It's almost time to order turkeys. Last year I got our turkeys in March. Our turkeys were only 22 lbs live weight for fair in August. The folks in Sherman County got their turkeys in January and their turkeys were in the 40 lb range at the end of August. They were approximately 10 weeks older then my turkeys. So, this year I'm ordering them early!
I plan on ordering 16 in January and another 16 in May. That'll be 32 turkeys. Two will go to auction at fair, one for Brandon and one for Katrina. Then two to four will go into my own freezer, one whole to use for Thanksgiving, the other three will be cut into pieces and some will be ground into ground meat. The remaining 28 will be pre-sold or sold at the Farmer's Market. Actually I already have fifteen spoken for, that'll leave nine to sell at the Farmer's Market.
I'm also thinking that I need to order meat chicks to arrive in January. My freezer is almost empty of meat. We still have three ducks left, but they will be eaten for Christmas Dinner in a little over a week from today. I'd like to order 50 chicks. 10 to 15 will go into my freezer. Well, maybe 20 for my freezer and the other 30 can be sold at the Marketplace, until the Farmer's Market starts back up.
It takes six to seven months to raise a turkey up right. It takes two to three months to raise the meat birds up to a good size and weight. This year I plan on ordering the Broad Breasted Whites and the Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys. For meat chickens I plan on getting 50% Cornish X Barred Rock cross, and 50% Red Rangers. If I can sell them butchered at the Marketplace for a decent price, then I'll get more for the Farmer's Market. The Marketplace at the Mint started this year in November and ends the 21st of December. It starts back up in March and should go until the end of May. The Farmer's Market starts the first weekend of June, but we'll be at the Mother Earth News Homesteading Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds that weekend, and goes until the middle of October.
Anyone interested in ordering a homegrown, non GMO, naturally raised turkey or some chickens this new year? Some turkeys will be ready for butcher in August, with more ready in November. Chickens should be ready in March, and April with possibly more ready in May, June, July and August.
I plan on ordering 16 in January and another 16 in May. That'll be 32 turkeys. Two will go to auction at fair, one for Brandon and one for Katrina. Then two to four will go into my own freezer, one whole to use for Thanksgiving, the other three will be cut into pieces and some will be ground into ground meat. The remaining 28 will be pre-sold or sold at the Farmer's Market. Actually I already have fifteen spoken for, that'll leave nine to sell at the Farmer's Market.
I'm also thinking that I need to order meat chicks to arrive in January. My freezer is almost empty of meat. We still have three ducks left, but they will be eaten for Christmas Dinner in a little over a week from today. I'd like to order 50 chicks. 10 to 15 will go into my freezer. Well, maybe 20 for my freezer and the other 30 can be sold at the Marketplace, until the Farmer's Market starts back up.
It takes six to seven months to raise a turkey up right. It takes two to three months to raise the meat birds up to a good size and weight. This year I plan on ordering the Broad Breasted Whites and the Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys. For meat chickens I plan on getting 50% Cornish X Barred Rock cross, and 50% Red Rangers. If I can sell them butchered at the Marketplace for a decent price, then I'll get more for the Farmer's Market. The Marketplace at the Mint started this year in November and ends the 21st of December. It starts back up in March and should go until the end of May. The Farmer's Market starts the first weekend of June, but we'll be at the Mother Earth News Homesteading Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds that weekend, and goes until the middle of October.
Anyone interested in ordering a homegrown, non GMO, naturally raised turkey or some chickens this new year? Some turkeys will be ready for butcher in August, with more ready in November. Chickens should be ready in March, and April with possibly more ready in May, June, July and August.