TURKEYS
Heritage turkeys are truly magnificent birds and are how turkeys are meant to be - old, traditional breeds that are adapted to be outside, mate naturally and grow slowly to maturity. They also taste far superior to the commercial broad-breasted birds you may be used to. We are passionate about ensuring our birds enjoy a natural and fulfilling life in the sun and fresh air.
Our turkeys arrive as day-old poults from an organic farm and, once fully feathered, spend the entirety of their lives roaming freely and foraging over six acres of glorious Suffolk countryside. To supplement their natural diet we feed them high quality feed with no artificial growth promoters or chemicals. They finish on bruised English oats which ensures they develop an all-important succulent layer of fat.
The turkeys finish at 28 weeks (much later than commercial birds) and are dry plucked by hand and hung like a game bird for two to three weeks. This process enables the meat to tenderise and gain additional flavour as well as ensuring each bird has a top quality finish. We do not outsource any of the process and our turkeys only leave the farm once ready for your oven.
All our birds will fit a standard oven and range from 3kg to 9kg (oven-ready weight with giblets). For size guide and cooking info please see our order page here.
OUR BREEDS
Due to the wide variety we are unable to guarantee your bird will be a particular breed or gender, although do contact us if you have specific requirements.
Cambridge Bronze
These are the traditional bronze variety – worlds away from the intensive commercial ‘bronze’. Our largest turkeys are magnificent with beautiful iridescent metallic plumage especially when they have the sun on their backs.
Norfolk Black
A very old breed (16th century) and the original European type developed from wild American ancestors. Pure black feathers that flash beetle-green in the light making a stunning contrast with their deep red faces.
Bourbon Red
Hailing from the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, US in the nineteenth century, our reds are stately and stunning in their dark chestnut plumage which looks much like burnished copper. They are excellent foragers.
Slate
Smaller than the bronze or black but stunning with unusual blue-grey feathers and light eyes. The slate colour was so popular that it even inspired a craze at the London shows at the turn of the last century!
Narragansett
A breed originally from Rhode Island, US where European blacks were crossed with wild turkeys, these are truly impressive birds with their incredible feather combination of black, ash grey and creamy white.
Harvey Speckled
Only admitted to the Poultry Standards in 2016 but still conforming to the heritage type. Our ‘Harveys’ are sparky birds with creamy-white feathers and covered with delicate brownish flecks - like they’ve been dusted with cinnamon!
Suffolk Heritage Turkeys | Christmas | Turkey
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