1. Eat Cranberries

Other than turkey, football, and shopping, nothing says “Let’s give thanks for a plentiful harvest” better than plopping a can-shaped blob of jellied cranberries onto your Thanksgiving table. And when it comes to growing cranberries, Wisconsin is the undisputed heavyweight champion, producing more than 6 million barrels last year alone (many here in western Wisconsin). That’s a lot of can-shaped blobs!

2. Eat Turkey (duh)

Yes, asking people to eat turkey on Thanksgiving is like asking them to eat candy on Easter, or to eat candy on Halloween, or to eat candy … hey, I think this might explain the obesity epidemic. Anyway, they don’t call it “Turkey Day” for nothing, and there’s a good chance that the bird you gobble comes from the region. Wisconsin is home to the nation’s second-largest turkey processor, the Barron-based Jennie-O Turkey Store. Meanwhile, our neighbor Minnesota raises more turkeys than any other state (about 46 million a year).

3. Have Some Pumpkin Pie

Yes, Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland. And, yes, you’re more likely to see Badger State fields brimming with corn, alfalfa, or soybeans than filled with pumpkin vines. Nonetheless, Wisconsin ranks eighth in the nation when it comes to pumpkin cultivation, with about 3,600 acres devoted to the pie-filling gourds.