IT’S THANKSGIVING WEEK AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME INTERESTING TIDBITS ABOUT TURKEYS
Virginia is the original turkey production state. Virginia is ranked sixth nationally in turkey production in 2019 = $258m. According to the 2019 Census of Agriculture, turkeys are commercially raised on 448 Virginia farms, most of which are in the Shenandoah Valley and the Northern Piedmont regions of Virginia.
Nationally, farmers were expected to raise 16.3 million turkeys in 2020, an increase over 2019. Americans eat 704 million pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving.
HERE ARE MORE TIDBITS ABOUT TURKEYS AND THANKSGIVING
- The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621. Turkey was not on the menu.
- Turkeys are native to northern Mexico and the eastern United States.
- Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a National Holiday on October 3, 1863.
- It takes about 28 days for a turkey egg to hatch and about 22 weeks for a tom turkey to reach market size.
- Henry VIII was the first English king to enjoy turkey and Edward VII made turkey-eating fashionable at Christmas.
- Baby turkeys are called Poults, male turkeys are called Toms or Gobblers, and female turkeys, Hens.
- Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. Hens make a clicking noise.
- Turkey is low in fat and high in protein. It has more protein than chicken or beef. White meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat.
- The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey: as a sandwich, in a stew, chili or soup, casseroles, and as a burger.
- The ballroom dance called the “turkey trot” was named for the short, jerky steps that turkeys take.
As you sit down with friends and family this holiday, remember to thank a farmer for making this meal available and affordable.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! AND, GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!!!!!