Free Range White Turkeys

whiteturkeyxmasfree range white turkey

We specialise in producing succulent free range turkeys for the Christmas market. Our birds are reared to the highest possible standards and are large and full of flavour. We rear slow maturing breeds and we are proud of the meat we produce.

Our Turkeys are brought in as day old and 5 weeks old commencing July right up to the end of September. We source our turkeys from Whitakers Hatcheries, Carrigaline, Cork (as generations before us). Bringing the turkeys in on various dates allows us to slow grow them to desirable and variable weight for the Christmas market.

All our hen (female) turkeys are reared under heat and constant supervision until 5 weeks of age, where they are then moved to a larger specialised turkey rearing unit with access to the outdoors during daylight hours up to the day of slaughter.

All turkeys are fed on the highest quality feeds made up of 80% cereal diets. Turkeys are also bedded in straw, which is replenished daily. Turkeys need entertainment and so have various games in the unit to play with! Shining cds and hanging bails from the ceiling, stacks of straw bales on the floor and light footballs are all placed in the unit for the turkeys to pick at and push around.

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Free Range Bronze Turkey

roast-turkey

There has been a real shift in taste towards the darker rich meat of the free range bronze turkey in recent years. We rear a small quantity of specialised bronze Turkeys which we source from Kelly Turkeys in the UK.

Bronze is the original and traditional turkey, having distinctive black plumage it is a older breed and naturally slower growing. Its meat has a slightly intense flavour bursting with natural juices. As popularity of the turkey grew white breeds were introduced as oven ready, they have a more delicate taste yet still very flavoursome. Its simply a matter of preference.

Our wonderful free range bronze turkey are a really delicious change for your Christmas dinner.

Click here to see how our friend and local culinary celebrity, Darina Allen, cooks her Turkey.

You can order your Christmas turkey direct from us, our online shop is open from October – December.
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Free Range Geese

free range geese

A free range goose will make your Christmas talked about for years to come. Free range geese used to be the standard for Christmas dinner and they are making a real comeback due celebrity chefs like Delia Smith, Richard Corrigan, Darina Allen, Antony Worrall Thompson and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who favour the flavour of goose.

Geese are hatched in March and brought to the farm from Norfolk. The geese have constant access to heat, water and feed and are left out to grass as soon as they are strong enough, approximately 3/4 weeks of age. Geese are different to Chicken and Turkeys are they are natural grazers and can live off grass. They don’t need constant cereals.

They are grown in the outdoors until the middle of October and are then housed with restricted access to the outdoors. They are still left out daily but for a reduced time. This is to allow them gain meat and fat content. Our geese are slaughtered each December on the Farm under Department of Agriculture supervision with the highest standards of welfare being maintained. These geese are dry plucked and wax finished to gain a high quality finish and are allowed hang for 12/14 days which in turn gives a superior flavour and texture to the meat.

 

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Free Range Chicken

chickensWe are well known for our top quality Irish Free Range Chicken. We get Chickens as day olds from Spring Grove Hatcheries in Kanturk in Co. Cork. On the farm they are reared in brooding units under heat, ventilation and constant supervision to 25/26 days old. From the brooding house they are moved out to specialised well insulated large mobile units. The units are cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter, and are bedded in fresh straw daily for maximum comforts. Here they are free to roam on the lush green pastures of our grassland farm where they have access to the outdoors for all daylight hours in Winter and Summer.

Our birds are given free access to our rich pastureland and are able to graze, bathe and dig in a natural way. As a result, our birds are fine textured and delicious. As well as pecking on the grass they are fed on the highest quality 80% cereal diets. All these conditions contribute to top quality meat texture, flavour and moisture making our Free Range Chicken as flavoursome as possible.

The Chickens are grown to 56 days of age and are removed for slaughter all the time maintaining highest standard in welfare and living conditions. They are slaughtered in a Department of Agriculture licensed premises under veterinary supervision and are delivered to our shops, butchers and restaurants the very next day.

Order for Collection from a Partner Butcher
Order for Collection from Us in Midleton