HOW IT WORKS
You will need to set up an account here on our exclusive Thanksgiving store site. (This is different from our main webstore.) You will need your zip code and to place a card on file for payment for your order.
Choose Pick Up at our Farm Store, at 8717 Springs Rd Warrenton VA.
-- OR --
Choose Delivery to one of our 24 locations. Search your zip code HERE to find the location nearest you.
All birds come frozen
•HALF turkeys are cut lengthwise down the middle; you'll receive either the left or right side of the bird (includes a breast, leg-thigh and wing; no giblets).
•WHOLE turkeys include the neck attached, and a heart, liver and gizzard inside the bird.
•HOLIDAY CHICKENS are our largest chickens, suitable for a small holiday feast.
Add the payment card you want to be used to process your order. Add any notes or questions about your order in the comment box on your order. Then confirm your order. This puts your desired bird(s) on reserve and sends you a confirmation email with your order details.
Your payment will be processed for your order total within 1 to 5 days, and you will be emailed a separate receipt. If you need to cancel an order, there will be a $35 cancellation fee subtracted from the amount refunded.
What size turkey should I get?
How long do I need to thaw my turkey?
How long do I cook my turkey?
CHOOSE FROM TWO OPTIONS TO GET YOUR BIRD
OPTION 1:
OUR FARM STORE IN WARRENTON VA
Our Farm Store is located on our Warrenton farm (address below). Holiday bird orders can be picked up anytime during our regular store hours, now through January 8. When you visit, you'll give your name or order number and we'll retrieve your bird from our storage freezer for you to take home.
PLACE: 8717 Springs Rd Warrenton VA
DATE: Now through January 8*
*Holiday Store Closures:
Nov 28
Dec 24
Dec 25
Jan 1
TIME: During Store Hours
Monday through Friday 11AM to 5PM
Saturday 10AM to 5PM
OPTION 2:
DELIVERY LOCATIONS IN VA, MD & DC
We also have 23 delivery locations in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC (see chart below). Customers choose their location, place orders online, and we pack them in large coolers once a month to deliver. Customers go to their delivery location to pick up. For November and December, our deliveries will include orders from this Holiday Bird Store and our Main Store.
Need to change the location of an order you already made?
Please email, text, or contact us here ASAP, and let us know. Changes must be made at least 3 days prior to delivery for all delivery locations.
HOW WE RAISE & PACKAGE OUR TURKEYS
Pasture-Raised + Why It Matters
We raise all our turkeys on fresh pasture, and with no chemicals, antibiotics, or GMO feeds. We pride ourselves in regularly moving our turkeys into fresh pasture. This is the game-changing distinction between our birds and industrial organic grocery store birds. And it makes a world of difference, as the Turkeys get up to 40% of their nutrients off the pasture. Happier, healthier birds. Check out the video below to find out more about why we, and other farmers, are going back to raising birds on fresh pasture daily.
Why Our Birds Come Frozen
FARMING PRACTICES (NOT FREEZING) DETERMINE QUALITY & TASTE MOST
No surprise here, but we think the farming practices are by far the most determinative of quality and taste. And of course, we are really proud of how our turkeys are constantly on fresh pasture, receive non-GMO feed, no antibiotics, no chemicals, and are treated humanely from start to finish!
OUR BIRDS ARE FROZEN 2 MONTHS INSTEAD OF THE 6 MONTH NORM
We slaughter and process our turkeys in September, and they are immediately frozen that day for Thanksgiving in November. Industrial turkey growers are raising Thanksgiving turkeys 10 months of the year which means that the "Fresh" store turkeys are often up to 6 months old.
"FRESH" BIRDS IN THE STORE HAVE LIKELY BEEN FROZEN & THAWED
Unfortunately, the bird that you see in the grocery store that is labeled "Fresh" or "Never Frozen" actually was almost certainly frozen. What?! Yes, it is very misleading. The USDA allows the industry to keep turkeys at 26 degrees Fahrenheit for months, and then defrost to the 40 degrees Fahrenheit you see at the grocery store with the label "Fresh" or "Never Frozen." Those same pre-thawed birds could also be 6 months old. Which all leaves us the fun Yogi-Berra-like thing to say: "Our frozen turkeys are fresher than their fresh turkeys!"
WHY WE NO LONGER SELL FRESH TURKEYS
Way back in the day we used to raise our turkeys to sell fresh, but we learned some things along the way. So here is why we no longer do that...How turkeys grow is quite variable, so trying to time their growth to be the sizes that customers want right before Thanksgiving is very tricky and often doesn't work out great. This means customers are counting on a certain size turkey and then at the last minute they find out they are getting a much smaller or larger bird than they wanted.
Turkeys like ours that are actually raised outdoors on pasture are a lot happier to be raised in the nicer weather of late spring to early fall. I remember some miserable turkeys in cold November rains. It can be tough on the birds. It can also be tough on us farmers to be processing processing turkeys in late November. There have been some really cold days, where we were even battling frozen water lines. Eek!
And finally, we just haven't seen a noticeable reduction in the quality of our frozen turkeys. They are one of the tastiest things we raise, and we sell to some of the best chefs in the area who are very happy with them.
Choosing Size, Thawing, Cooking
What size turkey do I need?
A good rule of thumb is around 1 lb of turkey per adult. That does not include leftovers, so if you want leftovers, plan for 2 or more pounds per adult!
Thawing Suggestions
Your turkey will come frozen. To thaw in a refrigerator: allow 24 hrs for every 5 lbs, to thaw in water: allow 3 hrs for every 5 lbs.
Cooking Suggestions
Pasture-raised turkeys cook faster than industrial-raised turkeys. We highly recommend using a meat thermometer to cook to the appropriate temp, and not overcook. Generally we have found best cook times to be in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 minutes per pound.
With half turkeys, again we recommend using a meat thermometer. Surprisingly, its common to use twice the weight of a half turkey to determine cook time. For example, if your half turkey weighs 10 lbs, you'd use 20 lbs to determine your cook time (20 lbs x 8 to 10 minutes / lb = 160 to 200 minutes).
Turkey Prep Sample
|
WHOLE BIRD
|
HALF BIRD
|
|---|---|---|
Sample Weight
|
20 lb Turkey |
10 lb Half Turkey |
Thawing in Refrigerator
|
96 Hours (4 Days) | 48 Hrs (2 Days) |
Thawing in Water
|
12 Hours |
6 Hours |
Cook Time
|
160 to 200 minutes (2 Hours, 40 minutes) | 160 to 200 minutes (2 Hours, 40 minutes)1 |
Do I need to brine my turkey?
It's optional. Some customers brine it and love it, while others don't brine it and love it.