We’ll likely have to forego quite a few traditions this Thanksgiving.
Luckily, devouring a beautiful turkey — brined, roasted, deep-fried, injected with butter, stuffed with bread and covered in crispy, seasoned skin — is not something doctors are warning against. (Well, maybe devouring all that delectable skin is.)
We’ll take our creature comforts where we can get them. And this Thanksgiving, that comes in the form of a fresh, humanely raised turkey from a local farm.
Here’s where to find them.
Abma's Farm, Wyckoff
Abma's Farm has pivoted from peddling pumpkins to turkeys forNovember. Fresh turkeys range from 10 to 25 pounds. Abma's typically sells turkeys priced by the pound, but this year they're selling them by the piece, which owner Valerie Abma says makes it easier to offer through curbside pickup. Customers can specify to the pound what size turkey they'd like.
Turkeys are available to order on the website from Nov. 1 to 18.
Go: 700 Lawlins Road, Wyckoff; 201-891-0278,abmasfarm.com.
Ashley Farms, Flanders
Ashley Farms’ turkeys are meticulously raised. How meticulous? They’re fed a blend of homegrown corn, soybean meal and vitamins, ground on the farm to make sure the foodhas the correct amount of nutrients. And of course, they’re given no growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives or fillers and live in large pens with room to roam.
The hens (females) range from about 14 to 22 pounds and thetoms (males) range from about 23 to 45 pounds, priced at $3.99 per pound.
Go: 25 Hillside Ave.;973-584-7578,ashleyfarmsonline.com.
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Flatbrook Farm Inc., Sandyston
Located in rural Sussex County, Flatbrook Farm offers pasture-raised turkeys for Thanksgiving. These happy turkeys live in large, flexible cages that are moved every day so the birds have new, clean ground to forage on.
Fresh turkeys cost $7.50 per pound and are available by deposit only.
Go: 2 Degroat Road, Sandyston;973-948-2554,flatbrookfarm.com.
Fossil Farms, Boonton
Fossil Farms most notably sells exotic meats such as wild boar, ostrich, yak and bison to North Jersey chefs. But, for Thanksgiving it offers more traditional meat: Nicholas Breed turkeys raised in southeast Pennsylvania.
The turkeys are slaughtered and processed at Fossil Farms, said Ben De Coro, vice president of sales.
The turkeys from Fossil Farms are all-natural, free-range, fed a vegetarian diet of corn, rye, oats, alfalfa and soybean meal and are not treated with any antibiotics, growth hormones or steroids. The breed is broad-breasted and is likea heritage breed crossed with a Butterball, said Del Coro.
“They are so juicy that when you slice into one, juice goes flying across the table," De Coro said.
Turkeys can be bought at the farm store, pre-ordered and picked up, or shipped nationwide in insulated containers.
Costs $80 for a 14- to 16-pound turkey.
Go:81 Fulton St., Boonton;973-917-3155 (store phone: 973-917-3276);fossilfarms.com.
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Goffle Road Poultry Farm, Wyckoff
Goffle Road Poultry Farm boasts some pretty happy turkeys. According to owner Joe Silvestri, whose family has owned the farm for more than 70years, the birds are housed in an Amish shed, which means they have fresh air, sunlight and room to wander.
The turkeys eat a vegetarian diet and are given no antibiotics or preservatives. They’re slaughtered on-premises.
A whole turkey is $3.45 per pound. The cutoff for turkey orders by phone is Nov. 23.
Go:549Goffle Road, Wyckoff;201-444-3238,gofflepoultry.com.
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Halal Pastures, Rock Tavern, New York
Halal Pastures raises organic turkeys in the broad fields of its family farm. The turkeys aretreated humanely, given no antibiotics, arsenic or hormones and fed only non-GMO organic grains and pasture — no animal by-products, pesticides or herbicides.
When they’re slaughtered, it’s by-hand according to Islamic law, facing the Qiblah. All of the blood is then drained from the carcass. The birds go on to be air-chilled, meaning your turkey will arrive with no added water weighing it down.
A 12½-pound turkey is $110; a 16½-pound turkey is $140. Halal Pastures exclusively ships its turkeys in Cryovac bags. Shipping costs $25 on average and transport takes from one to three days. Orders over $300 get free shipping.
Go:180 Twin Arch Road; 888-400-0165,halalpastures.com.
Hinck's Turkey Farm, Manasquan
The Hinck family has been raising turkeys for four generations — since it was founded in 1938. Their turkeys are bought as babiesfrom breeders who have established particularly tasty genetic lines of turkeys. They’re then brought to the farm, fed all-natural grains with no animal proteins, and never given antibiotics. The turkeys are raised in open-air barns with outdoor ranges attached.
Fresh turkeys are priced at $3.79 per pound.
Go:1414 Atlantic Ave., Manasquan;732-223-5622,hincksfarm.com.
Spring Valley Turkey Farm, Old Bridge
Spring Valley Turkey Farm boasts Broad Breasted White turkeys that spend their days nibbling in the sunny pastures. The nutrients they can’t forage for themselves are given to them in a feed that’s high in protein, calcium and vitamins with no added hormones, antibiotics or steroids. The turkeys are handled by the same people throughout their lives so they become comfortable and stress-free.
Fresh turkeys are priced at $4.59 per pound. They range from 16 to 30+ pounds.
Go:402 Spring Valley Road; 732-970-5265,springvalleynj.com.
Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, pleasesubscribe todayand sign up forourNorth Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email:kingr@northjersey.com
Twitter:@rebeccakingnj
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