Talkin' Turkeys
The big birds are surprisingly noisy... plus weekend markets and events coming soon
Talkin’ Turkeys
With Thanksgiving looming, November is a big month for our region’s turkey farmers. You won’t be shocked to learn that the topic for my upcoming Buy Fresh Buy Local Illinois article is turkey. And to get up close and personal, I took a ride with Barb Wednesday for a long-overdue visit with Harry Carr at Mint Creek Farm.
When they started the farm 30 years ago in Cabery, about 85 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, Harry and his wife Gwen were regional pioneers in modern-day organic livestock production, and they have stuck to their principals ever since. Their children, Raya and Jonathan, grew up on the farm and are also deeply involved in its operations. Along with turkeys, the Carrs raise beef cattle, hogs, chickens (for meat and eggs), sheep and goats.
I can’t give away too much of the story I’m going to write for Buy Fresh Buy Local, but I’d like to share something I learned about turkeys. I’ve been to turkey farms before but this was the first time I was allowed to cross the fence and mingle among them. And it turns out that the birds — or at least the Black Spanish variety raised by Mint Creek — are very… noisy.
It’s not just the familiar gobbling that we all first learned from cartoons or the barnyard toy our parents got us when we were little. This went on pretty constantly, but every couple of minutes or so, the turkeys en masse would simultaneously start talking loudly, forcing the humans to take a break in their conversation for a few seconds until the birds settled down again.
Interesting beasts, turkeys.
After having not seen Harry Carr in person for a long time, I ended up visiting with him on two consecutive days. He was in Chicago Thursday to attend the ribbon cutting for the official opening of Phoenix Bean Tofu’s big new production facility (please click here to read the article about this event in yesterday’s Local Food Forum). That’s Harry on the right with Illinois U.S. Sen Richard J. Durbin and Jenny Yang, president of Phoenix Bean Tofu.
Two Great Events to Choose From on Monday
There are so many great Good Food events that, alas, sometimes a couple will get scheduled for the same day and time. So you have options for your tasty (and inspirational) fun on Monday evening.
Green City Market’s Sustainable Supper Series
Bungalow by Middle Brow, 2840 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago (Logan Square)
6-9 p.m.
This, the third in Green City Market’s Sustainable Supper Series, is the one to choose if you want to socialize with fellow local food fans; enjoy a three-course meal with a beverage pairing for each course, featuring beers and kombucha brewed by Middle Brow on-site; and learn about the importance of sustainable collaborations in the business of farming in a conversation featuring Middle Brow owner Pete Ternes and Marty Travis, a sustainable farming leader at his Spence Farm in Fairbury, Illinois. The panel will be moderated by Marisa Mulh, Director of Marketing at Tock.
Click the button below for more info and tickets.
The Evolved Network Restaurant Pop-Up
UVAE Kitchen & Wine Bar, 5553 N. Clark St., Chicago (Andersonville)
6-8 p.m.
This is the one if you want to enjoy a fine dining experience with a social mission.
I’ve written quite a bit recently about Chef Sebastian White and The Evolved Network, the non-profit he started last year that is designed to create aholistic program for underprivileged youths through a farm-to-table restaurant and garden, counseling and therapeutic services, and education in business management and financial literacy.
Monday’s event will feature a five-course menu (check it out in the graphic above, it’s amazing) with wine pairings by Lindsey Anderson, UVAE’s owner and sommelier. You will also learn about The Evolved Network and its bold plans to change lives for the better. Click the button below for more info and tickets.