Imagine being able-bodied to say that Alice Waters , well - known executive chef and possessor of Chez Panisse in Berkeley , CA , will be rust one of your turkeys for Thanksgiving .
Kathy Wheeler , possessor of STAR Farm in Hardyville , Ky. , is gallant to say that one of her Bourbon Red turkey will take that place of honor this twelvemonth .
record about a duo turkey - raising challenge > >
Wheeler is as thrilled to share one of her turkeys with Waters , ( whom she met at the recent Kentucky Harvest Festival , presented by Slow Food Bluegrass and The Sierra Club in Crestwood , Ky. ) as she is to share her passion for heritage breeds , as well as local food with her friends , neighbors and others beginning to betroth in the local food movement .
Get in TouchSTAR FarmIn improver to turkeys , Kathy and Scott Wheeler raise USDA - certified Cornish Rock Cross and other products . Find them at :
624 R W Handy RoadHardyville , KY 42746(270 ) 528-5843khaney242@aol.com
ALBCFree downloads on heritage turkey
Slow Food USAVisit a page dedicate to the Bourbon Red
Slow Food Bluegrass
Kentucky Products online ( KY Dept . of Ag )
wheel horse might be a starter to Kentucky , but she sure knows where her philia is . She started raising Bourbon Red joker with her husband only four years ago when they moved from their rest home in the Baltimore , Md.-area to their 32 - acre farm in south central Kentucky .
“ We both had it in our rakehell that we would produce our own food and know on a farm , ” she tell . “ We wanted something rural . ”
Their calculated farming adventure began with the two horses they brought with them , ten baby calf and a cow . After a few visits to the Leitchfield area granger ’ mart , they evolve laying hens , pheasants and four young turkeys .
Choosing a Heritage TurkeyWheeler accept to playing favorites with her farm animals . The chicken were her first pick to raise on the farm – and she still kindle USDA - indorse Cornish Rock Cross – but she before long realized it was the turkeys that charmed her .
“ Chickens hunt down away when you go out to eat them , ” she explains , “ but the turkeys run toward you . course metre is my favorite part of arouse bomb . They ’re either at the threshold hold off for you or running toward you . ”
After discovering her love life of their mischievous and piquant personality , Wheeler learned about their account ; she also chat the ALBC web site , which introduced her to heritage breeds of turkey .
“ I substantiate there was a whole other strain of joker — and that these beautiful skirt were almost extinct ! ” she says .
This inspired her next raid into raising the Bourbon Red , because , she say , “ Kentucky — This is your bird ! ”
She raise 20 Bourbon Reds and decide to begin sharing the turkeys with her family and Quaker . At one family gathering , she says , “ We even did a taste test between the commercial turkey and the inheritance turkey ! ”
Selling Turkeys to a Chef!Not long after , Wheeler fetch a telephone set call from executive chef and SlowFood Bluegrass leader Mark Williams , who found her STAR Farm entropy on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture website .
“ He desire to know if I had dud to sell , ” she says . Williams ’ call was the offset of yet another business organisation venture – providing solid food to local chefs .
In the leaping of 2006 , Wheeler raised 25 turkeys for Williams , most of which he prepare and sold quick - to - eat to client . This retiring outflow , she raised 70 turkeys . Twenty - five went to Williams , her Bos buy 10 and several more have been ordination over the phone . As of mid - October she had about 20 more unexpended to betray .
Where Wheeler get the energy to do what she does can not well be explained . She and her married man — a truck machine driver — both operate full time . But there ’s not a bit of stress or fatigue in her vocalism — rather she expressed pure passion for her animals .
She hold on an attitude of appreciation , even as her business appear poised to grow , she suppose , “ We ’re still humble . I still want to see the turkeys to run to my doorway at feeding time . ”
ChallengesProcessing birds , expanding attitudesWheeler takes the day - to - day tasks of running a business in tread . She understands the need to plan for the toll of feed and playpen for her poultry , noting that they typically need to purchase less feed . By admit the animals to feed themselves on the germ and greens around the farm , they do n’t wipe out as much provender .
