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Thanksgiving is, without a doubt, the most meat-focused holiday in modern history. ("Happy Turkey Day!") In anticipation of this annual feast of gratitude, a friend and I visited the closest organic turkey farm we could find: Tedach Ranch, just 30 miles east of Denver in Bennett, Colorado. Gobble, gobble - it was an eye opener.
The ranch was born out of one man's steadfast refusal to accept the status quo of the poultry industry. Run by the diligent and soft-spoken poultry farmer (and full-time postal employee), Dallas Gilbert, the ranch includes chickens, ducks, geese and turkey, all raised free-range and certified humane.
"I didn't want to go vegetarian," said Gilbert, "but I couldn't stomach how the birds are raised. It's inhumane and unhealthy for us." So, in 1985, Gilbert began raising birds for market using the land he'd purchased in 1981.
I can certainly vouch for the free-range conditions. As we drove up the gravel road, we were met by a gaggle of geese and a flock of ducks, all wandering around to forage as they please. Though we were an hour early, Dallas got off his tractor and gave us a tour, generously answering all our questions and letting me photograph everything.
I'd explained to him via email that his would be my first farm visit in an ongoing effort to seek out local food sources. Inspired by so many (No Impact Man, Beth Terry, 100-Mile Diet, LoveLandLocal), it was high time I started putting my principles where my mouth is. Or something like that.
After about 10 minutes with the shy poultry farmer, it was easy to see that Gilbert genuinely loves the birds.( "Oh, yeah. The chickens will talk to you," he said with a grin, "Absolutely.") When I confessed that I'd developed a crush on his bossy rooster, he beamed with pride. And when he discussed the current state of the poultry industry, he was incensed.
"The industry basically raises chickens as diabetics," he said, matter-of-factly. "Imagine raising humans so that we end up with 8-year-olds who weigh 400 pounds." (Actually, I think we're already doing this ...)
Tedach Ranch is also home to Eastern Plains Natural Foods, a co-op which currently includes 65 people who pay $85 annually to access fresh, pasture-based poultry, eggs and turkey sausage throughout the year. Gilbert sells about 300 turkeys annually (8-25 pounds) and hauling them to the USDA-approved processing plant (also certified humane) in Kansas is quite the ordeal. Unfortunately, there isn't an adequate plant in Colorado as of yet.
For the most recent haul, he went to CU and recruited students for help. Gilbert's co-op also offers a Member Work Barter Program, where members can work on the farm in exchange for product, although there aren't many positions available. (The site says only one position is open for this season.
"All whole birds are this year's hatch and are never more than 7 months of age. The processed poultry are provided as whole, cleaned, frozen birds complete with giblets when appropriate or as portions in packages."
--Eastern Plains Natural Foods, membership page
Tedach Ranch is also a green operation, running on wind and solar as much as possible. Gilbert put up a windmill in October 2008 at an upfront cost of $15K. It runs on a two-kilo system and he sells the energy back to the grid but it currently covers about 1/3 of his overall electric bill.
When Gilbert began, he started with a generic turkey breed. Then, he'd read about how the Heritage breed was in need of preservation. Now, that's the only breed he raises and he does so with great pride.
"Prized for their rich flavor and beautiful plumage, Heritage Turkeys are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White industrial breed of turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. But the Heritage Breeds still exist and are making a comeback….Large corporations have dominated turkey production and breeding since the 1960's, choosing the Broad Breasted Whites because of high breast meat production in a short period. But Heritage Breeds have been quietly gaining a renewed market and respect due to their flavor and superior biological diversity."
--Heritage Turkey Foundation
Gilbert also keeps a vigilant security team comprised of three mules - Thunder, Murphy and Lucky. Evidently, mules are the arch-enemies
