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Making A Comeback: Heritage Breeds
Before supermarkets and distributors made the Broad Breasted White
turkey the dominant bird on the market and the turkey most Americans are
familiar with, diverse breeds such as the Narragansetts and Jersey Buffs
offered families a turkey with greater flavor and texture. Now such
turkeys, known as Heritage Breeds or "standard" turkeys, are making a
move to be on your table this Thanksgiving.
Prized for their rich flavor and beautiful plumage, Heritage Turkeys
are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White industrial breed of
turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. But
the Heritage Breeds still exist and are making a comeback. Most breeds
of heritage turkey were developed in the United States and Europe over
hundreds of years, and were identified in the American Poultry Association's
turkey Standard of Perfection of 1874. These breeds include the Standard
Bronze, Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, Narragansett and
White Holland."
With rich tasting meats more moist and flavorful than the mass produced
large-breasted turkeys of today, Heritage Breeds owe their taste to
diverse diets and extended life-spans. Dining on fresh grass and
insects, these birds exercise and even help control farmer's pest
problems. And while large corporations have dominated turkey production
and breeding since the 1960's, choosing the Broad Breasted Whites
because of high breast meat production in a short period, Heritage
Breeds have been quietly gaining a renewed market and respect due to
their flavor and superior biological diversity.
Raising Heritage Breeds is more costly and time consuming than raising
White Breasted Toms. While supermarket turkeys grow to an average of 32
pounds over 18 weeks, Heritage birds take anywhere from 24-30 to reach
their market weight. But those who have tasted Heritage Breeds say the
cost-and the wait-are well worth it.
To find your Heritage Turkey, you can browse the LocalHarvest website
to find a farmer in your area or you can visit the
LocalHarvest Store
to purchase your tasty Tom online.
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