Please be patient if you can't get a Heritage turkey this year. A combination of factors have come together in an unfortunate way, but we expect improvement every year from now on. An exceptionally cold winter in Kansas meant that Frank Reese's breeding turkeys got started late. Fewer eggs were laid, and turkeys will have less time to grow. Some turkey farmers like Mary's Turkeys found that the turkey chicks (poults) available from other breeders were just not growing up big enough. The good news is that Frank Reese will be expanding his egg production for 2009, and he will be selling his eggs to more farmers, including Mary's Turkeys. We're delighted with this, and expect the number available to grow each year.

Heritage turkeys are not totally "ready for prime time" in the commercial marketplace. In most of the surviving flocks, turkey genetics was allowed to "drift" somewhat. For fifty years, the few farmers who had them were not selecting for size and other traits. Heritage turkeys are tending to be much smaller than consumers are used to, say 9 - 14 pounds. Many turkeys are produced at 5 - 8 pounds and are not commercially salable at all, though they do taste delicious.

This is not true for Reese Turkey Farms turkeys. Frank Reese in Kansas has been selecting his turkeys for size and commercial viability for many years, continuing the work of Norman Kardosh in preserving a flock of Heritage Bronze turkeys (sometimes called Standard Bronzes or American Bronzes, NOT "Heirloom Turkeys".) Frank Reese, associated farmers, and a few others, have very good Bourbon Red Heritage Turkeys, Spanish Blacks, and other breeds.

We firmly believe that Heritage turkeys should be available to the public at reasonable prices. They will still cost much more than laboratory turkeys, but we believe that an ordinary family of limited means can afford to buy a Heritage turkey for, say, $4 - $7 per dressed pound. It's a once-a-year expense for a very special product, and it makes it possible for small turkey farmers to stay in business selling them, as well as encouraging new farmers to grow them. Remember, we are trying to restore to commercial viability, breeds that nearly became extinct just a few years ago.

For prices to be reasonable, turkeys need to be delivered by truck to grocery chains and individual stores. This is much less expensive than individual shipment to individual families. Heritage Foods, USA, (www.HeritageFoodsUSA.com)  does ship to individual customers, but at a higher price.

The US has the most efficient food-distribution system in the world. Food prices are very low in the US compared to other countries. The difficulty raised by this is that true flavor for many foods has been lost. Food animal production is done by the cheapest possible methods, which are not kind to animals. This is not true for Heritage turkeys.

Retail grocers are used to buying from large corporate farms in large quantities. These corporate producers can supply exactly what grocers want at a rock bottom price. Only about 15,000 Heritage turkeys could be produced in 2008 for the entire US. Compare this to many tens of millions of laboratory turkeys. Many grocers and consumers who wanted Heritage birds haven't been able to buy them.

Carrying Heritage turkeys has been difficult for grocers. Many customers have been disappointed when they couldn't get the largest  turkeys they were looking for. Employees in grocery meat departments haven't been properly trained by their meat buyers in the sizes of Heritage turkeys available. Many customers have complained to retailers. Some chains have dropped Heritage turkeys, and some have never been willing to deal with these problems in the first place..

If you should find a retail grocery chain which is selling real Heritage turkeys, such as Vitamin Cottage in Colorado, please be patient with the grocer. He's doing you a favor--taking a commercial chance--selling real Heritage Turkeys at all! Please tell him you understand and appreciate his help to our efforts!