Homegrown turkeys being served this year

Not all Thanksgiving turkeys are Butterballs. Homegrown turkeys are gracing the tables of small farm owners who raised the turkey along with the yams, green beans and cranberries, reports the Chicago Tribune. The National Turkey Federation says the amount of turkey consumed since 1970 has gone up by 109 percent and raising turkeys locally is a growing market. (Photo Chicago Tribune)

The cost of a homegrown turkey is considerably more than a store-bought turkey. A 16-pound, homegrown, Caveny Farm bourbon red turkey is $110, about $6.88 a pound, according to cavenyfarm.com. Nationwide, a 16-pound store-bought turkey averages $17.66, about $1.10 a pound, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Several sellers in the Chicago area have sold out the turkeys they had available. "We haven't even begun to tap into the market," said Mike Sands, executive director of Liberty Prairie Foundation which raised about 30 turkeys this year. Rich Samuels, of Evanston, purchased a bourbon red turkey for the holidays, reports the Tribune. His order was placed in September, and he'll pay roughly $50 for a small turkey weighing in at less than 10 pounds. "They are really worth it," said Samuels. "The bottom line is the flavor." (Read more)