This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
In sixteen twenty-one, a big celebration took place at Plymouth Colony in what is now the state of Massachusetts. European settlers known as the Pilgrims were celebrating their autumn harvest after a winter of struggle.
1621年，现为马萨诸塞州的普利茅斯殖民地举行了一场盛大庆祝活动。在经历苦苦挣扎的一个冬天后，被称为新移民的欧洲殖民者正在庆祝他们的秋收。
注：这个苦苦挣扎的冬天是指新移民1620年11月严寒中登陆普利茅斯殖民地，当时半数以上的移民都死于饥饿和传染病。
Other colonists held earlier ceremonies of thanks. But the Pilgrims' three-day feast is often called the nation's first Thanksgiving. President Abraham Lincoln declared a national holiday in eighteen sixty-three during the Civil War.
其他殖民者更早举行感恩仪式。但新移民为期三日的欢庆通常被称为全美首个感恩节。1863年美国内战期间，林肯总统宣布它为全国性节日。
Today families and friends gather on the fourth Thursday in November. And, thanks to the United States Census Bureau, here are some facts about where their Thanksgiving meal comes from.
今天，家人和朋友在11月第4个星期四聚在一起。感谢美国人口普查局（提供数据），这里是一些关于感恩节大餐产地来源的一些数据。
The main dish is traditionally a turkey. About two-thirds of the nation's turkeys are produced in Minnesota and five other states. Producers are expected to raise two hundred forty-eight million birds this year, two percent more than last year.
感恩节大餐传统主菜是一只火鸡。全美约2/3的火鸡产自明尼苏达州和其它五个州。预计今年生产商饲养了2亿4千8百万只火鸡，比去年同期增长了2%。
Popular side dishes include cranberries and sweet potatoes. Last year North Carolina grew more sweet potatoes than any other state. Wisconsin is expected to be the top cranberry producer this year.
流行的配菜包括小红莓和红薯。去年北卡罗莱纳州种植的红薯比任何州都要多。威斯康星州今年预计将是小红莓的最大产地。
People often finish the meal with pumpkin pie. Last year Illinois grew the most pumpkins. California, New York and Ohio were also major pumpkin producers.
人们通常以南瓜饼结束这顿大餐。去年伊利诺伊州种植了最多的南瓜。加州，纽约和俄亥俄州也是南瓜的主要产地。
Thanksgiving is a big event, but buying a traditional holiday meal can be a struggle for the poor. So charity groups often hold food drives to collect food for low-income families.
感恩节是一个重大节日，但购买一顿传统节日大餐对穷人来说是个难题。因此，慈善组织经常举办食物募捐活动为低收入家庭募集食物。
In Denver, Colorado, volunteers have been collecting donated items to fill fifteen hundred Thanksgiving baskets. Rodney Cunningham has been helping the group Volunteers of America for three years. He and his family will also be getting food from the charity. He says this year the demand has been greater than ever.
在科罗拉多州丹佛市，义工已经开始收集捐赠食品来填满1500个感恩节篮子。罗德尼·康宁汉姆（Rodney Cunningham）多年来一直在帮助“美国义工组织”。他和家人也将通过慈善组织获得食物。他表示，今年的需求大于以往任何时候。
RODNEY CUNNINGHAM: "One of the reasons why it's really important is because the economy is pretty bad and a lot of people have a need for extra food. They don't have any food at all."
康宁汉姆：“这件事如此重要的原因之一，是因为经济非常糟糕，许多人需要额外的食物。他们几乎没有任何食物。”
Jim White, community affairs director at Volunteers of America, says people donated a lot of food.
“美国义工组织”社区事务主任吉姆·怀特（Jim White）表示，人们捐赠了许多食物。
JIM WHITE: "These individuals donated over one hundred forty-eight tons of food, but it takes a huge amount of food as you can imagine to do fifteen hundred food baskets complete with stuffing and cranberries and pumpkin and fresh produce, and then they are all topped off with a fifteen-pound frozen turkey."
怀特：“这些个人捐赠了超过148吨食物，但你可以想象，用填料、小红莓、南瓜和生鲜装满1500个食物篮子，然后用一只15磅中的冰冻火鸡盖上需要数量多么庞大的食物。”
Mr. White says volunteers come from all over Denver to help.
怀特先生表示，丹佛市各地义工都来帮忙。
JIM WHITE: "Thanksgiving should be viewed as a verb not a noun, and what better way to give thanks than to help somebody out that you know is struggling right now?"
怀特：“感恩节应该被视为一个动词而不是名次。还有什么感恩方式比帮助现在正苦苦挣扎的人摆脱困境更好呢？”
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