Find Your Pasture-Raised Thanksgiving Turkey from a Local Farm
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association | November 08, 2019
It’s that time of the year where we share where you can locally source the centerpiece for most people’s Thanksgiving dinners: the turkey!
In addition to being given lives on pasture, the turkeys you’ll find from CFSA member-farms in this list are also nutritionally better for you. According
to the Rodale Institute, “Pastured birds eat grasses and legumes that contain vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that are known to reduce
cholesterol. Pastured birds also have more access to adequate space, fresh air, sunshine, and exercise, and thus maintain better physical health than
confined birds. With more exercise, birds maintain a lower fat content, which is healthier for the bird and the consumer.”
- Contact Information
- Details on how to order
- A description of their turkey production practices.
- Location: Blythewood, SC
- Contact Info:
Website
Facebook - Preferred contact: uponcedarknoll@aol.com or (803) 240-6512
- How to order: All reservations are sealed by receipt of a $20 deposit. The deposit can be sent as a check or via Paypal using our email address above. Please include the desired weight range when making a deposit/reservation. Average weights for our Bourbon Reds, after processing, are 6-11 pounds for young hens, 11-18 pounds for young Toms, both at $8.00/lb. Smaller to mid-range weight birds reserve out quickly! This year’s birds will be fresh, not frozen, and come with roasting instructions. We will harvest on-farm Saturday, Nov. 23. Pickups will be on-farm on Sunday, Nov. 24 through Wednesday, Nov. 27. We do not ship. Balance due at pick up: cash, check, Paypal, Square for debit/credit card.
- Farming practices: We raise heritage Bourbon Reds, which are laid, hatched, and raised free-range (cage-free) on our property. These turkeys forage naturally on our wooded pastures and are supplemented with herbs, various plants & trees, acorns and also vegetables grown in our garden. No added hormones or antibiotics. SCDOA Meat/Poultry Handlers License: H-00-218, National Poultry Improvement Plan: 56-519, SC Small Flock Certified, CFSA & Livestock Conservancy Members.
- Location: Pageland, SC
- Contact Info:
Facebook - Preferred contact: fiveforksfarmer@gmail.com or Facebook (above)
- How to order: We prefer email, a personal message on Facebook or ordering through our online store. Please let us know the approximate desired weight. Price is $5/lb, with pickup at Union County Farmers’ Market or at the farm. A deposit of $20 is required and can be made online. We can deliver with small delivery charge.
- Farming practices: We are raising a small flock of 30 Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys on pasture with supplemental feed. Turkeys range from 10-30 lbs. Order early for the best selection of desired weight.
- Location: Wadmalaw Island, SC
- Contact Info:
Website
Facebook - Preferred contact: Vitalmissionfarm@gmail.com or (843) 405-7227
- How to order: All of our products can be picked up at the farm (just call or email us in advance to be sure we will be there). We also deliver to your door in the Charleston area for a flat $5 fee regardless of order size. Just choose “Pickup” or “Delivery” during checkout. We deliver on Monday afternoons for purchases made the previous week, and we ask that if you will not be home to leave a cooler with ice on your porch to keep your turkey cold.
- Farming practices: All of our turkeys are pasture raised and obtain around 50 percent of their diet from grass and bugs they forage for. Due to this diet the birds stay healthy and we never have to use any medications or chemicals on our farm. They also act as our natural lawn mowers and fertilizers. Our mission is to grow food that is healthy for people, animals, land, and environment.
To see a list of North Carolina turkey farmers, click here.
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a farmer-driven, membership-based501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building systems that family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic agriculture.
