We’ll have heritage birds as well as the cross we had last year. Both are delicious. The heritage birds will have less white meat than the cross. It’s not to say that the heritage are ALL dark meat but just less white. There are subtle differences in flavor and texture but even that tends to vary from year to year based on the type of forage they have access to, the overall weather conditions, especially in the spring when it affects growth rates the most. To be honest, you’d really have to taste them side-by-side to pick up on the differences. Bottom line is, they’re all good.
There are differences in sizes. Our heritage birds are going to be smaller. Probably somewhere between 8-12 pounds, maybe a touch larger. Depending on your needs, this may make a difference in what bird you choose to buy. Or, if you want the heritage bird but need more weight to feed a larger crowd, you may want to consider buying more than one. (Which also gives you added options on seasoning or stuffing possibilities!). The per pound price on our heritage birds will be $8.
The hybrid/cross birds will likely be larger – in the 10-20 pound range, and maybe a touch larger. The price per pound on these birds will be $5. Another option you have if you're feeding a larger crowd is to consider buying one of each bird so you can do the side-by-side taste test. (Just be sure to take the weight difference into account regarding cooking time,)
All the birds will be delivered fresh this year and will be available for pickup in the D.C. area on the weekend before Thanksgiving at either our Saturday farmers market in Arlington (Courthouse), or at Dupont Circle on Sunday. In fact, it’s the ONLY way you’ll be able to get your bird in the D.C. area. You can also arrange to pick up your bird at our plant in Moneta, VA between 9am and 5pm on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, November 23-25. You’ll have to pick it up and pay for it (less your deposit) at one of these markets or at EcoFriendly in Moneta as we have no other means of getting your turkey to you. We can only take cash or check for the balance when you pick up your turkey. If you haven’t already, you can place your order and deposit in person at the market next weekend. But we’re also ready to begin taking orders online via Paypal using your credit card or making a direct debit from your bank account. We recommend placing your order as soon as possible to ensure we have enough birds to cover the demand. We will not accept any Paypal orders after 8pm on Tuesday, November 17.
To order online, all you need to do is visit Paypal and follow the links to Send Money. You’ll want to send $40 for each bird you are buying to feedback@ecofriendly.com. (Two turkeys - $80, three turkeys - $120, etc.) When you send your deposit, you MUST include the following information in the Notes section so we can reserve your order accurately or contact you if there are any problems:
- Your first and last name
- Your telephone number
- Your email address
- The type of bird (breed) you wish to purchase
- The approximate weight or weight range of the turkey you would like to reserve
- The location where you will pick up your turkey(s), either Saturday in Arlington, Sunday at Dupont Circle, or during the days and hours noted above at EcoFriendly in Moneta.
Please remember when you pick up, you will have to pay the balance for your turkey by cash or check, even if you used your credit card to pay your deposit and reserve your bird through Paypal.
It’s as easy as that! Although we can’t make any weight guarantees, we will do our best to find a bird for you as close as possible to what you requested. In the end, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that you’ll be gobbling a pasture-raised, humanely-treated bird this Thanksgiving and you can get right down to making the green bean casserole! And feel free to share the news about EcoFriendly Foods and our turkeys to your friends in case they’d like to taste the difference this Thanksgiving. If you have any questions on the process, simply drop an email to feedback@ecofriendly.com.
And, as always, we thank you for your continued support of the clean food movement and the choices you make with your wallet and fork. If you're on Facebook, be sure to join our growing EcoFriendly Foods fan page. And thanks for keeping EcoFriendly Foods in your life.
