I posted a link to that site a couple of days ago....someone asked about why their "fresh" turkey had a use by date of December 10th.
On that thread I stated that a frozen was always better than a supermarket fresh bird....but in all cases...a fresh killed turkey from a source you know butchers the day before you pick it up is really best.
Most of the time I use a local brand of frozen turkey.
Thanks for the vote of confidence....I was 23 the first time i had the family for a turkey dinner...of course then the family was just 7 people!

Here is a link that might be useful: turkey terminology

Trudy:
I never worried about which brand or Organic, because they were always good.
The last one was a " Shur Fine " Young Tom, self basting, 13 lbs. I think from Acme Market.
In 55 years the Turkeys were always good.
Probably just lucky.
The best tasting Turkey, that I remember was a 23 lb. Butterball.

In fact that was the best Thanksgiving Dinner ever.

Had 35 people for Dinner. Think it was 1964.
We had that and a 23 lb. Ham , along with Lasagna w. Meat Balls and Sausage, Chicken Wedding Soup.
and all the other things, plus dessert.
Why am I telling you all this ???

Happy Thanksgiving !!!
Lou

Thank you both for your thoughts--I appreciate your time. Oh that 1964 dinner sounded great!!

Trudy

Frozen toms are always good....never had a bad one yet!!!

Linda

I've had a bad frozen turkey--breast only. When I thawed it, the smell was off. Being young and dumb, I roasted it. We went out to dinner. I called Publix and explained what happened. They didn't want the wrapper--they cheerfully refunded the money. Talked to the butcher--he said the turkey had fallen into the vat and should not have been wrapped. I agree!

I usually get a 30+ lb. turkey from a local farmer. He butchers them the Sunday before Thanksgiving and I pick it up Monday. This past Sunday I got a call from the famer saying he had a horrible year with his turkeys nothing over 10 lbs. so he would not be selling them this year.

After I got over the shock that I did not have a turkey for the holiday, I called DD to see if she could get one from the butcher shop she worked at over the summer. DH's nephew is the manager so we can get an organic fresh turkey but only 20-24 lbs. so we are getting a breast as well. I just hope it is somewhat close in flavor to the wonderful turkeys we usually get. Sigh......

Moosemac, I usually get a fresh one from a local Amish farmer, they're slaughtered on Tuesday and I show up Wednesday to take my pick out of a horse tank full of turkeys and ice, LOL.

Mine have always been good, and I like dark meat, so the heritage turkeys are good for me, not those overblown breast heavy birds that commercial breeders have available now.

good luck on that bird.

Annie

Moosemac:
30 lbs. plus ??? Are you sure it wasn't a Ostrich. Lol!
Lou

Lou, the farmer I get my turkeys from has mostly birds over 30 pounds. A 25 pounder is a "small" turkey, usually a hen. He raises something called "Standard Bronze" and the average weight of a Tom is 35-40 pounds, hens are 25-30 pounds. He's had a couple of big Toms that have neared 50 pounds but they're old birds and not suitable for roasting.

He also has a few smaller Bourbon Red turkeys, but he's building his flock and doesn't sell those yet. The Toms are averaging 35 pounds and the hens about 20 pounds.

He doesn't sell the "broad breasted white" turkeys for a couple of reasons. One, they cannot mate naturally, and so the only way you can get them is to get poults from a hatchery. They are too hybridized and inbred to breed. Second, they are bred to have a lot of breast meat and to mature quickly, so many times they have the same problems that broiler chickens do. Their puny little legs cannot support the weight of the bird and their legs break. Or, they sit at a feeder and eat until they have a heart attack.

The big agribusiness turkey growers don't care about either of those things, they are interested in quick growth and profit. For small independents, though, those traits are not conducive to raising flocks year after year.

Annie

Annie :
Didn't you see the LOL !
Some woman have the same problems!!! lol! lol! Lol!
I heard that !!!
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At my brother's farm in Ma zur a. A neighbor Turkey Farmer,
was also a Preacher ,and a Rodeo rider.
One year he lost most of his Turkeys to a disease.
I don't know what it was but I think it wiped out all or most of them.
Plus he didn't do too good in the Rodeo. My Nieces took 2 blue ribbons.
I don't know how he made out as a Preacher.
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They did a lot of Bartering there.
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Lou

From what I know of turkey farmers, it is unusual to get a turkey that weighs less than 25#. They grow real fast and if they are under 25# at Thanksgiving, they are probably sick. Don't know how they do the commercial ones.

That said, I have a 30# one this year and am hoping we can actually eat it before midnight on Thanksgiving day.