Thanksgiving

I’m glad that I wasn’t born a turkey today. Actually, when I think about it I don’t believe I have ever wished I was a turkey. Why would I?

Perhaps in times gone by, before the advent of Thanksgiving or Christmas and New Years feasts it may not have been an issue to be a large, more or less flightless bird. I think they are flightless…they can’t fly can they? Sure they would be hunted by man and beast while in the wild, but back then it was a numbers game. There were far more birds than hunters and the chance of attracting an arrow or thrown stone would be relatively small.

That all changed of course when instead of a turkey being one of many options that a hunter would go after at this time of year, it became the only desired meat. I’m sure that cattle and pigs breath a sigh of relief when Thanksgiving roles around. I can’t imagine the millions and millions of turkeys that are having bread crumbs shoved in places bread crumbs should never be shoved, today and tomorrow. I can smell the turkeys baking in my mind right now.

We are having a smallish roast tomorrow since there will just be the two of us. Potatoes, carrots and onions from the garden will also be on the menu. In the past we have bought a turkey breast and cooked that with stuffing and all the fixings. There was still a lot left over, not as much I will admit, but just enough. I am glad there won’t be an obligation to eat until I can’t eat any more. I have been thinking I should lose weight and binge eating doesn’t fit into my plans.

A number of years ago a guy I worked with, John L, raised about thirty turkeys to sell to friends and family at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was a weird way to make some extra spending money, but he was a farm boy and I guess his mind just worked that way. The first year he sold out, but the process of killing the birds, plucking and gutting them proved to be really time consuming. The second year he took the birds to the Hutterite women who killed, plucked, dressed and flash froze the birds for five dollars a bird. That was a great deal, and if I ever decide to raise turkeys, I will definitely approach some Hutterite women.

Just want to wish those that celebrate Thanksgiving a good day of feasting and an enjoyable time with family. Have a second helping for me…