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Farm Kitchen:  Organic or Free-Range Turkey?  |
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Alpaca Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Katy
Fairhope
AL
USA
59 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 06:51:51 AM
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Hi Farmgirls!
I am trying to decide on a Turkey for Thanksgiving but I am confused and need some help. I want to go "healthy" and I plan to buy a free range or organic turkey. (I think the organic ones are free range as well as organic)
What are the benefits of free-range in your opinion?
And what are the benefits of organic over the free-range?
More details about what birds I'm looking at over at my blog www.alpacafarmgirl.com
I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Hope I learn lots.
Thanks!
Katy
Visit me at www.alpacafarmgirl.com |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4759 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4759 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 08:39:06 AM
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While I can't answer your questions specifically, my son told me that "free range" is a very misleading term. My son works in the meat department at a grocery chain here. He said that if an animal is let out of its tiny pen for 1 hour a day, then it can be labeled as "free range". I prefer organic since it is basically drug free meat. I hope someone can give you more information.
Dawn in IL |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 08:50:16 AM
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Thats what I understood as well..
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Enjoy the little things in life....someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things. |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 10:02:05 AM
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It also depends on the farm.
My dad buys locally. That way he KNOWS the farm. And they are both! Free Range and Organic. And by the farmer my dad uses free range does not mean just a hour a day. (even though by law that is all it has to be).
So I would say ask around (may of been better to start asking at local farmers markets during the summer, that's how my dad found the farmer he gets his from, but he goes to the farm himself (dad) and gets the chicken, turkey etc, that the farmer sells. But, you could probably ask around your local health food store if there is any local farmers then go visit the farm for yourself, ask the guy/gal what he/she considers free range or organic (as organic can mean a lot of different things too!). I specifically want drug free, free range birds! Of course for turkey actually my dad gets very free range. lol He has about 70 acres and just goes out in the woods and shoots one. lol But, for chicken, and beef and a few other things he buys from that local farmer I was talking about.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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palmettogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
571 Posts
sue
camden
south carolina
USA
571 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 2:17:26 PM
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| EarthFare---an organic grocery store (a lot like whole foods store) is advertising to order a fresh/organic turkey. in the past, even though i've gone organic with a lot of things, i've still gotten the good old Butterball turkey....kept it in the freezer and then the refrig for 4 or so days before thanksgiving. with a fresh bird, are you supposed to pick it up at the store just a couple days before thanksgiving thus not putting it in the freezer? are fresh turkeys as tender? do you have to do anything different in roasting them? i started getting grass fed beef from a local farmer...and the meat is tougher which i read in a book is normal. i really want to go organic and local, but the meat is so expensive that i hate messing it up with not cooking it quite right and having it be tough. |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4759 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4759 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2008 : 2:43:16 PM
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I get fresh turkeys and they are very tender. Also, we don't get that sleepy, stuffed feeling after eating a organic fed turkey. I am not sure what we can afford to buy this year. I hope it will be another organic, free range turkey from Whole Foods, but their prices have skyrocketed this year. Good luck finding the one you want!
Dawn in IL |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 06:43:22 AM
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Beef and birds are different. Frozen birds make a awful taste compared to fresh! That's why fresh never frozen are always more expensive then frozen birds.
As for beef, it needs to age. Maybe your local guy is not aging the beef. Cause the local beef dad gets is nice and tender! However, less fatty. But, beef in general needs to age. However, dad lives in Kansas known for their beef, and people know what they are doing with beef. So maybe your guy needs to learn how to age beef. Beef NEEDS to be aged. Birds do not!
After all you go and shoot a bird and eat it the same day, just like fish! You can eat the fish same day you catch it! If you let it go too long ruins the taste!
With beef though it's different, it's not meant to be eaten all the same day. (think about it would take a village to eat a whole cow in one day after kill). It's meant to be stored and aged. At least 21 days of aging is needed for beef, if not more.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 07:44:45 AM
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Katy,
There are also some differences in the nutritional value of meat that is truly free range as the animal is allowed to (in the case of birds) get a wide range of grasses and bugs and so on changing the nutritinal value of the meat. Grain fed animals (organic or non organic) can be higher in fat content and protein values less. You do need to check the rancher's description of "free range".
