I'd rather be eating a Heritage turkey than a Butterball; sorry mom

But, to be honest, a Butterball, one of those genetically crafted freaks, will probably grace my mom's dining room table in Everett tomorrow (although, with all due respect to mom, I'm sure it will be delicious).

I do remember, growing up in New Mexico however, when my bro and father went out in the bush to bag the Thanksgiving turkey the hard way. These wild birds are very smart and fast - they can reach flying speeds of up to 40 mph for short distances. (The wild ones look like this pic,courtesy of The New York Times.) We had to be careful when chewing to make sure we didn't swallow buckshot. But the bird tasted like something, versus the white meat off the Broad-breasted white.

These poor birds can barely waddle and can't even mate without help according to this Seattle times article on Heritage birds. Recently, the New York Times had a fine piece on a farmer who wrote his flock of Heritage turkeys into his will, to make sure they'd be cared for after he died.

Now, hours before the Thanksgiving feast, I'm sure it's too late to find one of these birds, but next year, I'll be searching for a farm in King County. If anyone knows of one, let me know. The Thundering Hooves farm is a possibility.

Photo Credit: Wild turkey shot by Miki Cullins for The New York Times. Close up by Alan Berner of The Seattle Times.