Free Range Turkey?

[sawyerthedestroyer]

I grew up eating Butterball. I've always purchased Butterball because that's what I know. However, I'm also at least a little bit aware of what happens at those big farms and am considering buying free range from the local health food store instead. I'm not exactly liking the price tag (double what I would normally spend), but if it's better, it's worth it.

Anyone want to talk me into it?

[lucky513]

I like young turkeys

[sawyerthedestroyer]

I don't think I'm even the slightest bit crunchy and don't know anything about anything that is sold at Whole Foods or our town's tiny equivalent.

H thinks we should buy a live turkey from a farm and take it to someone he knows that knows how to process poultry.

I hope he's joking.

ETA: Flavor is not the only thing I'm concerned about. I would prefer more humane treatment of the birds for the sake of my conscience. And we're surrounded by Butterball farms and I feel icky when I think about the birds cooped up in those buildings.

[Deleted]

Free range doesn't mean they actually wandered around in the great wide open. It means they theoretically could have.

I don't know where you live, but you can generally google poultry farms in your area and find some small scale operations willing to sell at thanksgiving. I'd go that route if you want an actual humanely raised bird.

[TC]

A lot of farms that would have hosted the big fall festivals do free range turkeys. Might be somewhere to start looking in your area?

[sawyerthedestroyer]

We live in North Arkansas. Businesses don't really use the internet out here. It's frustrating because unless you're from the area and know someone who knows a guy who has a cousin it's hard to find anything that isn't sold at Walmart. Maybe we will have to buy a live bird. I'm just afraid we'll wind up keeping it as a pet because I'll feel bad.

[sawyerthedestroyer]

Nov 15, 2013 18:02:01 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

Nov 15, 2013 17:51:19 GMT -5 sawyerthedestroyer said:

We live in North Arkansas. Businesses don't really use the internet out here. It's frustrating because unless you're from the area and know someone who knows a guy who has a cousin it's hard to find anything that isn't sold at Walmart. Maybe we will have to buy a live bird. I'm just afraid we'll wind up keeping it as a pet because I'll feel bad.

Makes you think.  I am the same way.  I thought about having chickens if we were going to eat them.  We'd have them all named after the seven dwarves, because I have other people do the dirty work.  Definitely think-worthy.

I think it's really cool that you think about this stuff and want to pay more to give a turkey a better life.  You're a good lady, lady.

Aw, thanks. I'm trying.

[sawyerthedestroyer]

Nov 15, 2013 18:08:11 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Nov 15, 2013 17:51:19 GMT -5 sawyerthedestroyer said:

We live in North Arkansas. Businesses don't really use the internet out here. It's frustrating because unless you're from the area and know someone who knows a guy who has a cousin it's hard to find anything that isn't sold at Walmart. Maybe we will have to buy a live bird. I'm just afraid we'll wind up keeping it as a pet because I'll feel bad.

If you look at www.eatwild.com you may find some farms near you!

I *might* have found a farm within a reasonable distance with this site. Thanks!

[IndiaInk]

I was just going to suggest www.eatwild.com, and namasteak beat me to it.
I have a farm and am raising 200 pasture-raised turkeys for Thanksgiving this year. My phone is ringing off the hook right now. Try to look for pasture-raised rather than just "free-range" because as you know, "free-range" can often mean they are grown in a conventional confinement situation with maybe just a little "yard" to go in.  I've been in those houses - trust me, you would vomit from the ammonia smell and the dead birds lying everywhere.  It's no life for any animal, which is why I am passionate about farming the way I do.

Ours cost $4/lb which is even a little low for my area, but I try to keep them affordable for our customers.  You're paying that because there is a lot more labor involved to raise turkeys the way we do.  I move their house to a fresh square of pasture every day, which involves taking down and setting up their predator-proof fence and a whole lot of work.  I let them out of their house to roam every morning, and close them up safely at night to protect them. I carry bags of feed to wherever they are in the field, which is tough work.  The turkeys are so fun though, and they love to eat the grass and the thistles and worms and bugs.  They get so happy when they see me and come running and flapping their wings.  They really are a joy to raise.  I'm not a total hippie dippie farmer - I run a cattle ranch too.  But I do find it fun to "talk" to the turkeys and I take a lot of joy in seeing them live a good life.   Our customers (which include chefs from high-end Portland restaurants) absolutely rave about the quality and flavor of our pasture-raised turkeys, so I really do think it's worth the price in many ways.  

I'll add some pictures of our turkeys that I took this morning, just in case you need any extra boost to find one in your area for Thanksgiving.