No reservations needed. Fresh-never-frozen, local turkeys available November 18.
You can rest assured that you will find the turkey you are looking for without the hassle of having to place a reservation. Our local, pasture raised, fresh, never frozen turkeys are available beginning Saturday, November 18. At that time and throughout the week shoppers will have an array of turkeys to choose from. Additional turkey options are available earlier. For details, contact our Meat & Seafood Department at 785-843-8544.
We will have a variety of sizes to fit your event and appetite. Small, medium and large full birds as well as select parts (breasts, legs, etc.), hand-cut by our butchers. Our skilled Meat & Seafood Department enjoy helping you make memorable meals which is why we offer special orders and requests for cuts as well. No matter what you are looking for - whole turkeys, turkey parts, rib or pork roasts, goose, duck and more- we can help!
About Our Turkeys
- free range raised
- antibiotic free
- preservative free
- local turkeys are fresh, never frozen
Turkey Storage
If stored properly, fresh uncooked turkeys can last well over a week. Our butchers recommend storing your turkey in the back of your refrigerator, the coolest area.
Our Local Turkey Producers
- Bauman’s Cedar Valley Farms, Garnett, Kansas
- Vesecky Family Farms, Baldwin City, Kansas
Additional Turkey Selections
Contact our Meat & Seafood Department at 785-843-8544 for details on additional turkey options.
Turkey Terms
Understanding some commonly used poultry-producing terms can help put you in the know. However, it’s important to know that some of the terms are regulated, while others are not. When in doubt about poultry terms or what’s offered at the co-op, just ask! Our skilled butchers are happy to talk turkey.
Organic. Poultry that meets the requirements of the National Organics Program (NOP) has been raised in housing that permits natural behavior, with outdoor access, has been fed certified organic GMO-free feed (including pasture), has not been given antibiotics or hormones and has been processed organically. The USDA organic label requires producers to follow production and handling practices in accordance with the national standards; certifying agents ensure compliance through annual inspections.
Free-range. This USDA regulation means that the animal has been allowed access to the outside. The government doesn’t specify that poultry must go outside, for how long, or the amount or kind of space that must be provided, but the idea is that poultry is free to roam outdoors and engage in natural behaviors (this is the way most poultry was raised before high-density confinement was introduced in the 1950s). And poultry that exercises produces leaner meat.
Natural. USDA allows this label to be used when a product contains no artificial ingredients or added colors and is only minimally processed. The label must explain what “natural” means, so be sure to read on. It might say “no added colorings or artificial ingredients; minimally processed,” for example.
“No hormones added.” means just that, but keep in mind that Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising poultry, so this term should apply to all poultry anyway. Regulations also require that if a poultry label says, “no hormones added,” it must also say, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”
“No antibiotics added.” means that the producer has provided documentation to the USDA that the animals were raised without antibiotics.
Cage-free. Poultry that’s cage-free is allowed to roam, but not necessarily outdoors. This allows poultry to engage in some natural behaviors, such as walking, nesting, and perching. However, this term is not regulated by USDA nor by third-party certifiers for poultry, though it is regulated for eggs.
Pastured poultry. This is a term coined for chickens raised on grass pasture all of the time after the initial brooding period. However, this term does not guarantee that poultry feeds only on pasture.
Fresh. A “fresh” poultry label means that the temperature of the raw poultry has never been below 26 degrees F. (Frozen poultry, on the other hand, has a temperature of 0 degrees F or below.) A turkey could be kept at 27 degrees F for weeks or even months, though, and then sold as “fresh.” Ask our butchers for details on the freshness of our birds.
About Our Local Turkey Producers
Bauman’s Cedar Valley Farms
Located in Garnett, Kansas, Cedar Valley Farms is a family farm that produces pasture-raised eggs, chicken, turkey and duck - all of which are fed all-natural feeds with no added hormones or antibiotics. The Baumans bought 180-acre Cedar Valley Farms in 2003 and operate the only USDA-approved and certified poultry processor in Kansas. You can also find their eggs and chicken at the co-op year round.
Vesecky Family Farms
Located in Baldwin City, Kansas, three generations of Veseckys work together to provide consumers in the Kaw Valley with a variety of berries, crops and pasture-raised turkeys. The Veseckys have been raising turkeys since 2006 and are involved in all aspects of the job. They get “poults” in the spring, and when fully feathered, they are turned out to pasture. The young turkeys are provided with grain and water and are free to graze on grasses and bugs. To protect the birds from predators, they are watched over by a Great Pyrenees dog.