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Description
Heritage turkeys now available!
There is a limited quantity that will be ready for Thanksgiving, but plenty will be available for Christmas and beyond. The weight options listed below are a best guess at what will be available for Thanksgiving. (If you'd like one for Christmas, just let me know in the order notes so that I can adjust availability for Thanksgiving orders.)
More than a centerpiece:
Heritage turkeys offer a different eating experience from the broad-breasted turkeys commonly found in supermarkets. They generally have a more naturally proportioned breast and a richer, more pronounced turkey flavor. They take longer to reach market size which can create more complex flavors.
They are fed a nutritious feed from a local mill, as well as all the bugs they can find. When young, they get moved daily in mobile coops, but as they get bigger, they get to free range and search my small vineyard for tasty treats.
I raise three different breeds of heritage turkeys, all of which are on the watch list of the Livestock Conservancy. At this time, I do not differentiate between which bird you will receive (getting the processor to label them correctly can be a challenge). In 2027 I plan to be able to have specific checkouts for each variety, but for now, if you do want to know what breed you receive, I will do my best to communicate with the processor for labeling. Otherwise, just know that they are all ethically raised, superior birds that will look amazing on your table.
Only available for Portland area customers, as they will be processed on November 24 in the Beaverton area and will be delivered fresh that evening to points between Beaverton and Molalla. (Note to Washington customers, I cannot deliver to WA due to regulations, but I can meet you on my side of the bridge.)
Read below to get familiar with the different breeds:
Spanish Black — Rich & traditional
The Spanish Black’s appeal is its old-world character. Turkeys are native to North America- but this turkey went full circle. They were brought from Mexico back to Europe by the early explorers in the 1500s. In Europe they gained popularity so that when those Europeans later began sailing to America, they brought descendants of these turkeys with them.
Standard Bronze — Large & full-bodied
The Standard Bronze, like the Spanish Black, also went from the Americas to Europe and back again. It is the largest of the heritage varieties such that its’ ancestors began the line of grocery store turkeys that your grandmother gets on discount. This bird will reconcile your memory of childhood Thanksgiving art projects in brown paint- with reality!
Narragansett — Balanced & satisfying
The Narragansett originated near a bay in Rhode Island by the same name. Their family line is probably a mix of the imported Spanish Blacks and the Bronze along with a splash of the local native turkeys of the early US. It was one of the first “production” turkeys because they could feed themselves on bugs and seeds. But then consumers began seeking out their broad-breasted cousins, trading quality for quantity.
The best turkey is the one that suits your table
If you’re seeking a more traditional turkey experience, each of the three heritage varieties will satisfy all your senses!
Frequently Asked Questions
What breed of chicken do you raise?
Our chicks come from a local hatchery in Albany, Oregon. They are called Freedom Rangers. Freedom ranger chickens have been bred to forage for a wide variety of insects and plants; we encourage them to express their natural instincts to hunt and socialize within the flock. We house our pastured birds in mobile coops that are moved daily to fresh grass and bugs while keeping them safe from predators.
What do you feed the chickens?
We source our feed from Union Mills Feed in Molalla, Oregon. All grains sold at Union Mills are harvested here in our area. We provide a feed of grain to supplement the natural diet of pasture raised birds. For 2025, we are considering 'no-corn, no-soy' feed. Let us know your thoughts.
What role do chickens have on the farm?
Chickens are one of the most helpful tools in regenerating land. Their manure is rich in nitrogen, the nutrient needed for bushy, leafy plants to thrive. We are able to target specific parts of the farm that are deficient with our mobile chicken tractors to provide fertilizer as needed. No fossil fuels or chemicals needed! They also assist with moisture retention in the soil, by adding organic matter and creating spongey soil that prevents run off. Last but not least, they prevent other classes of livestock from parasitic infections by eating larvae in dung pats, making them a great clean up crew!
What is your delivery radius and cost?
Any order over $100 receives free delivery within our radius in the attached map. Orders under $100 will have a $20 flat delivery fee. On-farm pickup is also available for free (by appointment only).
Is the chicken frozen?
Yes, this is the only way for us to preserve the freshness and bring you the quality you're looking for. If you would like birds that are not frozen, You are welcome to contact us to arrange pick up on our next processing day.
I placed an order for delivery, when will I get it?
Our delivery day for destinations north of Molalla (Portland, etc) is on Tuesdays between 9 AM and 3 PM. Destinations south of Molalla (Salem, etc) will be delivered on Thursdays. For McMinnville and areas West, we will contact you to coordinate. The deadline for order processing is midnight before the expected delivery day. If you place an order after that deadline, it will be delivered the following week. Please use the order notes in check out to let us know if you have any special instructions or helpful information.
What if I'm not home when you deliver?
No problem! This is very common. We deliver in stay-cool bags that can keep your chicken cool for a few hours on your doorstep. If you will be gone longer, please set out a cooler with an icepack. Please leave codes or other instructions if applicable.
Can I pickup on the farm?
Yes! We would love to have people come meet us, our animals and the land. Pickup windows are Monday-Friday 9 AM-3 PM (by appointment only). Select the pick up option at checkout and we'll be in touch to coordinate a time.
Do you have any other meats?
Not at this time, but I am enrolled in classes with the Savory Institute and am in the process of building fences to prepare for beef cattle. My beef will be entirely grass fed using regenerative principles. Click here to watch the TED talk on the Allan Savory method. I will also be adding a limited number of turkeys this year, to be ready by the 2025 holiday season.
