Fresh Whole Heritage Thanksgiving Turkey

This is it: The much-coveted, much-beloved Heritage Turkey! America’s oldest line of heritage turkeys — 100% pasture-raised and antibiotic-free — comes from Frank Reese’s Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch, the only remaining commercial Standardbred poultry hatchery in the U.S. For 24 years, Heritage Foods has partnered with Reese to preserve and distribute these historic turkey breeds, whose genetics date back to the 1830s.

Raised on pasture and fed a vegetarian diet, these naturally mating birds represent the foundation of America’s agricultural and culinary heritage. Heritage Foods raises eight Standardbred varieties — Bronze, Narragansett, Bourbon Red, White Holland, Black, Slate, Beltsville Small White, and Royal Palm — each with its own unique flavor.

Through new hatcheries and farmer networks, Heritage Foods is helping conserve these rare genetic lines. Now, as Frank Reese passes on his expertise to apprentice Jed Greenberg, the tradition continues. Celebrated by chefs like Alice Waters, these turkeys are prized for their unmatched flavor and historical significance — "the best tasting turkey you’ll ever eat!

Patrick Martins founded Heritage Foods in 2001 to preserve endangered species of livestock from extinction. These species were the foundation of our food supply for 5,000 years, yet they receive almost no attention. Today, Heritage Foods supports over fifty family farms that raise Heritage breeds – the very foundation of our agricultural history and gastronomic identity. These animals are raised humanely, outdoors, on pasture, using traditional farming techniques. The result is the world’s best-tasting, highest-quality meat – more marbled and boasting a far more profound taste and depth of flavor than what you’ll find at the supermarket. This is what meat used to taste like, and what it’s supposed to taste like, and with one bite you’ll understand the difference!