'It's Ham, Not Turkey'

After my entry about eating ham, not turkey for Thanksgiving this year, I received an email from children's author Lisa Suhay about her book, "Pardon Me. It's Ham, Not Turkey."

An excerpt from her email:

After spending six months getting the president to acknowledge Virginia’s Thanksgiving history with our campaign and book, "Pardon Me. It’s Ham, Not Turkey," it was great to see your story.

It turns out many believe the first Thanksgiving was actually held a year before Plymouth Rock at Berkeley Plantation. And since the President 'pardons' a turkey before Thanksgiving Day every year - you gotta read this year's pardon about the turkey name - the author and a growing number of supporters have been lobbying for a pig to receive that pardon instead. Apparently this pardon ceremony is a tradition that started quite a while ago, although who started the tradition isn't so clear.

So Suhay's book and the website are out to set the record straight with the Pig Pardon campaign.

Since March 1st, National Pig Day, the campaign has been dedicated to setting the historical record straight concerning the first Thanksgiving - which was held at what is now known as Berkeley Plantation in Virginia. President Bush is scheduled to speak at Berkeley Plantation on Monday, Nov. 19th. We're excited to celebrate this historic event.

And yup, President Bush did visit the Plantation this year.

The book arrived on my desk yesterday, which is the very day of the historical Berkeley Plantation celebration (Dec. 4).

I never could have guessed winning that pig at the Cumberland Fair this year would educate my family in so many different ways...