[by Jennifer Hattam]
There's no time like a holiday celebrating the harvest to focus on great, green food. For meat-eaters, a fresh turkey from a local poultry farmer is probably the most environmentally sustainable option. But even without farmland nearby, the options abound. Whether you opt for free-range or faux, your guests will be full of Thanksgiving cheer with one of these five tasty and eco-friendly turkeys on the table.
Make your holiday meal even more earth-friendly by taking the 100-Mile Thanksgiving Challenge and cooking exclusively with ingredients grown close to home. A menu that minimizes meat and emphasizes seasonal vegetable dishes—like Planet Green's own recipe for roast pumpkin with arugula and candied pumpkin seeds—is not only vegetarian-friendly, but less likely to leave your guests in a food coma.
Of course, the sustainable celebrant doesn't let anything go to waste. If you deep-fry your bird (calories be damned!), why not recycle the used fryer oil into biofuel? Eating Thanksgiving leftovers is as traditional as football and the Macy's parade, but try whipping up a day-after feast of barley risotto with turkey and mushrooms, turkey couscous salad with pomegranates, or turkey, corn and roasted-pepper enchiladas to stave off cries of "Not another turkey sandwich!"
Why we like it: A native bird like a Bourbon Red is a great way to celebrate an all-American holiday. Since heritage turkeys take longer to reach maturity than mass-produced ones, turkey connoisseurs say they develop a superior flavor. Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch was the first turkey farm to be certified by the Animal Welfare Institute and its birds are fully labeled with information about their feeding history and the conditions under which they were raised. You can even watch the turkeys on a 24-hour web-cam!
Eco factor: Though it may seem contradictory, eating rare livestock varieties can actually help preserve the species, promoting genetic diversity in the ecosystem. The Heritage Turkey Project, a partnership between Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch and Heritage Foods USA, the sales arm of Slow Food USA, has doubled the population of heritage turkeys in the United States. Small-scale farms like Good Shepherd also use land more sustainably than factory operations do.
Where: Heritage Foods USA.
How much: $84 - $219, depending on the size of the bird.
Tasty tidbit: Fourth-generation poultry farmer Frank Reese's flock has a genetic line that can be traced back to the late 1800's.
Why we like it: Besides the fun-to-say name, Tofurky is the now-classic vegan substitute for a holiday bird. Recipes like roast Tofurky baked with caramelized onions and cherry relish will win over even the most dedicated carnivore at your table.
Eco factor: This meatless meal is GMO-free (made without genetically modified organisms) and certified organic tofu by a certified organic processor. Manufacturer Turtle Island Foods invests in wind energy and packages its products in paperboard made out of 100 percent recycled material.
Where: At Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market, and other retailers, or online from Turtle Island Foods.
How much: $55 for the "feast" package, including a Tofurky roast, dumplings, gravy, stuffing, and jerky; or $34 for just the roast.
Tasty tidbit: Turtle Island, which also produces Tofurky jerky and three different Tofurky sausages, takes its name from the moniker several Native American tribes gave to North America.
Why we like it: Turkeys from Organic Prairie are raised by members of an independent cooperative of organic family farms.
Eco factor: The birds are fed certified-organic feed, free of synthetic pesticides, genetically modified ingredients, and animal byproducts. Like other organic poultry producers, Organic Prairie raises its turkeys without using any growth-enhancing antibiotics or synthetic hormones.
Where: Organic Prairie lists local stores that carry its products and online retailers that deliver.
How much: $80 for a 13- to 16-pound bird.
Tasty tidbit: Turkeys are scared of the dark: Co-op members Eric and Andrea Miehlisch use blue nightlights in their barn to emulate moon glow.
Why we like it: The thought of a turkey raised on "grasses, native weeds, wild flowers, oats, seeds, alfalfa, fruits, vegetables, clover, and natural vegetation" makes our mouth water.
Eco factor: Rainbow Ranch eschews hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, genetically modified ingredients, and artificial fertilizers. Its birds come from local egg layers and are organic, heritage, grass-fed, and cage-free. The company also uses recyclable and biodegradable shipping materials.
Where: LocalHarvest handles online orders.
How much: $90 - $180, depending on the size of the bird.
Tasty tidbit: The pristine White Holland turkey, one of Rainbow Ranch's main breeds, has been a favorite in Europe since the 1500's. The Aztecs also selectively bred white turkeys.
Why we like it: Mary Pitman's family has been raising turkeys in California's Central Valley for more than 50 years. Their birds have four times more room to roam than those at conventional turkey farms.
Eco factor: All of Mary's turkeys are preservative, antibiotic, and added hormone-free and the turkeys munch on vegetarian feed, free of animal by-products. Organic and heritage varieties are also available.
Where: Mary's turkeys are sold at stores around the country.
How much: Prices vary widely, from $2 to $6 per pound, depending on the variety and the store.
Tasty tidbit: According to Mary, Heritage turkeys are more "animated and social" than common breeds, and apt to follow you around.
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