67: Healthier Thanksgiving Dinner Starts With This

Healthier Thanksgiving Dinner Starts With This

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I want to tackle an important question. Why should you choose a pasture raised turkey for Thanksgiving instead of grabbing the first one you see at the grocery store? You know, it's not just about tradition or taste. There is a lot more to the story when it comes to how the turkey on your table was raised.

And by the end of this episode, I think you'll see why it matters. Also, here at the Kummer Homestead, we are raising our own slow growing, pasture raised turkeys this year. So I'll share what it's been like having the, having full control over the process and why we've chosen. To do things this way. And if you think now, well, yeah, this episode is just a pitch for, you know, buying, you know, turkeys from the Kummer homestead, rest assured, we're not selling our turkeys, we're just raising them for us, so this is not a cheap pitch, this is, you know, meant to be educational, so you can make better choices when you go out and shop for your Thanksgiving turkey.

Intro

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Thanksgiving is all about gathering, you know, with family, celebrating abundance and sharing a meal. But have you ever stopped to think about the story behind the turkey sitting at the center of the table? I bet not. You know, it's easy to pick up a conventional bird and at the store, but. What does that choice really represent?

When you opt for a pasture raised turkey, you're making a statement about health, the environment, and even ethics. You know, imagine sitting around the table with your loved ones, knowing that the bird you're serving lived a life outside, foraging, roaming freely, and contributing to the ecosystem. That's a lot more meaningful than eating a bird that's never seen daylight, crammed into a space so small it can barely move.

When you choose a pasture raised turkey, you're not just making a healthier choice for yourself. You're supporting a farming system that works with nature instead of against it. Conventional turkeys are fed on grain, usually monocropped corn and soy, which comes with a host of environmental issues like pesticide use, soil depletion.

Pasturized turkey, on the other hand, are part of a regenerative system. They leave outside, fertilize the land and eat a varied diet of grass, insects and forage. And this reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and improves soil health. All while producing a bird that's healthier for you. You know, we've all heard the saying, you are what you eat.

Well, the same goes for a turkey. A conventionally store bought turkey is fed a steady diet of cheap grains like sowing corn. As a result, the fat profile of the turkey is skewed toward omega 6 fats, which contribute to inflammation in your body, something most of us are already getting too much of. A pasteurized turkey, however, has a much more better, or balanced, fat profile.

Omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. And this is because they eat a natural diet of grass and forage, which leads to a healthier fat content. Now, all turkeys that you can buy are likely to get supplemental feed. So they are not strictly raised on forage only. They get some extra, but also there, you can check with a farmer and see what are they feeding those turkeys.

Like, is it a corn and soy free organic feed like we do? And chances are, you'll find those. And that directly impacts on the quality of the meat, obviously. In addition to, you know, the better diet of the turkey, um, pasture raised turkeys tend to have a more, more vitamins and minerals, not to mention better quality protein.

And ultimately, you know, turkey is a lot of protein. So if you get a 13, 16 pound turkey and it's mostly crap protein, denatured protein, damaged proteins, it's not good for you. And let's not forget about the taste. You know, pasteurized turkeys are richer, more flavorful, and don't need as much seasoning or basting to taste great.

In fact, all we do typically with with our turkeys is we add butter or ghee on top, salt, maybe some pepper, That's pretty much it. And that tastes absolutely delicious. And that's really one of the reasons why we decided this year at the Kummer Homestead to raise our own slow growing turkeys on pasture, which means we have full control over their diet and conditions, and that results in a healthier, more nutrient sense bird that we are proud to serve to our family.

Now, one thing to keep in mind is that turkeys are monogastric animals, meaning they have one stomach just like us. And that means they don't digest food in the same way ruminants like cows do. When you feed a turkey soy and corn, the fats and nutrients in that feed pass directly into the meat. So if the bird is eating low quality grain based feed, that's what you end up consuming.

It's another reason why pasteurized turkeys which eat a natural diet offer a healthier alternative. to their factory farmed cousins. So the question is, well, where can you get pasture raised turkeys for Thanksgiving? The goodness is, it's easier than you might think. You know, start by checking a local farmer's market where many small farms offer pasture raised birds.

If you live in Georgia where we are, uh, two great options are carton farms and kind shepherd farms. Kind shepherd actually, uh, is usually at the Alvareta farmer's market. And that's where you can, you know, either order the turkey from, or then buy it or pick it up when it's time. Um, you know. when it gets closer to Thanksgiving.

Another reliable source is White Oak Pastures. Uh, they ship nationwide and we've ordered turkeys from them in the past. They were absolutely delicious. You can also do just a quick Google search, you know, for farms near you that raise birds on pasture. And you'll likely find a farm that aligns with your values and your budget.

Now let's talk about the taste because at the end of the day, Thanksgiving is all about the food, right? A pasteurized turkey tastes like real food. It's got depth, flavor, and richness that you just don't get from conventional turkey, which often needs a lot extra seasoning and basting to make it taste good, and then everyone, you know, dreads having turkey for a couple of days because the meat is just so blurred.

With a pasteurized turkey, That's usually not the case. You know, when a bird is allowed to roam and grow slowly, it develops more flavor naturally. It's, you know, if they use their muscles more because they're running around, the meat is more flavorful. You know, muscles that are used are more flavorful.

It's the kind of turkey that takes you back to what Thanksgiving should taste like, a meal that's deeply connected to the land and the care that went into raising it. Now, finally, let's touch on the ethical side of things. You know, factory farming is hard to ignore. Animals raised in confined spaces.

Treated as products rather than living creatures. You know, when you choose a pasture raised turkey, you're voting with your dollars for better animal welfare. You know, you don't need to become a vegan. You just need to buy the right type of meat that was raised properly instead of just abandoning all meat altogether.

You know, pasture raised birds get to live outdoors. They forage naturally and experience the kind of life they were meant to live. They have only one bad day in their life and that's the last one. And that's kind of how. The strategy that we employ on our homestead, we make sure that our animals have an excellent life, except for the last one.

And by making this choice, you're not only serving a more nutritious meal, but you're also making a statement about what you value, whether it's sustainability, animal welfare, or simply eating real, clean food. So this Thanksgiving, consider the story behind your turkey. You're not just buying meat, you're investing in your health, supporting better farming practices, and making a choice that reflects your values.

It might cost a bit more up front, but the rewards are huge. A more nutrient dense, flavorful bird that's better for you and the planet. And if you're like us and enjoy the idea of raising your own food, it's incredibly rewarding to know exactly what goes into the animals we raise here in our homestead.

This year, our Thanksgiving bird will be one of our own. Slow growing, pasture raised turkeys, a process we've taken pride in from start to finish. So thanks for tuning in. I hope this episode gives you something to think about as you plan your Thanksgiving meal. If you have any questions or want to share your own experience with pasture raised animals, drop me a message.

I'd love to hear from you. Until next time, stay primal and remember what you put on your plate matters more than you think. Coming up on the next episode of the Primal Shift podcast, Michael sits down with Josh Nolan, author of Living the Protein Lifestyle. They dive deep into Josh's personal journey of overcoming food addiction, depression, and injury through lifestyle changes.

Josh shares powerful insights on how prioritizing mental health can influence everything from diet choices to long term wellness success. They also explore practical tips on building healthy habits, staying consistent, and the role of protein in maintaining both physical and mental health. Don't miss this inspiring conversation on the next Primal Shift podcast.