November 2017 Harvesting Turkeys

Harvesting a Giant Tom Turkey!  We set out to pardon this big boy but then he started having breathing problems.  After researching I found out that this breed often grow so big that they will suffocate if not harvested in a timely manner.  We had put off the harvest too long and I was afraid we would find him deceased in his pen, all his meat wasted, so we said our good-byes and we had a butchering party. 

 

 

Yes, it seems weird and even wrong, but my girls actually enjoying the plucking and harvesting, the blood and the feathers, and Thanksgiving tasted good, even though I really missed the gobbling and strutting outside of my favorite birds.  This big boy weighed in at 40 pounds after being dressed!  He would NOT fit in the oven.  He is resting on a large cookie sheet there. 

 

The feet made good stock.