As unfortunate as it may be, the vast majority of those who enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast next Thursday may give thanks for their food but will give little thought to what it took to get the food to the table so they could enjoy it. They will never think about all the production supplies that were needed to grow the foods; the farmer and his workers who provided labor throughout the growing season; and the countless number of people who were involved in processing, packing, transporting, and distributing the foods, so they would ultimately wind up on our tables.

Those mentioned above are not the only ones who have a role in getting foods to consumers' tables. There are many government workers responsible for ensuring food safety and for conducting research that leads to the development of the foods we enjoy. These workers play a key role in making sure we all enjoy an abundance of safe, wholesome, and diverse foods, yet they most often go without recognition or appreciation.

While reviewing the most recent edition of Agricultural Research magazine, a publication of the Agricultural Research Service Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, I found several bits of information that related directly to the foods we traditionally enjoy at Thanksgiving. Some of this is much like common sense, but some of it is really amazing.

Tradition has it that turkey was the main dish at the first Thanksgiving, because it was readily available for early settlers. But turkeys during those days were quite different than turkeys today.

During the 1930s, scientists at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center just outside Washington, DC, were called on to help develop a different kind of turkey than the big brownish black ones that had previously been grown. What was needed was a smaller type of turkey that would weigh only 10-12 pounds, have much more meat in the breast area, and have white feathers. The reason for white feathers was because if the quill feathers were not totally removed during the cleaning process, they would not be noticeable and distract from the appearance of the bird. These researchers were successful, and today, the BARC turkey line is part of the pedigree of every turkey sold in the United States, including the one you will enjoy next Thursday.

You will probably also enjoy potatoes with your Thanksgiving meal. ARS researchers at the Vegetable and Forages Crops Research Unit in Prosser, Washington, found that some potato varieties contain higher levels of health-promoting compounds, such as phytochemicals and vitamins. This research has led to the development of new varieties of potatoes that are even healthier for us.

What Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without black-eyed peas? Southern peas are referred to as black-eyed peas, but they are not really peas at all. They are actually beans. ARS scientists at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC, developed two new varieties of black-eyed peas that had more pleasing textures and flavors and were more attractive as well.

In 1999, ARS scientists developed the Green Pixie in response to the frozen food industry's need for a pea that retains its fresh green color when processed and frozen. This pea is often included in holiday meals, since in addition to being grown commercially, it is often grown and picked fresh by home gardeners.

Although not a food, poinsettias have become as much a part of the holiday season as turkeys. This flower has become America's favorite holiday plant, with over 80 million sold each year.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico where they grow to be more than eight feet tall. This is not at all suitable for a houseplant and would never be able to serve as a centerpiece on the dining room table. ARS scientists at Beltsville found that a bacteria-like organism acts as a dwarfing agent on poinsettias. When applied, this phytoplasma triggers a hormonal imbalance that instructs the plant to grow outward, instead of upward like a tree, and remain at a compact 18-inch size.

These scientists have developed three new varieties of poinsettias - Ruff and Ready, Truly Pink, and Winter Sunshine. These varieties have leaves with a wide range of colors, from traditional deep red to pink and creamy white.

Poinsettias don't actually have beautiful flowers. The attractive part of the plant is really colorful leaves.

But this does not happen naturally. BARC scientists are the ones who discovered that these plants require a specific balance of daylight to darkness for flowering. This plant flowers when the upper leaves turn a color, like bright red, pink, or white, and the small, yellow flowers form in the center of the stem. ARS even had a hand in how beautiful the tablecloth on the dining room table may be. Scientists at the Southern

Regional Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, developed durable press cotton fabrics that stay smooth and attractive after washing and drying. This prevents the need to iron tablecloths.

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving feast next Thursday. But as you enjoy the meal, please remember to give thanks to all of those who made it possible.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
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Date Created 11/29/08