The Hungry Hoosier

November: Time to Talk Turkey

Originally published in moist and juicy newspapers on November 1, 2007

For those of us who like to cook, much of our spare time in November will be spent planning for and procuring needed supplies for Thanksgiving Dinner, the Super Bowl of cooking and eating holidays. In years past, I’ve encouraged readers to bypass the grocery store birds to try a farm-fresh turkey. This year, your hearing more of the same from me.

Here in central Indiana we have several options for local birds, from both farmers and now a couple retailers. Here are a few of those options.

Promised Land Farms (9781 W 275 N Thorntown) offers free-range birds that can be ordered and picked up a couple of days before Thanksgiving. You can arrange a pre-Thanksgiving visit to see the turkeys in action and meet Jim and Nancy Whelan. It is a fun trip for the whole family. They can be reached by phone at 765-483-9268. Their website is www.promisedlandfarm.us.

Humphrey Family Farms (3981 S. Grant St, Williamsport) raises all sorts of birds - geese, ducks, chickens, and turkeys. The Humphreys take orders at the Traders Point Creamery Winter Market in Zionsville (www.tpforganics.com) and deliver the birds there for pick up. The Humphreys can be reached by phone at 765-762-3160. You might want to also keep them in mind for a Christmas goose if you want to have an old fashioned Charles Dickens sort of holiday.

Purple Rock Farm (2282 E. 250 N, Frankfort) is also selling an all-natural bird. Gina and Travis Sheets have already processed their birds. They are frozen and ready to pick up anytime. Proceeds from Purple Rock sales go to support the Sheets’ missionary work in third-world countries. Gina and Travis can be reached by phone at 765-659-5310.

Joe’s Butcher Shop (111. W. Main Street) is Carmel’s butcher extraordinaire and Joe is selling all-natural free-range turkey’s raised across the state line in Ohio. Even though it is not an Indiana farmer, I think this is a good choice. Joe has a commitment to quality and sustainable practices. This is guaranteed to be a delicious bird. Joe is taking orders until November 10, 2007. He can be reached by phone at 317-846-8877 and online at www.joesbutchershop.com.

Goose: The Market (2503 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis) is a brand new retail shop in Indy’s Fall Creek Place specializing in top-rate foods from both near and far. They have a terrific year-round selection of meats, cheeses, and all sorts of delicious foods. For Thanksgiving, they too have gone to Ohio to procure all-natural, pasture-raised turkeys. You can count on Chef/Owner Christopher Eley to provide you with a quality product. Goose is taking orders through November 5th. They can be reached by phone at 317-924-4944 and online at www.goosethemarket.com.

The last several years I’ve gotten my bird from an area farmer. I can honestly say these have been the best turkeys I’ve ever had. This year I decided to order from Joe’s Butcher Shop in Carmel. I wanted a whole bird and an extra bone-in breast for plenty of white-meat turkey sandwiches! Joe was able to handle that request. Next week, I’ll provide some tips for how I’ll be preparing my bird this year.

Is August too Early to be Thinking about Christmas Dinner?

For those of us REALLY into food, the answer, of course, is no. Thanksgiving and Christmas are to foodies what the World Series and the Superbowl are to the sports fans. Our Thanksgiving tradition includes getting a pasture-raised turkey from our friends the Whelan's at Promised Land Farms in Thorntown. Last year, Henry (five) and I went out to the farm in September to "visit" or turkey. Jim and Nancy send them off to be butchered a few days before Thanksgiving and you come back to pick up your bird right before the big day. This tradition has added a new layer of "thanks" to our thanksgiving - knowing the people who cared for our bird, seeing the quality of life it lived on the farm. Jim has told me that he talks to his gobblers from day one telling them that they have a very noble purpose - to help one family have a very special Thanksgiving. You've got to love that. My wife, who is a vegetarian 364 days a year, makes an exception on Thanksgiving when we are eating a Promised Land turkey.

This weekend I learned about another family farm that raises turkeys and also geese. It is the prospect of a GOOSE that prompted me to begin thinking about Christmas dinner. The Humphrey Family Farm is located in Williamsport, Indiana (west of Lafayette near the Illinois line) and they specialize in pasture-raised poultry. As you might imagine they have a limited supply of turkeys and geese so they are already taking deposits on birds for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can download a deposit form here.

Humphrey's birds freely room over 36 acres of pasture and woods, sleeping, eating, and basking in the fresh country air. Birds will be available the week before Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas and you can arrange to pick up either at their farm or at Trader's Point Creamery in Zionsville. See the deposit form for contact information and further details.

I've never fixed a goose for Christmas, or any other time for that matter. It sounds so Dickensian - I'd have to coach the boys on an English accent so one of them could say, "God bless us, everyone!"