Is it already time to start thinking about Thanksgiving? If you want to reserve a local, high-quality turkey for the big day, then the answer is yes.
This is the second year that Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Co. has raised a herd of turkeys on their 640-acre ranch in Felt, Idaho – this time with 200 broad breasted white, bronze and black birds.
Owner Chris O’Blenness has a history of raising turkeys, both with his work at the Stone Barn Center in New York, as well as his heritage (his grandfather had a business raising turkeys in Idaho in the 40s and 50s). Having raised turkeys in quite a few different ways, O’Blenness says he’s convinced that these birds are “head and shoulders above anything else I’ve seen.”
The turkeys spend their life grazing on fresh grass, alfalfa, organic grains and bugs, living in hoop house structures that are moved across the property every few days to provide shade and protection while ensuring consistent access to a fresh diet. “They have a full, healthy lifespan,” O’Blenness adds. “We give them the best possible life and diet, and the quality is unbelievable.”
Turkeys will be slaughtered in October and processed entirely by O’Blenness’ team, then packaged and frozen until shipment. O’Blenness expects toms to be in the 18-22 pound range, while hens will likely be around 14-16 pounds.
You can order your turkey on the store’s website, in person in the shop, or through the Slow Food in the Tetons Marketplace. Turkeys will ship the week of November 14 (unless otherwise specified), so you can pre-order your bird and expect it on your doorstep with plenty of time to thaw for your Thursday celebration.
