08 Oct 2021
Morton's Family Farm, a four generation, family-run farm based in the North Norfolk countryside, is gearing up for Christmas! 1,500 turkey chicks arrived at the farm in June, ready for their 25-week rearing process ahead of the festive season.
New for this year will be 100 Norfolk Bronze/Black turkeys - a male Norfolk Black crossed with a Bronze hen. The rest are Norfolk Bronze turkeys, known to be one of the finest turkey breeds around, the Gold Standard of turkeys, with a deep, rich and slightly gamey flavour. They are known for their slightly unusual colour, with their feathers a shimmery green and bronze colour, often appearing metallic. The Norfolk Bronze/Black turkeys are slower maturing, and will have a slightly stronger and gamier flavour from their Norfolk Black line.
The Great Taste Award-winning turkeys, as well as cockerels and hampers filled with local artisan produce will soon be available to pre-order directly from Morton's website, and can be shipped nationwide.
Morton's free-range turkeys are a beautiful centrepiece for Christmas dinner, with generous quantities of sweet white and dark meat. Turkey breasts and crowns will also be available for purchase, as well as cockerels, a great alternative to turkey for smaller festive gatherings. Christmas Day hampers (small, medium and large) will be packed with produce for the day itself - turkey, smoked salmon, pigs in blankets, free range pork and chestnut stuffing, traditional Christmas pudding and more.
Hampers from Norfolk's finest producers will make excellent gifts for loved ones - the East Anglian cheese hamper will be filled with local cheese, whilst the smoked deli hamper will also make for an ideal Boxing Day meal.
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What Sets Morton's Family Farm Apart from the Rest?
Morton's ethos is to remain small and focus on free-range and pastured produce, looking after the welfare of their animals and nurturing them to their fullest potential. Supermarket turkeys are often grown for just 16 short weeks, but for Morton's the festive process begins in February, when they order slow-growing strains of Norfolk Bronze turkeys.
When the day-old chicks arrive at the farm in early June, Morton's has 25 weeks to rear each bird slowly and as ethically as possible, ensuring they are happy and healthy during their lifetimes. This in turn, means you get the best quality, artisan produce direct from the farm.
The chicks begin their lives in the 'turkey hotel', a covered area with gas heaters over a bed of straw, safe from the elements outside. It's important they begin their lives comfortably, so they are better equipped to brave the outside when the time is right. After around 8 weeks they will move outside, able to fully explore the land and roam around as they please. The birds are fed on a cereal diet containing whole oats and natural forage.
Many turkeys, even those labelled free-range, live in cramped and terrible conditions with up to nine birds per square metre. Often conditions even for free-range birds can be so cramped that the birds never make it outside, as they can't get to the exit of the shed. For Morton's, the wellbeing of their animals are the most important part of what they do. For their lifetimes, the turkeys roam freely around the land, exploring their surroundings and foraging as they please.
Once the birds are reared for a solid six months, they are dispatched quickly and humanely in small groups on the farm to ensure they do not get stressed. They are dry plucked and hung up for two weeks, allowing the flavour to develop.
Morton's puts care into rearing the perfect turkey and carefully packs each order to ensure it arrives in the perfect condition. All orders are sent in a special insulated box with natural wool that is biodegradable. Ice packs keep the turkey safely chilled.
At Morton's, they don't mass-produce their poultry or livestock and you won't find their goods in any supermarkets. Everything they do is free-range, outdoor reared and fresh – nurtured with care in the way they know best, making Morton's a cut above the rest.
Morton's Family Farm
Hall Farmhouse, Black Horse Road
Skeyton, Norwich NR10 5DJ
T: 01692538067 | E: enquiries@mortonsfarm.co.uk
For further press information, please contact Colleen Monaghan or Emma Hawley at Cru Communications by emailing: colleen@cru-comms.com or emma@cru-comms.com
