PORTERFIELD EXOTICS

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All turkeys originated in America and were carried to Europe by the first European explorers and traders to America to be captive bred in Europe.  The first turkeys brought to Europe were believed to be brought from Mexico to Spain and quickly spread across Europe.  Colonial settlers then brought them back to America with them to raise them on their farmsteads.  These turkeys were then bred and crossed with the native wild turkeys to create the breeds we know today.  Until the mid 1900's the commonly known Thanksgiving turkey was one developed off this breeding.  In the later 20th century the Broad Breasted White turkey was developed.  The Broad Breasted White is the common commercial turkey today.  Along with the extra large double breast and excellent feed conversion of the BB White came reduced immune systems, the inability to breed naturally and crowded sometimes cruel raising and processing facilities.  Heritage breeds are a slower growing, better tasting, better textured, stronger, healthier naturally breeding and more humane alternative to the commercial BB Whites.  Although considerably more expensive than the BB Whites they have been proven in blind taste tests and studies to be superior in taste, texture and nutritional content than the commercial factory farmed birds.         

  We are currently building our heritage turkey flocks and are in the process of acquiring and raising breeding stock of the varieties shown and more.  We hope to hatch some heritage turkeys here this year and do currently have access in limited supply to some poults of these varieties to sell to customers.  We must order them in advance from other breeders that will set and hatch eggs for us, supplies are limited and subject to availability at time of ordering.  We also will have a very limited supply of Free Range Pasture Fed Heritage Breed butcher turkeys available this fall.  If you want to try a superior quality Heritage Breed turkey this Thanksgiving contact us ASAP to reserve your bird.  The birds pictured on the bottom left are not our birds and are those of a commercial turkey factory farm pictured for comparison.  The birds pictured on the bottom right are those of a Free Range Pastured Heritage breed turkey farm.  Which bird would you prefer to eat?

(These are NOT OUR BIRDS and are pictured for comparison)