How will you share your Foodthanks on November 24? Visit http://foodthanks or check out AgChat Foundation at http://agchat.com for more ideas. Join us in showing gratitude for the food on your plate and the hands behind it.

The first 50 pieces of gratitude came easy. The second half of the list wasn’t nearly as fast, but offered more of a thought journey. Thousands of people are behind the food you eat; I happen to love where it all starts (on the farm or ranch), but think we need pay tribute to many in the food chain.  Join folks from the U.S., Canada, Australia and beyond on November 24 to post your “Foodthanks” on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or even blog about it. Feel free to snitch any of these ideas if it helps get you going!

51. Scientists who labor as microbiologists, chemists & food safety technicians. Don’t forget the folks toiling in the lab!

52. Italian food – though Americans should never claim to have the real deal.

53. Cranberries.

54. Peanut butter – makes life easier in the lunch box and is a good pick me up on a pretzel.

55. Fitness professionals – They provide the workout so I can eat way more than I should. Take responsibility for your health. Get off your butt, but seek #12 for food advice.

56. Cold milk and warm cookies.

57. Vegetables – haven’t met one I don’t like, unless they’re squeezed together  in V-8. Ugh!

58. Migrant workers who work in harsh condition to hand pick fields for food.

59. Modern day technology that allows farmers to grow more food on less land in safer ways.

60. Teachers – whether in ag ed, consumer science or an elementary school teacher monitoring that all of the students have enough food-they deserve a thousand thanks.

61. S’mores – memories in the making.

62. Lamb. Hard to find and even harder to beat when it’s cooked right.

63. Artichokes.

64. Military men and women who serve to protect our freedoms.

65. Food buyers who seek food truths rather than marketing misinformation.

66. Apple cider. Cold or hot, fresh or hard.

67. Genetics – whether human, animals or plants, we’ve made huge improvements.

68. Food banks. Have you given? Please do generously – every month of the year.

69. 4-H & FFA members we coach; they remind us of our past and our future.

70. Seafood, chicken, pork, rabbit, beef, alligator – it’s good to be a carnivore!

71. Farmers willing to put their families and businesses “out there” to help others understand where their food comes from.

72. County fairs – a time honored tradition that teaches a lifetime of lessons.

73. Lattes and hot tea – it was cool to see it grow in Australia.

74. Apples in the fall, oranges in the winter, strawberries in the summer.

75. Corn on the cob. Preferably from our garden.

76. Grape tomatoes – now there’s some useful selective breeding!

77. Biotechnology that allows rice to deliver nutrients to a person dying of starvation.

78. Sweet potatoes – can hardly wait for Thanksgiving!

79. Corn in cattle, cars and chips. Its’ use dates way back to the Indians. Ruminants need it to maintain a proper balance in their gut. What’s the problem with that?

80. Asparagus – my favorite vegetable.

81. Quality control people monitoring our food system. Have you ever seen their barrage of tests?

82. Soybeans – great protein source. And an acre can make about 83,000 soy crayons.

83. Manure – provides essential nutrients for us to grow more food.

84. Great big equipment that allows us to more efficiently plant and harvest food.

85. Cats to keep mice out of the barn, plus they’re cute.

86. International relief agencies.

87. Cake mixes; a quick fix when there’s no time.

88. Recipes – Provide a good starting point to make great food.

89. Dogs – good  notification that  someone is coming up the driveway, plus they help keep predators away from farm animals.

90. The freedom to practice the faith of our family’s choosing.

91. People with the ability to focus on big picture issues rather than their own agendas – sometimes hard to find amongst agriculture’s independent mindset at times.

92. Chewing gum.

93. Wildlife – farmland provides 75% of nation’s wildlife habitat.

94. Cameras to capture beautiful food, fields and the families involved in agriculture around the world.

95. Critical thinking skills. Do we still have them or are we celebrity watchers?

96. Slaughterhouses. Not pretty, but animals and plants die so we can eat. That’s called the circle of life.

97. Wild Rice.

98. Computers & cell phones – essential across the food chain.

99. Hummus with really good pitas.

100. Closeknit community of folks who have built their world around being in the business of raising food, feed, fuel and fiber. They care deeply.

100 1/2. The farmer tending to animals and land while you enjoy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Please know they are families just like yours – and they are the very best source to be answering your questions about food origins.

Thanks for reading the many reasons I’m filled with gratitude this Thanksgiving. Food doesn’t have to be political, it can be a connecting point. And that’s really the point of  Foodthanks. How will you share your appreciation for having a full plate?