Heritage Turkeys: Eat A Delicious And Ethically Raised Turkey This Thanksgiving (PHOTOS)

According to the National Turkey Federation, 48 million turkeys were eaten at Thanksgiving in 2008.

The typical, mass produced turkey consumed by 99% of Thanksgiving celebrators is called the "Broadbreasted White", or "Large White" Turkey. Their cost averages out to be about $1 per pound. And while they're cheap, the way that these guys are raised is truly can cause concern. Bred solely to be eaten, these turkeys have lost their ability to run, fly or mate.

Luckily, small, local farms across the country are working hard to provide Americans with old fashioned heritage turkeys. Heritage turkeys resemble the domestic turkeys of 100 years ago, plus they also mate naturally, have long and productive outdoor lifespans, and grow up at slow growth rate - about 28 weeks. HuffPost Green took a look around in order to find a couple of these awesome farms. Take a look and vote for your fave.

Finally, once you buy your amazingly delicious heritage turkey, the New York Times has an awesome heritage turkey recipe.

Think you got the best bird in the bunch?? Let us know where you're getting your local, organic, heritage or small farm-raised turkey this Thanksgiving.

Organic, Heritage Turkeys

 

Find a picture, click the participate button, add a title and upload your picture

Springfield Farm, Maryland

Springfield Farm is located just north of Baltimore. The farm raises Heritage and Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys as well as Pastured White and Natural White Turkeys.

comments(83)

Rate Top Birds

(Current Rank: loading...)

No Thanks Yum!

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Now Make Your Own Top 5

And Share with Your Friends

Average rating: loading... out of 10

Current Top Birds

loading...

Share Your Top Birds

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

Share Your Top Birds

Users Who Voted on this Slide

loading...

loading...

HuffPost Community Top 5 Slides:

«»

 | Become a fan

Share Your Top Birds

 

Get HuffPost Green On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Wendee Holtcamp]

There's a typo in the photo about Mary's Organic Free Range turkeys. It says they're raised in 7 weeks but the Discovery Channel How Stuff Works video says 7 MONTHS. Big difference. This is essentially the same as the 28 weeks listed for the other turkeys on the other places. Just wanted to point it out in case it steers people away from that company for that reason. I admit I was taken aback at first when I read they raised them in 7 weeks!

[yemaya]

I've already ordered one for my mother in law. She cooks a turkey every season. She's not a vegetarian, but we are working on getting her to at least eat healthier, better raised meat.
I hope this trend replaces factory farming.

[LMPE]

Just make sure that Sarah Palin doesn't ignore these turkeys!

[Portnoy]

Millions of Americans will go hungry this Thanksgiving. The most moral thing to do this year is to not eat the flesh of living, thinking, animals, and prepare a nice vegetarian meal for hungry people.
A
nything less is not acceptable.

[MsAlyss85]

Green doesn't have to mean you have to be a vegetarian. Take your self-righteous attitude elsewhere and go out and feed the hungry, not just tell others to do so.

[Gover]

Okay wait, so let me get this straight, there are people starving, but we shouldn't feed them meat.

Got it.

[Dahun]

Since 97% of carbon dioxide is produced naturally and 100% of it is broken down eventually by plants; land use is by far the largest impact of man on carbon dioxide. This is an often overlooked fact. The 3% of additional carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuel burning is not contributing much to atmospheric content. I know the concocted theories of "tipping Points" but they just don't hold water. If man is responsible for too much carbon dioxide it is not on the production side, but on the recycling side. Nothing could help this sitaution better than to have everyone plant a tree. I don't subscribe to the forced sterilization policies some want.

Laugh if you will, but I calculate that the trees in my back-yard handle all the carbon monoxide loading of 11 people on the planet. Imagine if we replaced the 1 trillion tons of coal we burn each year with nuclear and each person planted a tree somewhere (I realize many don't have a place to plant, I have room for a few more trees to save your green souls) The air would be noticably cleaner. Electricity prices would be lower. Even the pretend pollution of carbon dioxide would be lowered far below anything otherwise possible. I also know that some of you will reject this logic because somehow you live to complain and have no real desire for solutions. My condolences.

[CrittersRTasty]

No argument here.

[WendyInTX]

That is okay, but I read somewhere that if we all went over to nuclear energy there would only be enough fuel for possibly 10 years. I wish I could find the source. So replacing one with the other wouldn't work for the long term. Plus there is an enviromental impact of storing the spent nuclear fuel.

[Dahun]

That is baloney. 60% of our fuel now is being made from Russian nuclear weapons being destroyed. Uranium can be produced for gypsum and even sea water. the world is not running out and even if it had a=only a few hundred years supply why not use it and have clean air for a few hundred years until we figure out something better.

[Gover]

Here's the only problem:

We're cutting huge swaths of the densest most efficient carbon fixing biomass on the planet down at an almost unmeasurable rate around the equator.

One oak tree planted today doesn't make up for a 150 foot old growth rain forest tree that took 200 years to mature.

