The spared turkeys were waiting for us in a crate, right alongside folding tables lined with the bodies of their flockmates.
Our vehicle was strategically parked near the front door, so that when the turkeys were loaded in, it would happen in view of customers coming and going.
A curious little girl, headed to the car with her mother, wanted to see the live turkeys. We invited her to touch the turkey’s soft tail feathers. She was worried about where they were going. “We’re taking these turkeys to a sanctuary,” we said, “so they don’t have to die.”
Her mother looked on with a big smile, despite holding a shopping bag containing a dead bird.
Although Charmingfare Farm shows photos of heritage breed turkeys on their web site, the ones they sell at Thanksgiving are large-breed, “Broad-Breasted White” turkeys (referred to as “Industry” or “Commercial Turkeys”).
The plight of such turkeys includes being bred not for fitness and health, but for fast growth. Rapid growth contributes to a range of devastating health problems, especially leg and joint problems and heart failure. These turkeys aren’t designed for longevity and thus require specialized care. (The Open Sanctury Project is an excellent resource for animal care.)