Certificate Number: 6314

Windmilll Ranch Bourbon Red Turkey
You have received an Bourbon Red turkey raised by Danny Williamson of Windmilll Ranch! Your bird grew up humanely on a pasture and was naturally bred.

Danny Williamson owns Windmill Ranch with its turkeys and chickens, wheat, milo, soybeans and alfalfa. Danny built his home, which looks more like a log cabin set in the middle of the woods of Wisconsin, from scratch with his own two hands three years ago. He and his friend Dave were looking for a place to build a home near the quarter mile section of land Dave owned in Tampa, Kansas and they found it in the form of an abandoned farm. The first thing they did with their newly purchased 18 acres was build a chicken and turkey coop. Then they proceeded to populate these structures with Black and Bourbon Red turkeys, numerous types of heritage chickens including Dark Brahmas and ducks including White Calls. His Black turkeys, which he had been raising for eight years, were sourced from Rita Eichman's farm near Dodge City. Today, Danny keeps about 100 breeders and about 2,200 young poults on his farm.

Danny grew up participating in 4H projects and so had some experience with poultry. And then, in 1998, he met Frank Reese at the state fair and his interest in poultry was rekindled. Danny's love of turkey goes past just raising them. When Todd and Patrick visited him in June he prepared a turkey feast, which featured deviled turkey eggs, turkey salad, turkey wontons, turkey and beef fajitas (Dave also raises Angus cattle), and grilled turkey with marinara sauce. Heritage Foods will feature many of his recipes on our website so keep logging on to read them.

Danny spends his days checking up on his birds, retrieving ones that have flown over the fence, changing the water and cleaning the coops. The biggest challenge on the farm is carrying the feed: last week alone they went through over 2 tons. Danny is a licensed American Poultry Association Judge and presides over numerous 4H competitions (Danny will visit 15 competitions this year alone). Danny is one of the only people who has a Grand Master Breeder of Black turkey. He also boasts a Grand Master Breeder of the Dark Brahma chicken and White Call Duck. To get that honor a breeder has to win many shows and accumulate at least 100 points. Depending on the show, a bird can win between 5-25 points. Only winners get points. They next show he will attend is in Denver this October.

Your turkey was hatched in March of 2005 and was about 24 weeks old when it met its final destiny.

If your turkey is under 15 pounds it is probably a hen, if over 15 pounds it is probably a tom. There is no real difference in the taste of hens and toms, although some people say a hen’s meat is a tad more tender.

Your turkey ate a vegetarian diet consisting of 100% cereal. None of this food was medicated in any way. Rations did not contain animal products, growth stimulants, or other additives.

Your bird was processed by The Nebraska Turkey Growers Association one week ago. Patrick Martins was present at the slaughter and can attest to the ethical final moments.

The Bourbon Red turkey is listed as an animal to WATCH on the Endangered List of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy with fewer than 1000 breeders alive as of last year.

Below is some more information on the turkeys Heritage Foods USA sells:

• Genetics: Only turkey varieties recognized by the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection are considered "heritage"
• Breeding: Only natural breeding allowed. No artificial insemination under any circumstances
• Buildings: Buildings are a maximum of 7000 sq. ft.
• Maximum density in building: The minimum stocking density is 1.4 sq. ft. per bird when in the barn at night. No more than 5000 birds are permitted in each building.
• Access to Range: All birds have access to the outdoors from 8 a.m. until dusk after 10 weeks of age, and must be outside for at least 120 days of grow-out.
• Size of range: Minimum range requirements of no less than 52 sq. ft. per bird.
• Medication: Although routine medications are not allowed, antibiotics are allowed to minimize bird discomfort in the case of illness. All medications must be withdrawn at least 7 days before slaughter. Vaccination is allowed.
• Other: Beak shaving and toe removals are prohibited.
• Slaughter age: Birds must be grown a minimum of 160 days.
• Minimum dress weight: 12 lbs without giblets, minimum.
• Sanitation period: There is a minimum sanitation period of 21 days in the barn between flocks.
• Transport: Humane transportation to processing facilities