Turkey Talk and Thanksgiving

Two weeks ago I ratted out my workmates, this week I have a confession. I don't like turkey. I like the "idea" of turkey on Thanksgiving, but it rarely hits the spot come dinner time. I do look forward to a singular turkey and dressing/stuffing sandwich slathered with mayonnaise between two pieces of white bread the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas, but I would gladly substitute turkey for a ham, roast beef, or chicken dinner.The Thanksgiving turkey we know today was developed in the mid 1940's. Urban housewives preferred white-feathered fowl, a higher meat-to-bone ratio, and less dark meat. Those trends continue and commercial breeds such as the broad-breasted white dominate the freezer aisle at your local grocery store. Bred for fast growth, high feed efficiency, and a higher breast meat yield compared to heritage varieties – these are not your grandparents' turkeys. Heritage turkey breeds such as Bourbon Red, Slate, and White Holland are generally more disease-resistant and better foragers compared to their industrial counterparts, and make better additions to a backyard poultry flock. Does a home-raised heritage breed turkey taste better than a frozen store-bought bird? Absolutely! But before rushing out to buy turkey poults with an eye on next year's holiday dinner do your homework. Turkeys are notoriously difficult to raise. And in the end – it's still turkey.Historically, rural residents in Johnson County and the surrounding area may have enjoyed a wild or domestic turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, but a home-grown chicken dinner was more common. Thanksgiving also meant the weather was cool enough to kill hogs. Fresh sausage and tenderloin, or slices from last years cured hams regularly found their way to the table on Thanksgiving Day. Let's be honest, who would not gladly substitute country ham for turkey? I recently learned the University of Kentucky and Virginia Tech have literature on curing hams. Does anyone still cure hams in Johnson County? Let me know if you do – I would love to learn how.Luckily, Thanksgiving isn't about turkey or the contentious "crunchy vs slimy" cranberry sauce debate. A single dinner will not wipe war, political upheaval, or divisive community issues away this holiday season. It does, however, offer each of us an opportunity to do something to make Johnson County a better place. Skip the big box stores in favor of local businesses and crafters on Black Friday. Source local produce, meat, and baked goods for your holiday meal. Go out of your way to meet your new neighbor (I guarantee you have one), stop by an old friend's home, do something kind for a stranger. Share with those less fortunate and have a Happy Thanksgiving.