Letter From the Isely's - Learn About Our Turkeys

Author: Charity Isely

Letter From the Isely's - Learn About Our Turkeys

Welcome to October! We’re glad you’re here because we’d love to chat about what’s on our minds this month—a family tradition that’s been going strong at Natural Grocers since 1989. It’s the one about turkey, and also Tofurky.

Isely Letter October

But it’s not even November, you may be thinking, Turkey Day is still so far away! And that, friends, is why we’re talking about it now, because when your Thanksgiving family tradition features the most exceptional quality bird (or To-furky) in town, you must plan ahead.

Back to 1989. That’s when we first started pre-selling the best birds on the block, and doing it early so none of our neighbors would have to settle for a conventional turkey or a size that didn’t suit them. Of course, we know that sometimes plans refuse to cooperate, and we’ve always had some last-minute birds for those who need them.

So, are there more reasons we start thinking about turkey this early? Why, yes! You see, our turkey standards aren’t only a family tradition for us—we get them from a third-generation family farm whose standards match our own. Perhaps you’ve heard of Mary’s? Our birds are raised by people who care about values like humane and sustainable—they are everyday folks, not some faceless, industrial operation. They feed their turkeys a non-GMO certified, vegetarian diet (some also get an all organic diet that is naturally non-GMO) and give them lots of fresh air, with room to wander about in wide-open, comfortable spaces and behave like turkeys naturally do.

There’s none of the bad stuff for animals, people, or the planet —just lots of extra good things, like variety. From Heritage (for the foodies), to Certified Organic, to Non-GMO Brined (in case it’s your first time), there’s an option just right for you. Plus, there’s this fact: They’re always fresh. They’re deep-chilled for safety, but never, ever frozen, which makes the big day that much, well, fresher!

Our family tradition is about quality, not quantity. It’s about being able to trace your food every step of the way, from the farm to your feast. And that takes time. Time invested in making sure that every detail, from the moment these 100% antibiotic-free birds are hatched, to the day they leave our store with you, meets our impeccable standards for family traditions. Whether it’s turkey or Tofurky you’ll be craving come November, we’re thinking about it early, so you don’t have to worry.

See you soon. Happy Fall!