Jo Robinson has written books on this topic and her stuff is really delightful, easy reads that define touch topics and her heb site is www.eatwild.com
Organic is good, but make sure (again) that it isnt just talking about the feed, but also the care... that no hormones and antibiotics were given... and if Organic feed was given but the birds never saw the outside, I would choose free-range.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
Mavens are "information specialists", or "people we rely upon to connect us with new information."[6] They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 08:33:24 AM
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What you really want for the best taste is an Organic Free Range bird that is fed mostly a "grass" diet with only grain suplement in the very cold months. Most of these you will find at a local farm and they usually really limit their order numbers because they can only provide so many birds each year. The farm near me only offered 75 birds this year. They will be butchered the Sunday before Thanksgiving and available for pickup the Monday before. They will NOT be frozen. Unless you buy your bird from a store like Whole Foods (an even then who knows?) you really can't be sure they are actually organic or free range. The FDA rules are so laxed there is really no way to tell.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
Felt and Fabric Crafts
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com
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clux64
True Blue Farmgirl
162 Posts
Celeste
Blair
NE
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 10:05:44 AM
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First of all...find a local grower and buy directly off the farm. You'll be insured a fresh, hormone free, free range bird and you'll be putting $$ back into the local economy. Try www.localharvest.org to find someone local. If you can find someone rasing heritage breed turkeys, you will be in for a REAL treat! I tried one three years ago and never looked back! They look odd--not that big butterball breast we're used to seeing, but there is tons of meat and they are sooooooo good. My supplier gives out a recipe that his wife has perfected and the turkeys are to die for. Good luck.
Celeste
"No matter where you go, there you are"
--Confucious
www.urbanprairiehome.blogspot.com
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keeperofthehome
True Blue Farmgirl
154 Posts
Suzanne
Atlanta
Georgia
USA
154 Posts |
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Alpaca Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Katy
Fairhope
AL
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 6:11:15 PM
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Thanks gals for your input! I have a link on my blog to the birds I am looking at. They have a video that explains the way they raise the birds. They are all free range all the time. I guess they have just developed a line that are also certified organic as well. Either way I am getting awfully hungry for this turkey. It is one of my very favorite things to eat!
Keep the comments coming, I do appreciate them, am learning so much!
I'll decide next week once I get back from the alpaca show this weekend.
Cheers!
Katy
Visit me at www.alpacafarmgirl.com |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 7:03:21 PM
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I think all organic turkey prices have gone up this year.
And free-range poultry doesn't even have to go outside to get that label - they just have to have access to the outside, even if they never "choose" to use it
Poor guys
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" |
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carolbrigid
True Blue Farmgirl
263 Posts
Carol
Glen Burnie
Maryland
USA
263 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 09:26:08 AM
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Has anyone ever tried the Tofurkey? If so, I'd like to know how it tastes. I'm thinking of trying it this year. Thank you!
Farmgirl Hugs,
Carol
Farmgirl Sister #222
Member, Crafty Bay Farmgirl Chapter |
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mikesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3659 Posts
Sherri
Elma
WA
USA
3659 Posts |
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carolbrigid
True Blue Farmgirl
263 Posts
Carol
Glen Burnie
Maryland
USA
263 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 10:13:04 AM
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I would like to know the prices too. Thanks.
Farmgirl Hugs,
Carol
Farmgirl Sister #222
Member, Crafty Bay Farmgirl Chapter |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 3:38:45 PM
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I just went to Fresh Market today and ordered an "organic" turkey from Belle & Evans out of Penn. It is $2.29 lb. I asked the guy if he knew anything about them. They had a picture on the wall of a bunch of big white turkeys and it just says no antibiotic or hormones and all that malarky. (My dad's favorite word.) I had gotten one for a friend last year and they thought it was great. I'm getting about a 20-25 lber. What's that gonna run? Anyone good at math??
I didn't even ask what the Fresh Market birds were going for.
Kris |
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Alpaca Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Katy
Fairhope
AL
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - Nov 18 2008 : 08:06:38 AM
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Thanks for all your thoughts and suggestions! I learned a lot from you gals.
I finally decided to order a free range turkey for Thanksgiving and an Organic turkey for Christmas and have a taste testing to see if we prefer one over the other. Will let you know what I find out!
Happy Turkey Day!
Katy
Visit me at www.alpacafarmgirl.com |
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Farm Kitchen: Organic or Free-Range Turkey? |
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Organic or Free-Range Turkey?
