Organic Turkey Farms

Raising Turkeys – 6 Reasons Why You Should Start

Raising Turkeys – 6 Reasons Why You Should Start

Turkeys have been around for a long time. Turkey history actually starts millions of years ago. Their fossils have been found in Pleistocene deposits which means that they have been around more than twelve thousand years and their predecessors go back 50 to 60 million years to the Eocene period. Since the modern domesticated turkey is a descendant of the Wild Turkey, it is surmised that ancient Mesoamericans had chosen to domesticate and raise this species rather than the Ocellated Turkey which is found in far southern Mexico.

Turkeys require most of their care and attention during the first couple months. After this time they become much easier to care for. Turkeys are friendly and curious by nature.There are many reasons to raise turkeys.

1) Turkeys as food

Turkeys are traditionally eaten as the main course of large feasts at Christmas in much of the world, as well as Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada, though this tradition has its origins in modern times, rather than colonial as is often supposed. Sliced turkey is frequently used as a sandwich meat or served as cold cuts. Ground turkey is sold just as ground beef, and is frequently marketed as a healthy beef substitute. Without careful preparation, cooked turkey is usually considered to end up less moist than other poultry meats such as chicken or duck.

Wild turkeys, while technically the same species as domesticated turkeys, have a very different taste from farm-raised turkeys. Almost all of the meat is “dark” (even the breast) with a more intense flavor. Turkey is often found as a processed meat. It can be smoked and as such is sometimes sold as turkey ham. The white meat of turkey is generally considered healthier and less fattening than the dark meat, but the nutritional differences are small.

2) Turkeys as pets

While most that raise turkeys raise them for eating, some keep turkeys as a pet. This has been known to destroy their commercial value as Thanksgiving dinner. And some do both, keep some as a pet while eating the others. There are many different breeds of turkeys; however there are two varieties, domestic and wild. The wild turkey lives and breeds in the wild and some are kept as pets. It can fly and is said to be smarter than the domestic. The domestic turkeys are the type eaten on thanksgiving and they cannot fly. The domestic and wild turkeys are physically different.

Animal welfare groups such as Farm Sanctuary claim that turkeys are bright and social animals that can make suitable companion animals. US President George W. Bush noted the long tradition of keeping turkeys as pets in his 2001 National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation speech. Bush noted that Abraham Lincoln’s son Tad kept a turkey as a White House pet.

3) Turkeys provide built-in pest control service

Turkeys may have the most varied diet of any animal known. They eat a variety of foods depending on availability, preference, and nutritional needs. All age classes eat insects when they are available. In the summer turkeys eat large quantities of insects, grass seeds, berries, and green leaves. Turkeys eat bugs, mosquitoes, ticks and flies too.

4) Turkey dung as fuel

Turkey droppings are being used as a fuel source in electric power plants. One such plant in western Minnesota provides 55 megawatts of power using 700,000 tons of dung per year. The plant began operating in 2007. Three such plants are in operation in England.

5) Easy hunting

Why spend hours cold, tired and damp hunting for wild turkeys when you can have your own healthy, organically raised , easy to catch turkeys

6) Great effective fertilizer

Turkeys the gift that keeps on giving. Poultry manure is an excellent source of nutrients for your vegatables, fruits and flowers

Vegetarianism on a budget?

Hi,
I’ve just finished reading a book on the horrors of factory farming, and because of this I’ve decided to have a stab at becoming vegetarian. I don’t like red meat anyway, and don’t eat fish, but the mainstay of my diet at the moment is turkey and chicken. I’m a student, and on a limited income, so I can’t afford buckets of organic fresh produce and specialist ingredients. So this is a plea for help to all vegans/vegetarians out there….How do I eat a healthy balanced vegetarian diet of tasty food on a budget? Tall order I know but any help is appreciated! Thanks

Good for you on your decision!

I wouldn’t buy fake meat substitutes, as some are fairly expensive. Buy tofu even once a week, and eat beans with your dinner for the rest of the week. Beans are fairly cheap, canned or dry, and are full of protein.

Whatever canned foods your buying like tinned tomatoes or anything, buy the store brand if it’s available. They’re so much cheaper than the others and are basically the same.

Shop around for vegetables and fruit, as they’re different prices everywhere.

Pasta and noodles are relatively cheap, so you won’t have any problems there.

Everyday you should make sure to have a green leafy vegetable with your dinner for iron, 2 tablespoons of flax seed for omega 3 with your breakfast, lots of veg & fruit, something with added calcium (soy milk with added calcium is cheap enough, again have a look around), and some nutritional yeast for vitamin B12. If you can’t find nutritional yeast anywhere you should buy B12 tablets. You’ll find vegan ones around!

Here’s a link to a vegetarian food pyramid, so you know what you need each day – http://www.mstherapycentres.org.uk/images/food%20pyramid%20vegetarian.jpg

And a link to a vegan food pyramid – http://api.ning.com/files/aiftWkLcYP*6Mqu6*IQcq4x5c9Ld9a7tY0ISu7skn-5qkDnlY4ZmsELtmG-oC77W7eIqD9v1iX2uWxPswe4E5niSxUE2*5MF/veganpyramid800x600.jpg

Here’s a link to a vegetarian meal plan too! – http://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/Vegetarian_Meal_Plan

Hope I’ve helped.

Visiting an organic Turkey Farm – Just in time for Thanksgiving!

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