A Traditional Thanksgiving Deserves a Heritage Turkey

11-18-2012 • http://chrisinmaryville.net/

Ideally, this Thanksgiving you are ordering your organic, free-range turkey from your local farmer. It doesn’t get any better than that does it? Actually, it does. Farmers markets are now featuring “Heritage Turkeys” for those wanting an even more authentic Thanksgiving dinner. According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, there are 8 varieties of Heritage Turkeys which are descended from the original birds indigenous to the Americas. The varieties are Black, Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, Slate, Bourbon Red, Beltsville Small White and Royal Palm. Most non-heritage turkeys sold for Thanksgiving are the Broad Breasted White variety. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to protect over 180 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. Heritage breeds can be found among asses, cattle, goats, horses, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.