If you were to ask me what I would NOT do during Thanksgiving, I would say, I would not eat one of these beautiful birds. The Good Shephard Heritage Turkey has been announced and apparently the birds are fed with vegetarian feed. Thus, you would be eating vegetarian birds and I must really admire the thoughtfulness of the Turkey farmers who think it is OK to eat birds that are fed with vegetarian feed.
That does not make the turkey consumers vegetarian in any way! These birds are grown according to the American Poultry Association’s Standards of Perfection and have even received Animal Welfare Institute’s Animal Welfare Approved certification. I would say, spend $120 to $200 and save these beautiful birds from ending up on somebody’s plate.
Though it is one’s personal choice to consume what he or she wants, I cannot imagine these lovely birds being skinned and cooked, and then eaten while “thanking” for ones blessings. That would cross the limits of hypocrisy! If you have any conscience and really want to thank someone, show it by saving the lives of these playful and affectionate turkeys.
Via: Uncrate
I don’t agree that Frank Reese’s Heritage Turkeys from Good Shepherd Ranch should not be eaten. These are working agricultural breeds, raised for eating over literally thousands of years of domestication. The breeds were almost extinct until they came to the public eye around 1999. As Frank has said “We’re saving them by eating them.” No one can afford to make zoo animals out of these birds, and if they were in zoos they would not be continuously bred as agriculturally workable, robust animals.
Modern industrial breeds of turkey, “Frankenturkeys” as I call them, would die out in one generation if turned loose. Heritage Turkeys would do just fine and breed back to wild turkeys.
One farmer had a slogan for their chickens that impressed me a lot: “Our chickens have only one bad day.” That’s much truer for Heritage Turkeys than, Lord knows, for Industrial turkeys, especially those Heritage birds raised outside, on pasture.
As a Buddhist, I certainly don’t encourage you to eat meat! But for those who eat meat, I encourage them to try to eat meat that’s more humanely raised, from animals more able to enjoy their lives.
I have been promoting the sale of Heritage Turkeys for almost 10 years now (as a charitable project.) I think I’ve improved the lives of many farm birds, and that this is the best thing I’ve done in my entire life.