Plant trees I'm not saying that's not going to help, but you're forgetting that by planting that tree, there aren't now MORE trees on the planet than there were before you planted it. There's less, because in the time it took you to do it, professional loggers cut down 10 and they were far larger than the one you planted will get.

[Dahun]

Another falacy. There are far more forests in the United States than 100 years ago as we no longer are an agrarian society and because of vast immprovements in yeild due to modern agriculture.

[Meeche]

We'll be eating Tofurkey this Thanksgiving as we usually do. I don't preach about not eating meat but you should hear those that do read me the riot act about starvation (ironically almost everyone who brings this up could stand to loose weight) yet you don't have to eat meat in order not to starve, so your point?? Factory farming is the major cause of pollution in the world, most of our crops go to feeding animals not people, and the meat is pumped full of antibiotics. All true and all not good. That's why I choose not to feed it to my family. I don't care if you eat meat, why do you get so angry that I don't??

Lastly, speaking of starvation, when donating to food pantries and homeless shelters, ask also about sending pet food. A shelter I volunteer at told me that the poor are desperately trying to keep their pets but the price of pet food is rising steadily. An appeal in the local paper brought scorn from people saying people are starving, why should we buy pet food instead of human food, etc. My repsonse: ask a person suffering from poverty or the elderly why they have a pet and whether they would rather eat or feed their beloved animal.

[Dahun]

I guess you haven't heard the latest instruction on how to balance having a pet with saving the planet. The suggestion is that you keep pets you can eat...chickens, pigs etc.

Please don't attack me. This is not my idea or one that I would support.

PS- what you chose to eat or not eat is your business.

[Gover]

Luckily I chose a pet which brings ME food.

Mmmmm song bird. Thanks cat!

[Cryostatic]

Tens of thousands of turkeys are hanging out at Corbett in Florida, just waiting to be eaten. You'll have to hunt your own, though.

[Dahun]

I have a flock (brood?) of turkeys that I catch tresspassing through my back yard each year. Quite impressive. Big guys.

The Massachusetts Division of Wildlife says there is a state population of 22,000 with 2,200 a year taking by hunters each year. Now that is real heritage turkey.

[Meeche]

Most of the vegetarians I know have no problem with hunters. Just factory farming. Hunting is the way it should be done in my humble opinion. That way people won't waste millions of pounds of meat like supermarkets do.

[liberalNmoderation]

We're either having goose, or venison...I hope goose...

[Dahun]

I just checked out "Heritage" turkey in my state. The cost is $8.50 per pound (frozen) and $9.50 fresh (picked up) . That is $127.50 for a frozen and $142.50 for a fresh turkey. Anyone paying this amount for a turkey has rocks in their head. Go down to your local supermarket, buy a nice fresh turkey and drop $100 into the Salvation Army bucket on the way out.

You may not be able to brag to your freinds about how you spent $100 to make a turkey's life more enjoyable, but I certainly would respect you a lot more.

[Dahun]

Based on a 15 pound turkey.

[yemaya]

It'll hurt me to lose your respect, Dahun - not really but seriously,
No thanks, I'd rather spend more for a heritage turkey that can actually walk and mate and lived outdoors and ate grass, wasn't injected w/hormones, antibiotics or countless other chemicals. Was treated humanely as well. My money will help support family farms and their ethical farming methods, thank you very much.

[Dahun]

I guess they humanely slit their throats for you too.

I guess I will have to lose respect for you as you eat a humanely raised, biiologically indistinguishable turkey which you pay at least ten times more for when you could by ten and donate nine to a food bank or buy one and donate the money saved to a food bank and feed 50 or so people turkey. You have, in my estimation a warped sense of compasion when you worry about one turkey's feelings while you could feed 50.

It's your choice, of course.

[Dahun]

If the choice is to feed 100 starving people with modern agriculture or feed 10 and allow 90 to die I would feed the 100. You might chose to only feed the 10 with "organic", "sustainable" or otherwise politically correct and wasteful food practices, but if you think this makes you more responsible or a better steward of the earth you really are disconnected with reality. If you really want to be a good citizen of the earth save the money and give it to the charity of your choice...maybe a local food bank for the needy.

[yemaya]

You forget that our current farming methods go AGAINST sustainability when you use available grain to feed livestock instead of it going to starving people. Argument, FAIL

[Dahun]

Modern agriculture is responsible for producing food in a quantity and quality that has enables people in developed countries to eat very well and indeed to excess in many cases. These technologies have also provided food for hundreds of millions more and prevented previous starvation and misery. In this country and others this abundance has allowed the exportation of food to boost the economy and to also support generous giving to areas afflicted with shrtages.

It seems many people like to sit back all warm and comfortable on their oversized duffs and whine that everyone should insist on organic, range fed or other methods of antiquated food production as this makes them feel as if they are better citizens of the world or somehow better than those who unashamedly enjoy the benifits of advancements in food production.

If you want to raise your own food and enjoy the benefits of the exercise and gratification involved in providing your own food; I say great. If the goal is to pontificate on how much better a person you are for spending more on food indistinguishable form commercial food, I really don't want to hear it. If you think allowing animals to suffer, be crippled and die without modern antibiotics or modern medicine because you have some sort of elite view of how you want your meat grown, I have to tell you this is particularly cruel to animals.

