[1]Photo used under Creative Commons from Alby Headrick
After writing my last post about meat labels, lots of questions came flying in about where to buy that healthy, antibiotic and hormone free Thanksgiving bird. So I thought I would supplement the label info with some insight on where to find your turkey.
Remember: the best organic food is what is grown or raised closest to you.
- Local Harvest [2] allows you to type in your zip and a list of local, organic farms will appear. This site can also be used to find CSA’s, farmers markets and restaurants in your neck of the woods.
- Support your local, independant markets. Check to see what types of turkey they are offering before heading to the big box stores. They might carry locally raised organic turkeys.
- Your Local Whole Foods Market-Before buying your turkey be sure to check where your bird flew in from. These birds may have traveled far to get to you. My local Whole Foods is selling turkeys from farms in Pennsylvania and California. That’s a lot of gas and pollution to get that Turkey to your table. Try to find a locally raised turkey.
- GrassFed Traditions [3] Something seems a little strange about buying your turkey online-but this site offers that convenience. Again, if the turkey had to travel far to reach you it seems to be negating the organic intent-but that’s for you to decide.
I was shocked to find an endless supply of online options for buying your turkey.
So where is my turkey coming from? I am off the hook this year. However, if I were in charge of the turkey I would use Local Harvest [4] to find a local, organic turkey farm. Buying local almost guarantees my turkey will be fresher than anything in the supermarket, which means it will taste delicious and have more nutrients. There is nothing like supporting the locavore movement-eating food from local producers. One of the ways I do this is by supporting a year round CSA [5]. You can’t beat the fresh veggies and fruit.
So….where’s your turkey coming from? Would you buy a turkey online?