Its time to get your heritage turkey for Thanksgiving! Slow Food WiSE’s Heritage Turkey Project promotes the restoration of heritage breed turkeys in our region by pairing farmers with eaters. As opposed to the Broad Breasted White turkey that dominates our industrial food system and tables, heritage breeds such as the Narragansett, Bourbon Red, and Blue Slate have varying foraging, tending and flavor characteristics.
Here’s our 2012 list of local farms offering heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving. We realize this is an incomplete list–please let us know if you, or someone you know is raising heritage breeds!
As these turkeys tend to be highly enjoyed around Thanksgiving tables, they tend to sell out rather quickly. Please contact the farms directly for ordering and pricing information.The
Farmer Nick’s LLC:American Bronze, Black Spanish, Narragansets, and Bourbon RedsMust reserve first via email or phone 815-451-5084 $3/lb; Pick up Nov 17th at Grayslake Farmers Market, 10-2 Nick Janovski W4766 State Line Rd Walworth, WI, 53184 janovski@genevaonline.com JenEhr Family Farm: American Bronze To order, fill out form online. Kay & Paul Jensen 6837 Elder Lane Sun Prairie, WI 53590 (608) 825-9531 jenehr@aol.com www.wisconsingrown.com
Ruegsegger Farms: Bourbon Reds, Royal Palms, Broad Breasted Bronze Order at:www.naturalmeats.org /ORDER/TURKEY (All Fresh Turkeys require paid deposit)
Pick up locations: Paoli (Greater Madison Area), Lake Mills, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, St Francis, Racine Ken Ruegsegger 75 York Valley Road Blanchardville, WI 53516 608-558-5566 krfarms@tds.net Vintage Hobby Farm: Bourbon Red, Heritage Bronze Order by phone. Jennifer Martinez W2491 Swoboda Road East Troy, WI 53120 262-684-5135 jenmartinez@wi.rr.com www.vintagehobbyfarm.com
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy defines true heritage turkeys with the following criteria: 1) Naturally mating; 2) Long productive outdoor lifespan; 3) Slow growth rate.
