organic/free range turkey

[raptorfan]

Other than the Healthy Butcher on Queen W, any suggestions on where to find one for Thanksgiving in the GTA? I Googled but no luck. The one i had from the HB was delicious but a little pricey. Maybe any farm suggestions too? I checked online for farmers markets but no luck finding what i'm looking for. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Rehan]

Try Blossom Pure (http://www.blossompure.com/store.htm) in Mississauga, if it's not too far out of your way -- 905-891-2005. They might have it. It won't be cheap, though...

[birdiegirl]

try http://www.berettaorganics.com
or http://cleanfoodconnection.com

[IronMac]

There are other sources such as Cumbrae's on Church St. or the poultry vendor in the St. Lawrence Market's farmers' market open on Saturdays at the northwest corner of Front and Jarvis. The latter definitely has organic birds. :)

[duckdown]

What's the difference between these and a Butterball you'd find in the supermarket?

[raptorfan]

the "non" free range are given large amounts of hormones/chemicals/drugs (whatever) to get a larger breast for consumers. They naturally aren't "made" that way. I saw a very interesting program on this and it spoke of how top heavy turkeys have become in order to provide more white meat. Because of this weight, some spend their days without being hardly able to move and the cameras showed this. Given that I cannot afford to eat organic meat all the time, this is only once a year and i will splurge the extra money. I can't remember the stat's but I remember turkeys were up there in meats that have a large amount of drugs given to the animal. And yes, I can taste the difference between the two and much prefer the "natural" turkey. If I could locate wild turkey, i would like to try it for sure. There's a debate about organic going on in another thread, but based on the information I have seen/read concerning the drugs and the quality of life of the bird, and the taste, I will continue to purchase free range turkey. If someone wants to do the Butterball thing, then that's their choice, i'm not going to get all militant about it :)