This year we casted a Ferndale Market Sustainable-Free-Range Turkey for the part. Yes, the turkey will cost a bit more (about 2.39/pound), but we only purchase once a year so it's a price we feel is worth paying. I realize that heritage breed turkeys are even more ideal birds but these run around a hundred bucks each.
We are what our food eats. Here's the job description for my family's ideal Tasty Tom:
* Raised with the ability to feast and freely roam pastures as God made them to do
* Not injected with hormones, saline, or, anything else unnatural
* Consumes a natural diet
* As locally grown as possible
If you're torn between "organic" and sustainable turkey, I'd suggest going with sustainable. Although sustainable farmers do not have to follow USDA organic guidelines, they usually exceed them and support the local community as well (besides you see how well the USDA does at their jobs...just read food news).
To purchase one of these healthy turkeys you may order online Here or search for a farm near you Here.
Useful Information:
Ferndale Market
Sustainable Table Turkey Article
Eat Wild
I ordered from Ferndale Market too, even though I live in Illinois. I'm part of a buying club for Wallace Farms Grass-Fed Beef in Iowa and they delivered turkeys from Ferndale. I was wondering if they were heritage or not. I just learned a lot about turkeys myself this year. I did find a local farm that was selling turkeys for $5 a pound, so these must have been heritage. A small turkey for four adults would have been about $60, so I went with Ferndale. Our turkey was excellent, and, despite being frozen, was the same quality as fresh turkeys I have ordered from Whole Foods.
ReplyDeleteI believe that my turkey from Ferndale was both organic certified and sustainable, but I agree with you about local farmers often raising organic animals without the expensive "Organic" label.
They weren't heritage. I'd really like to go that route next year though. Honestly, the turkey's my least fave part of the meal, so maybe I'll just double up on the sides:). We got ours fresh from a small local health store.
ReplyDeleteCurious what do you do for your Christmas meal? I'm debating between uncured ham or grass fed prime rib....haven't begun doing the research on it it....