During Thanksgiving, most of us include the bounty of food we consume in the list of things for which we are grateful.  But how many of us include the people who worked hard to grow and harvest our food in that list?  The dedicated, passionate people who work at Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) show their thanks for the work of farmworkers every day of the year.  Below are some of the programs and activities in which SAF engages:

• Into the Fields Internship - Trains and places college student interns with a number of clinics and non-profit agencies that provide services to or advocate for farmworkers every summer.  These students are going on to become professionals who know how to advocate for social justice!  The agencies where they intern receive much needed labor during a time of year when they are extremely busy.

• Farmworker Advocacy Network- Executive Director Melinda Wiggins and other staff members hold a leadership role in this network of nonprofit organizations that collaborates to engage the North Carolina Legislature to advocate for improved health and safety regulations for farmworkers.  They also hold the agencies responsible for enforcing regulations accountable.  FAN also works to educate the public about the conditions under which farmworkers labor and how they can act to contribute to efforts to improve those conditions.

• Levante Leadership Institute- uses theatre and arts to provide migrant farmworker youth in rural North Carolina with opportunities to build self-esteeem, develop leadership skills, and prepare them for higher education.  

• To learn more about other SAF programs, you can visit http://www.saf-unite.org/.  

• For instructions on mailing your donation, please visit http://saf-unite.org/content/donate  Please put my name in the memo section of your check so your donation will be counted towards my goal.

And now, as promised, the Thanksgiving recipes:

Apple PIe with Streusel Topping 

Filling:

8 cups peeled and sliced apples (assortment of flavors that includes a couple Granny Smith)

1tsp freshly grated lemon peel

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar (I often use only 1/4 cup)

1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1Tbsp unbleached white flour

two 10-inch deep dish pie crusts (I usually use store bought, but if you want a delicious, flaky crust, follow the directions from Smitten Kitchen's author. The key to making your own pie crust is freezing the butter for a couple hours before working with it so it will be very cold.)

Crunchy streusel topping:

1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup toasted* and coarsely chopped almonds

*Toast almonds in a single layer on an unoiled baking tray at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the apples, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar, cranberries, and flour.  Spoon the mixture into the pie crust and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and sugar for the topping.  Work the butter into the flour mixture with a pasty cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the oats and almonds and mix well.  Spread the topping evenly over the apples.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the appples are tender and the crust is golden brown. (it is a good idea to put the pies on a cookie sheet to catch any drips.  Wrap the crust in tin foil for first 40 minutes and remove it for the last 15 to 20 minutes.  This will prevent the crust from being overcooked or burned.)  Let the pie sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Apple Walnut Stuffing

12 oz. dressing/stuffing mix

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup butter/margarine

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

3/4 cup apple juice

2 cup chopped apples

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cook celery and onion in butter.  Add broth and heat.  Combine everything.  Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese - from Martha Stewart's Favorite Comfort Food

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter; plus more for dish

6 slices good quality white breast, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces

5 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4 1/2 cups (about 18 oz.) grated sharp white cheddar cheese

2 cups (about 8 oz.) grated Guryere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 oz.) Pecorino Romano cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni

You an easily divide this recipe in half: Use one-and-a-half quart casserole dish.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.  Place the bread pieces in a medium bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter.  Pour the butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss.  Set the bread crumbs aside.  In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat the milk.  Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat.  When the butter bubbles, add the flour.  Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the hot milk while whisking.  Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano.  Set cheese sauce aside.

Fill large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil.  Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's direction, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.)  Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.  Stir macaroni into reserved cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano; scatter bread crumbs over the top.  Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.  Transfer the dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes, and serve.

SAF's grassroots fundraising goal is to raise $23,000 through online fundraising and house parties!

SAF uses money raised from individuals to:

• conduct outreach to students and farmworkers,
• provide training, stipends, and scholarships for our interns, students organizers, and youth,
• share documentaries and presentations with the general public, and
• provide a living wage and full benefits to our staff

Check out our online fundraisers' campaign pages and donate here!

Alexa Dilworth

Amanda Soltes

Andrea Kells

Jonathan Kirsch

Nayely Perez Huerta

Patrick Stawski & Gus Curran

Quirina Vallejos

Ryan Nilsen

Sandy Preiss

Victor Canales Gamino