpacas.

Farm-to-Table Capital of the East

Central Jersey, and especially Mercer County, can be fairly described as the farm-to-table capital of the east. The farm-to-table movement started here in 1982 with the formation of the Momo Restaurant Group, owners of Mediterra and Teresa’s in Princeton, earlier even than the slow food movement started in Italy, although after the start of farm-to-table in California and Oregon in the 1970s.

Mercer County enjoys Central Jersey’s highest concentration of farm-to-table restaurants, with a dozen of them in Princeton alone, four more in Hopewell, and 12 Farms Restaurant in Hightstown. You’ll also find great farm-to-table dining in Flemington, Milford, Somerville, and New Brunswick.

Check out our extensive list of Central Jersey farm-to-table restaurants, many of which offer Thanksgiving meals either for pick-up or dine-in. You’ll even find farm-to-table ice cream in Princeton, at the Bent Spoon and Halo Pub! LiLLiPIES, a farm-to-table bakery in Princeton is taking online pre-orders on pies for Thanksgiving–including pumpkin, bourbon pecan, key lime, and apple crumb–through Wednesday November 27 at 2pm.

This year, celebrate Thanksgiving the way the holiday began, with the fruits of a bountiful, local harvest!

For more information about everything to see and do in Central Jersey, visit discovercentralnj.com.  This article is supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.