Mary's Turkeys is our largest producer. They have been adding outlets so fast we can't keep up. For a current list of Mary's Turkeys' retailers, see www.MarysTurkeys.com. Reese Turkeys in Kansas is also selling in California this year. See www.ReeseTurkeys.com.
Bristol Farms Markets, www.BristolFarms.com
Costco Stores
Some Costco stores in California will carry
heritage turkeys from Reese Turkeys (Good Shepherd Ranch.) See
http://www.costco.com.
Jensen’s Finest Foods, www.JensensFoods.com
Jimbo’s… Naturally, www.Jimbos.com
Maloney Meat Co., South Gate
Mother’s Markets & Kitchens, www.mothersmarket.com
New Frontiers Natural Foods, San Luis Obispo
Pacific Coast Greens, Malibu
Rainbow Bridge, Ojai
You can also pre-order one or more heritage turkey from these California Farms, for on-farm or in some cases mail shipment:
Rick & Mary Pitman
** Will also ship
Mary's Turkeys
Madera, CA
marysturkeys@comcast.net
www.marysturkeys.com
1-888-666-8244
Sylvia Mavalwalla, ** Reserve
early for 2006.
S&B Farm
Petaluma, CA
sybbajun3@aol.com
707-763-4793
Peter Schaner,
**
Reserve early for 2006.
Schaner Farms
Valley Center, CA
SchanerFarms@aol.com
760-749-9376
Willie Benedetti
** Will also ship
Willie Bird Turkeys
Santa Rosa, CA
info@williebird.com
www.williebird.com
We don’t like to be negative, but watch out for turkeys advertised as Heritage breeds which aren’t. Diestel Turkey ranch is raising an older breed called the Orlop strain of Broad-Breasted Bronze turkey. This is the predecessor of the Broad Breasted White. It’s essentially a white, but with brown feathers. These turkeys were developed by Orlop Turkeys and others in the 1930’s. They can’t mate naturally. They do not mature like true Heritage Turkeys and they don’t taste as good. Diestel is by far the largest independent turkey producer in Northern California. The Director of Slow Food USA and I approached them in 2002 to raise real Heritage Turkeys but they went in their own direction instead. Diestel is now marketing these turkeys as heirloom turkeys. The fact remains that they can be raised faster, with less feed, and they can therefore be sold cheaper, to drive genuine heritage turkeys out of the marketplace.