Cheep, But Not So Cheap

Our 100 (very expensive) heritage turkeys arrived at the post office at 6am this morning. Packed into a box, they miraculously survived the 2-day journey from New Mexico. Only 2 days old, they're pretty talkative and lively, flapping their teeny-tiny wings and hopping all over the place. After dipping each one's beak in water to introduce them to the waterer and to get them drinking, now we sit back and talk to them, monitor their behavior, check on the heat. They're cute little buggers now. Hard to imagine them as 10-15 pound turkeys.







We have two breeds: Narragansett and Standard Bronze. By definition, a turkey breed must meet certain conditions to be considered heritage. First, they must be naturally mating. Secondly, they must have long productive outdoor lifespans and be genetically able to withstand the environmental challenges of outdoor production systems. Lastly, a heritage turkey must have a slow growth rate, reaching a marketable weight in about 28 weeks. This gives them the time to develop a strong skeletal structure and healthy organs. Unfortunately, much of modern agriculture is driven by speed and efficiency at the expense of health, humanity, and nutrition. The modern, overly-bred Broad-Breasted White is unable breed on its own, live in any conditions other than a controlled and confined environment, and since they're bred to grow big and fast, their organs and bones don't have much time to develop, leaving them unable to stand even on their own two feet.

If this year's turkeys are anything like last year's, once they're out on pasture, these guys won't have a problem moving around, flying over the fence, roosting on farm buildings, generally stressing me out as I worry about coyotes, raccoons, and hawks.