HOWLING OAK RANCH
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Midget White Turkeys
"Heritage" turkeys, also known as standard turkeys, are not the "industrial" turkeys sold in grocery stores for Thanksgiving. Those turkeys have been bred for high weight gains, but have lost the ability to breed naturally, fly, forage actively, incubate their eggs without crushing them, and defend their poults from danger.
The heritage turkeys are the naturally-breeding types that were raised on farms across America prior to 1950. In 1997, these turkey varieties were nearly extinct, but today they are recovering.
The Midget White is the only small-sized heritage meat turkey that remains today, and is our primary turkey variety. We like the Midget White because their smaller size allows us to eat turkey for a day or two any time of year, without filling the fridge with leftovers. Their meat is firmer than that of a factory-raised bird, and is delicately flavored from the natural foods that they eat while wandering the pastures each day.
Our turkeys "day-range", meaning they are freed to forage during the day but are penned at night (theoretically at least, depending where they choose to roost). The Midget White turkeys are curious and friendly, and are active foragers, flying over 4' fences to join the sheep and find the tastiest bugs and grasses.
Midget White toms weigh up to 20 lbs, while hens weigh 10-12 lbs.
Please contact us to reserve a turkey, or to check for availability of adult birds or poults.