[yemaya]

Modern agriculture is not about feeding people my dear, factory farming is about making money. Otherwise, they wouldn't bash in the heads of piglets born too small to sell or too deformed due to genetic engineering, although some do reach your tables. if it was about feeding people, they wouldn't use tons of grains (that could be used to feed starving people) to feed one herd of cows.

Been to a factory farm? Bet you haven't because you can't. they don't let us folks in. Very secretive and lots of security around these facilities. They know if most folks saw what goes on behind those factory doors, they'd would stop eating factory meat.

but it wasn't always like that. The traditional American family farmer is now extinct but they were a good model for sustainability and ethical farming not too long ago. They have fought very hard to compete w/the feed lots but it seems Americans prefer their cheap, toxic meat and the big agra industry is all too happy to comply. Thank goodness it's changing.

Eating meat everyday should be a luxury. It used to be. Families would have a roast once a week and/or a chicken roast once a week. If it's cheap and toxic people will eat it I guess.
You try to paint the anti factory farm people as liberal latte drinking elites when in fact you are wrong. Most of the folks raising awareness about factory farming are guess who? FAMILY FARMERS!

[StopGlobalWarmingBeVegan]

this is a way better alternative, they should serve this countrywide.

[StopGlobalWarmingBeVegan]

http://www.oneworldveggie.com/specials.html

[amber15]

Ethical???
give me a break

just americans fooling themselves again that they're ethical and moral...........

[CrittersRTasty]

If you remove the stick from your butt, you might be able to speak more sensibly. What exactly is your issue with this?

[yemaya]

They have none, they just spout nonsense without having any knowledge of factory farms vs sustainable family farming methods.

[Progressiveama]

I don't know how many peole who have bought the line that if they are raised well it's okay to kill them for dinner........SORRY.........every single animal that we take SO for granted has a little heart, a brain, a nervous system.......HOW and WHO decided that in America it is okay to keep dogs and cats as pets but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad that other countries kill them for food, when WE kill the animals they respect...........we call other ethnic groups names as we do the SAME thing!!.......animals are NOT put on earth to teach your child about animals, they are NOT put on earth to give you clothes, they are NOT put on earth to be slaves in the entertainment world............I really do wonder who is more evolved.......I don't know how many times I have heard dog breeders say that "the mother is protective of her young," or, "the mother is acting weird, she won't let people come near them...." as if the mother has no maternal feelings!!!!!!!!! We just can't keep our little mitts off of any living being. I should not be guardian for this sheltie that is shown. I am as guilty as all pet guardians, but I don't think that I OWN him, he has lots of freedom, and he is healing from a whole lot of abuse from when he arrived. Quit KILLING ANIMALS!!! The disconnect that liberals have with this issue is past my comprehension.

[OmegaHunter]

You go on and on in that mess of a post of yours talking about what animals weren't "put on this earth" for. But I think you missed a BIG point of what animals are for.

Food.

They eat each other and we eat them. And some, given the opportunity, would eat you. What exactly do you think happens in nature?

Moreover, pet animals live longer, healthier and happier lives than wild ones (assuming they are treated and cared for properly). I'm sure your dog really despises having a roof over his head, food when he's hungry and attention. I am really confused at your "animal slavery" mentality.

It seems to me that when it comes to eating them you want to have a disconnect from nature where we aren't part of the food chain and nothing eats anything. But when it comes to owning animals suddenly a dog is the same thing as a person and it's horribly immoral to own one.

[Progressiveama]

.........one of those who has a gun and is anxious to use it, huh?.......one needs to rationalize to be able to go out into the wild and kill animals that you would never even SEE if you hadn't encroached on their area OR gone looking to kill them..........

read Ghandi, read the MANY MANY MANY philosophers and humanitarians who write about how our treatment of animals reflects upon who we are as a society.......killing is not the answer to all issues.......we don't need to go to WAR when there is NO reason and we don't need to kill ANIMALS.......there is no need........we do not need meat in our diets, in FACT, meat is the reason for various cancers......how are we NOT going to be affected by everything that an animal eats, drugs that they are given........not to mention that they receive incredibly, incredibly TORTUROUS treatment in the meat industries.......

read humanitarians, I don't have to tell you this stuff.......look it up......go to a corporate farm and a slaughterhouse..........it might not affect YOU though, HUNTER.

[yemaya]

Personally progressiveama, I agree w/you but you won't be changing many minds around here. It's a personal decision and some folks won't give up their meat no matter what, which is fine except they should educate themselves on where their food comes from and is the method, sickness and chemicals behind their choice really worth the lousy dollar cheeseburger?

Luckily folks are starting to research factory farming on their own. Lots of young people already know the horrors thanks to Youtube, etc.. I say good for them. Maybe there's hope that sustainable family farms will thrive again.

[MeggoWaffle]

Let's not forget that factory-farmed turkeys are so genetically modified that they can't even reproduce naturally... so we are already preventing them from being born.

[yemaya]

Most can't walk or even fly! yes real turkeys can fly.