The great turkey debate is actually two separate issues.
The first debate is over the sex of turkey #3.
It is quite obvious that we have one "Tom",
as he spends quite a good deal of time strutting his stuff.
Of all the turkeys, he has the longest snood and is obviously a male.
His head is mostly red....
handsome, is he not?
His head is mostly red....
handsome, is he not?
Turkey #2 is most definitely a female.
She is much less colorful
and has just a small snood.
She is quite curious and sits beside me as I relax on their perch.
She has such soulful eyes, doesn't she?
This is turkey #3.
He/she has a longer snood than the female.
Its head is mostly blue with some pale red accents.
It puffs up a bit like the male,
but never puts on a showy display.
So the debate is this...
Is this a female, or just a non-dominant male???
The second debate is this.
If you have read my blogs for a while,
you will know that Hubbs and I have made
an attempt to be as self sufficient as possible.
With the ultimate goal of getting off the food grid,
we purchased these turkeys as just-hatched poults this past spring.
It was our intention to raise them as food.
We have one problem, though.
We are complete softies and have become attached to these
gentle creatures.
I suppose we could talk ourselves into eating them and
then starting new ones next spring.
I have read that these heirloom turkeys are quite tasty,
and much better than anything you can purchase.
So the way I would rationalize it is this....
We have given the birds a really good life,
much better than commercially grown turkeys have.
To buy a commercially grown turkey, would in essence
just be supporting an industry that we are totally against.
So, is it not better to humanely turn these birds into
Thanksgiving dinner,
rather than buy birds who have never seen the light of day,
and who grow faster than their legs can hold them,
ending up with painful arthritis,
and disease from such close living quarters?
What do you think?
Please give me your thoughts.
On another subject....
I wanted to share the beautiful foliage that we are treated to
here on the farm.
Oh, and we wanted to show you what Tyler
did on his 4 month birthday.
It's never to early to start!
Ride-em cowboy!!
Amazingly, Ollie didn't even seem to notice.
Let me know what you think
on both issues of the Great Turkey Debate.
To eat or not to eat????
That is one of the questions.
Comments
Love the colors on your farm and little Tyler on Ollie!
Tnwoman
Gobble 'em up, you are a good girl and deserve it!
The primcats love turkey!
Carmen and the Primcats
Or, alternatively, you can find another farm that raises turkeys (humanely and naturally!) specifically for food and buy from that farm. That's what I do, since I live in the city (silly Boston doesn't allow farm animals w/in the city limits, otherwise, I'd keep chickens.. somewhere). That way, you're "off" the food grid, but supporting local business, and still enjoying your happy turkeys alive :)
They were named ~ Moe, Larry and Curly! We couldn't eat them, but we gave Curly away (he/she was really nuts! Drove us crazy with the noise and behavior!)a coyote killed Moe, and after several years, a raccoon killed Larry!) They did make marvelous pets ~ they were very friendly, were fun to watch "change colors" according to what we were wearing, running to great us and wanting to be "petted".
They did get arthritis even though they were free range and had the shelter of the chicken house.
But I think if I had someone else to the butchering and they were handled humanely, I would do it. But, perhaps you may want to keep these guys as pets and raise some next spring with full intention of
raising them for food.
It is a lesson though. Food does not come easy if you want your meat of any sort. If you care what goes in your food and how its raised, you should follow through with the plan. If nothing else, it gives you a whole new respect for your animals and the other people who raise and prepare your food. It did for me.
I totally would not know what to do in your situation. I think it wouldn't be so hard if someone else buthered it. Bad mistake in sitting in their pen and bonding with them. :)
I think if I was so attached to them as I can tell that you are, I think you might recognize who you were eating. :)Why not just raise turkey babies and sell them. You do have chickens without names, or perhaps your roosters? That is why I never name my hens, in case one day I had to eat them.
On the other hand, if want to keep the birds but do not want to support what is happening to our the animals we eat from the commercial vendors, find another local farmer who is making a living raising their livestock organically and buy from them, already butchered.
Either way, you remain true to values of eating animals who have been healthfully raised.
Hard decision, not sure what I would do either. Good luck.
Mary Ann in NW PA
With that said, it is much better to raise an animal in a happy and humane enviornment and then quickly and painlessly butcher it to eat it than to buy a store bought bird that had a horrible life. I say that if you intend to eat turkey this year you should eat your own. I know it is hard to butcher them but I think after the first time it will be easier to see the livestock that you bought for food as actual "food".
Now I must go and get my mind on something else besides turkeys!
Have a great day!
I would much prefer to have someone do it for me, but I don't have that option. Your turkeys had a great life compared to the millions of factory birds out there. Have your neighbor process them and enjoy them on your table and by all means-raise some more chicks next year!
Heather in PA
Besides, if your goal is to be self sufficient, and you keep these turkeys as pets, it will make it much harder to ever be self sufficient. I understand how you feel. I love the ram lamb that I intend on putting in the freezer, but I can't keep them (or feed them!) all.
You'll just have peace of mind knowing that turkey lived a great life, and you'll be raising your own poults for next year's meals.