Today was the day to process our third flock of turkeys. These birds were all hatched on our farm and spent a healthy and happy 9 months running around like they owned the place! These are the last of the mixed breed between the original Narragansett tom and the Bourbon Red hens. Since we have decided to settle on the Narragansett breed exclusively, it was best to process all of the remaining birds.
We ended up with 11 birds, toms ranging from 13 to 18 lbs, and hens all about 8 lbs. They are now packaged, aged, and frozen in the freezer. The total was just over 110 lbs of meat.
For the next flock, we hope to have a vacuum sealer to remove more air from the bag and keep the meat fresher longer in the freezer. Also, the processing equipment we use (belonging to the Southern Oregon Poultry Association) needs a sink somehow attached to the stainless steel table, and a foot valve to turn on and off the flow of water from the overhead sprinkler nozzle we built. The nozzle is nothing more than a short piece of hose with a garden nozzle with a gentle spray attached, and the whole thing hanging from a galvanized pipe extending from the top of a free standing pasture sprinkler. Ok, sounds weird but it was a last minute creation, and it surely did help! The foot valve and sink will be welcome additions for the next go round at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Follow along our adventure as we make the transition from corporate city life to the world of natural farming. Each day brings a new experience and brings us to a deeper understanding about the life and spirit that made America great. At our farm we do our best to give the animals we raise a natural, free, happy, stressfree lifestyle. Our mission is to learn and share how to manage a farming operation that is both profitable and humane.
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