Bane Family Meats

Paul, Joey and Molly Bane’s

Natural, Free-Range Poultry and Meats

A Superior Eating Experience!
 

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- Heritage Turkeys are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White industrial breed of turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. Heritage Breeds have been quietly gaining a renewed market and respect due to their flavor and superior biological diversity. Most breeds of heritage turkey were developed in the United States and Europe over hundreds of years. These are the  breeds of turkeys recognized by the American Poultry Association in its 1874 Standard of Perfection: the Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, and White Holland. Later added to the standard were the Royal Palm, White Midget and Beltsville Small White. (www.heritageturkeyfoundation.org).

Raising Heritage Breeds is more costly and time consuming than raising common white turkeys. While supermarket turkeys grow to an average of 32 pounds over 18 weeks, Heritage birds take anywhere from 24-30 weeks to reach their market weight. Those who have tasted Heritage Breeds say they are well worth the extra time and effort.

We purchase one-day-old Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, or Royal Palm Heritage Turkey poults in the spring. The poults are started on feed in the brooder area of our barn. When they are about 6 weeks old, they are moved to pasture where they graze happily through the summer and fall on a mixture of red clover, orchardgrass, chicory, and white clover. The birds are protected from predators with electric fence netting.

Our turkeys receive no antibiotics or hormones throughout the growing period. The turkeys are processed locally at a federally inspected facility just before Thanksgiving. They usually weigh from 15-30 pounds dressed.

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Last modified: 09/09/07