Blog  September 22, 2011

Heritage turkeys at Evergreen Brick Works

These Heritage breed turkeys are on their way to becoming the centrepiece of your holiday feast

By: Marina Queirolo, Food Program Manager, Evergreen Brick Works

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I can’t help but think about the coming holiday season. And it’s a good thing because one of our Farmers’ Market vendors has holiday on the brain too!

Laura Boyd from Grassroot Organics is raising three different Heritage breeds of turkey (Midget Whites, Narragansett/Black Spanish cross, and Red Bourbon) on her 98-acre mixed farm in the Kawartha Lakes.

Right now the turkey poults are 14 weeks old and out to pasture. Because they are raised mostly on pasture with some non-GMO feed to supplement, these little guys will be ready for market in December at about 28 weeks (as opposed to the 16 weeks for commercially raised turkeys), but they’ll still be ready in time for the holidays!

After talking with Laura, I learned that Heritage turkeys feast mainly on bugs when young and graze in pasture as they grow older. Their primary source of food is foraging, but in the fall they begin to depend more on grain consumption. Heritage turkeys, like their wild cousins, need to bulk up in the fall to last the cold Canadian winter.

Grassroot Organics turkeys are raised with complete pasture access, are fed a local non-GMO feed and are supplemented with non-GMO corn in the fall.

They also have some special treats to add even more flavour. Currently, a group of ladies over at The Old Tin House in Kirkfield, Ontario are drying herb bunches to accompany the fresh birds. A lovely organic dried bouquet of sage, marjoram, rosemary and winter savoury will be available when you pick up your turkey. Mmm, I can taste it already!

So don’t delay, pre-order your turkey now (they only have 50). Visit Grassroot Organics at their booth at the Farmers’ Market or call them at (705) 439-3372. Pick-up will be Friday, December 23, 2011, at Evergreen Brick Works.