What are the nutritional benefits of pasture raised chicken?
Chickens raised on pasture eat more “greens” which contain chlorophyll and other nutrients. This reduces the amount and type of fat stored on their carcass and increases the amount of magnesium, and B vitamins. Joel Salatin, the originator of this style of poultry husbandry stated, “Pastured chickens, because they eat high amounts of forage, can be clinically shown to be far lower in saturated fat (cholesterol) than conventionally produced birds.” There is a connection also between stress level and cholesterol. Is it possible that happier birds, means less stress, and thus less saturated fat in their bodies? Salatin mentioned that some doctors have actually recommended pasture raised poultry to help lower cholesterol. This difference between pastured and conventional poultry can be seen in the fat that comes off the broth made from the birds. My birds have a soft layer of fat that rises to the top, about like humus, whereas the fat from a conventional bird is more like candle wax when chilled. It is also reported that about 10% of the weight of a conventionally raised chicken is water absorbed in the tanks used to chill the birds after butchering. This is not the case with my birds.
Why is your chicken so much more than the grocery store?
A simple rule of economics is that when you sell more, you can charge less. Think about all those bulk items at Costco. However, when food is produced on a large scale, corners are cut in other areas, as described in other answers on this page. As a small farm, I don’t have the capacity to scale to that level of production, nor do I want to. My chicken is a premium product with benefits not available in grocery store mass-produced meat. We all make choices with our pocket book and we put our money where our values are. I also understand that some may value meat grown right, but not have the income base to afford it. I am looking at ways to partner with SNAP and if that becomes available I will advertise it through my emails.
Why should I buy local?
There are ecological, economic, nutritional, and social reasons to shop local.
Ecological:
When food doesn’t travel far, it keeps fossil fuels from the atmosphere. Additionally, farmers who use regenerative principles, are reshaping the water cycle one farm at a time, right where you live and recreate. When animals are managed well, water drains slower, allowing more absorption into the soil to be used by plants and cleaner water filtering into the watershed.
Economic:
Keeping the money circulating close to home, means that the local economy benefits, rather than a far distant locale. Farmers who promote a “buy local” ideology are more likely to buy local themselves. A study showed that a local business owner will return 73% back to the local economy, while a non-local business will only return 43%. What this means is that, the more we buy local, the more money returns to strengthen infrastructure like libraries and schools. Click: More Info
Nutritional:
In vegetables, local food retains more of their nutritional value due to less time between harvest and eating, and you can taste it! It lasts longer in your fridge, meaning less food waste. For meat products, the choice of animal breed or the farming practices used will be more of the determiner for nutritional superiority.
Social:
When you and your family understand your connection with the food you eat, it means more. Get to know me and other farmers and we can help you understand why we do what we do on our farm.
Why should I buy from small farms?
Perhaps you've seen some of the recent documentaries that have shed light on the troubling realities of animal welfare and the questionable contents of our food? Industrialized farming practices have caused significant harm to our environment, compromised the welfare of animals, and negatively impacted the health and well-being of workers and consumers alike. The factory farm is more concerned about the bottom line, than the care and concern for their animals or employees. As a small farmer, I have so much more at stake and work hard to ensure quality in my products, every step of the way.
If you’re killing an animal, how is that animal welfare?
Eating meat is a choice, and it is not a choice that can be made by anyone but the individual. Yes, eating meat requires death. But for those who do choose to eat meat, it is also a choice whether that animal has been treated with respect and gratitude for the sustenance they will provide, or shoved into overcrowded and filthy facilities. As the prominent regenerative farmer Joel Salatin once said, “My cows have a really good life, and one bad day.”
Don’t they say that animals are contributing to climate change, especially cows?
Yes, cows produce methane which when raised on a large scale, contributes to global warming more than even fossil fuels. However, newly understood farming practices, with buzz words like “regenerative agriculture” or “rotational grazing” actually can help the soil to pull carbon OUT of the atmosphere and store it in the soil. Done this way, cattle production can actually be a solution to the problem of global warming.
What is regenerative agriculture?
This refers to farming practices that are attempting to regenerate soil health after years of management practices that have depleted the soils. The practices of larger farms and ranches are called “conventional agriculture.” In these practices, soils have been plowed for years, or only grown one crop (monocrop). The “glues” (glomalin) inside the soil are destroyed, leading to more erosion because the water cannot be absorbed as well. Chemical fertilizer and pesticides must be used because the soil nutrients diminish with each crop. In meat production, the pastures they graze on are not as healthy, and the animals must be vaccinated to prevent disease and given supplemental feeds due to the poor nutritional quality of the forage. With regenerative practices, animals are allowed to graze only in smaller sections (paddocks) each day and the land is allowed to rest before the animals see that piece of land again. This rest, along with the added nutrients from manure, allows the roots of the grasses to grow deeper and stronger under the ground. The organic matter (roots, etc) within the soil then provide a home for the microorganisms (like mycorrhizal fungi) that can grab the nutrients and send them up topside to the leaves. This means healthier plants, leading to healthier animals, and eventually healthier humans. Additionally, the use of larger animals, such as cows, has the added benefits that their hooves help to aerate the soil and plant seeds. If removed from the ground in a timely manner, the benefits of their hooves are a net positive. Click: More Info
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