Putting a face to your food

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That turkey dinner you might be enjoying a week from now will cost you a penny more this year than it did last year, according to a group that represents the farmers who provide most of the dishes you’ll find on your table.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 34th annual survey of items often included in Thanksgiving dinners finds that the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.91, or less than $5 per person.

If you shop for your family’s groceries, that may not be news to you. But what you might not know is that the farmers are getting about 8 cents on the dollar from consumers’ food purchases, according to the federation’s chief economist, John Newton.

People’s perspectives about their farmers and where their food comes from seem to be changing, thanks to the locavore movement: The survey found that three in four Americans want to learn more about how their food is produced.

Americans do have faith in those who grow their food, the survey said, with 88% saying they trust farmers.

We’ve bought local turkeys from Keegan-Filion Farm in the past, and sure, it cost a bit more than the national average of $1.30 per pound, but we felt it was worth the extra to buy local and know our farmer.

Farmer’s markets are a great way to meet your farmers, but what’s even better is to take a weekend day and ride out to the farm. You can really get a feel for the operation, and put a face to your food.

Aside from growing your own produce or having your own chickens for eggs or meat, there’s not much better than biting into a strawberry or tomato and picturing Farmer Pete’s smiling face or cutting up a pork chop and knowing the Johnson family provided it for you.

Johnson Family Farm has their own farmer’s market days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, with several vendors selling crafts and sweets, plus visits with their animals. Maybe we’ll stop by and stock up for the holidays.