Shopping List: Heritage Breed Thanksgiving Turkeys

Slow Food Berkshire Columbia has teamed up with heritage breed farmers Dominic Palumbo, Moon in the Pond Farm (see related post), and Sean Stanton, North Plain Farm, to offer heritage breed turkeys for Thanksgiving. The farmers have 56 Narragansett, Blue Slate, and Bourbon Red turkeys. Thirty birds, weighing between 10 and 20 pounds, will be available for purchase by Thanksgiving.

The price for these rare turkeys is $6.50/lb (including a $30 deposit).

Be forewarned that heritage breeds are a different animal than the typical turkey. Matthew Rubiner, Leader of Slow Food Berkshire Columbia, cautions: “These birds have not been in commercial production for many decades. No one knows how quickly they will develop and what they will weigh come Thanksgiving. Dominic will provide frequent emailed updates on the birds to make your holiday planning easier.”

Moreover, he adds, “Cooking these birds will be more challenging than the Butterball. They are more intensely flavored and have a higher proportion of dark meat (the best part!). Slow Food will provide Slow Turkey recipes from local and nationally known chefs to guide you.”

If you are interested, contact Mr. Rubiner now to reserve a turkey, and he will confirm your order after October 13:

Contact Information:
Matthew Rubiner
Leader-Slow Food Berkshire Columbia
PO Box 701
Great Barrington, MA 01230
413.528.6731
mjrjmr@earthlink.net

More information on the turkey breeds courtesy of Mr. Rubiner (information is from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy):

Slate
The Slate or Blue Slate variety is named for its color, which is solid to ashy blue over the entire body, with or without a few black dots. It is also called the Blue or Lavender turkey. Hens are lighter in color than the toms. The head, throat, and wattles are red to bluish white. The beak is horn in color; the eyes are brown; and the beard is black. The shanks and toes are pink. Standard weights are 27 pounds for toms and eighteen pounds for hens.

The Slate was accepted by the American Poultry Association in 1874. It resembles the Black turkey and may have been derived from that variety. The Slate has not been used commercially to any extent, but it has been popular in exhibition circles. This variety is, however, less well documented and more variable in type and color than the others. Its production potential today is not known.

Narragansett
The Narragansett turkey is named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. It descends from a cross between native Eastern Wild turkeys and the domestic turkeys brought by English and European colonists. Improved and standardized for production qualities, the Narragansett was the foundation of the turkey industry in New England.

The Narragansett variety is similar in color to the Bronze, though it is lighter in color and in build. Narragansett turkeys are gray or dull black with a white bar on the wing feathers. The beak is horn colored, and the head is red to bluish white. The beard is black, and the shanks and feet are salmon. The Narragansett was known for its calm disposition and maternal qualities, early maturation, good laying, and excellent meat quality. This variety is smaller than the Bronze, with hens weighing eighteen pounds and toms 30 pounds.

The Black was not as historically popular as the Bronze, though it has been widely used throughout New England and the Midwestern states. It lost popularity during this century to the Bronze, especially the Broad-breasted Bronze, and it has not been a commercial variety for some time. Its potential use today for small-scale, outdoor turkey production is largely unexplored.

Bourbon Red
The Bourbon Red turkey, also known as the Bourbon Butternut or Kentucky Red, was named for Bourbon County, Kentucky, in the bluegrass region, where it originated. This variety was developed from the Jersey Buff, an historic variety of turkey known in the mid-Atlantic states. It resulted from stocks taken to Kentucky and selected for improved meat production and a darker red color. The Bourbon Red variety was recognized by the American Poultry Association in 1909, and it was ambitiously promoted. The Bourbon Red's supporters emphasized its production-oriented conformation, including a heavy breast and richly flavored meat. The breed was apparently more profitable than the Buff, which soon fell into decline.

The Bourbon Red turkeys are handsome in appearance. They have brownish to dark red plumage with white in the flight and tail feathers. The tail has soft red bars crossing the main feathers near the end. Body feathers on the toms may be edged in black. The neck and breast feathers are chestnut mahogany, and the undercolor feathers are light buff to almost white. The beak is light horn at the tip and dark at base. The throat wattle is red, changeable to bluish white, and the beard is black. The shanks and toes are pink. The standard weights are 33 pounds for toms and eighteen pounds for hens.

Photo: Woman and Turkey. By Harry M. Rhoads. Circa 1910 to 1930. Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library.