Turkey

[oldherbaceous]

I was just wondering if anyone still rears their own turkey for Christmas anymore.
There used to be an old boy just down the road from me that used keep about twenty birds, they were proper free range as well as getting all sorts of kitchen scraps, they might not have been the biggest turkeys, but gosh did they taste nice, unfortunately he stopped doing them quite a few years ago.
I still buy a free range bird, but they just are not the same.
Lizzie is that right you get a Bernard Matthews tukey roast for Chritmas.
I await your rude reply.

[Piglet]

Our butcher does his own and rears about 40 birds. Only select customers get those birds, the rest however are all free range and taste superb. They are big fellas at this time of year and its a bit intimidating when you go by them as they all want to be fed.

[sally wright]

Dear Old herbaceous,
the farmer across the road from my parents house used to rear his own chickens for Christmas and we always got one, the taste was superb although if we had guests we often had difficulty convincing them that a 14lb bird really was chicken!!!

One winter a friend of my mothers reared some turkey poults and he fed them a bit too well. The average bird weighed 46lbs! The strange thing was no-one would buy them, not even the local hotels and granny farms. My mum took pity on him and bought two! In order to get them into the freezer she had to go and buy a large hacksaw to cut them up. We dined off a leg for Christmas dinner that year. It fed 6 of us for two days... We all thought it was hilarious. By Easter after having eaten turkey in every shape and form known to man my dad put his foot down and demanded beef for Easter Sunday. Strange to say mother made no objection and I have not been a particular fan of Turkey since.
Regards Sally Wright.

[Tigger]

We used to keep a dozen or so each year, but stopped doing so a few years ago now. Lots of people in this area still do though and all of our local butchers use local sources too.

[lizzie]

That's it now Herby. YOU are off hte Christmas card list.

Swearing like that!!! Bernard Matthews. The man who, to date, has over 89 charges of animal cruelty!!!!!!

Send me a big sloppy kiss and I might, MIGHT, forgive you!!!!

I was thinking of having a rib of beef from an independant butcher http://www.thescotchbeefshop.co.uk/

(Lizzie wonders away muttering "Bernard effing matthews the cheeky b*gger. Where did I leave those large, blunt shears I use on overgrowen herbacious shrubs?!")

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Lizzie, one big sloppy kiss is on it's way, i'll have to try being rude more often.
Don't forget it will soon be mistletoe time so there will be kisses all round.
I'm quite looking forward to Christmas on the K.G
I bet you have a fine Christmas feast really Lizzie.
Does the Grock visit you over the Christmas festivities and would you be so kind to send Grock my kindest regards.

[lizzie]

Sloppy kiss duly received!!! I do a fine feast Herby. There'll be the following this year me, Andrew Jnr, Sian, mum, no:2 bruv, no: bruvs wife, no:2 bruvs mother in law (who doesn't speak a word of English), possibly no: 1 bruv and possibly Big Andrew unless he goes to Dorset to see his parents. I was going to do a fine roast beef dinner with all the trimmings followed by home made trifle, mince pies and a selection of fabulous cheese. What's everyone else having?

Feel free to pop by. The more the merrier.

I don't know if i'll see Grock over festive period but will definitely speak on the phone. She hasn't been on line cos she's been working extra shifts and the 'puter died again. It was brought back to life with a sledgehammer. I will send her your kind greetings.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Lizzie, it sounds as if you are going to have your hands full with out me popping round.
I think i might have a swan this year, only joking before any animal rights people come round and tar and feather me.
What about a goose, they seem to have gone right out of fashion, anyone having one of those.

[lizzie]

Buy me U2 by U2 and i'll see if I can accommodate you

[peter]

RE the 14lb chicken.

Went to buy some Marans a good few years ago and in the back yard they had some undernourished ostritches, which were if memory is right Ross Table Birds.

[Allan]

I have B.Matthews Turkeyburgers and sausage all year. The best tasting bit is the drumsticks if you can get any of any brand. Any muscular cut has more flavour. Another is a whole cooked bacon hock, usually a very reasonable price. Lamb shoulder is a fraction of the price of leg and in my opinion a better flavour.
Allan

[Wellie]

OH,
Trousers and I got Roast Turkey, Juniper Gravy with Apple & Lemon Puree cooked for us earlier this year, which was simply out of this world, and I will certainly be doing that again for some unsuspecting guests of our own, when I've saved up enough to buy a goose !

Peter, Ostrich Steak I've had, and delicious it was too. Pale, low fat meat similar to Fillet Steak...
Was Ross Table Bird a particular 'make' of Ostrich?

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Wellie, sounds as if your unsuspecting guests are going to be in for a real feast.

[Johnboy]

Hi Wellie,
I too have had Ostrich and the waiter said do you want a drumstick or a thigh!!!
Seriously though it was really good and it came, I think, from the Farm Shop at Over not a million miles from you. I was most impressed with it. My Butcher friend says although they are about he simply cannot get any. (Ostrich)
JB.

[Wellie]

Hi JB,
Yes, Over Farm Market is just 'our' side of Gloucester, and they have their own Butchers within the Farm Shop now. Trousers and I were there only a few weeks ago 'to kill some time' before an appointment, and I did notice they're stocking Ostrich, you clever man you !
I haven't seen Ostrich in any fields around, although there's a couple of 'push-me-pull-yous' in the paddock of a place I pass on the way to work of a Thursday....
And people wonder why we get a kick out of living in 'the country' your Squireship ?!