Tracie Beardsley meets a Dorset farmer gobbling up success by farming free-range turkeys – even some vegetarians are tempted!
Mark Chilcott has been thinking about Christmas since July! At his farm in Owermoigne near Dorchester, he raises 1,300 free-range bronze gold turkeys – all destined to be the centrepiece of Christmas dinners across Dorset.
The birds, arriving in summer as day-old chicks, have grown up in five-star turkey heaven. Boasting almost luminescent pink heads and dangly blue wattles – Dr Who fans will liken them to Oods – a mob of them run over to us for a special treat of fallen apples. Mark has no favourites. They all look the same, and he never gives them names: ‘Name it and you can’t eat it!’ he says.
By day, the flock feasts on fresh grass, nettles, slugs and insects. By night, they’re safely ensconced in a warm barn, well away from the salivating attentions of foxes.
Come the second week in December, Mark, an arable and beef farmer throughout the year, calls in every favour he can to help him despatch, pluck and prepare the birds. ‘I recruit about a dozen people to help me. All my family are involved, including my mum and dad, who still help me farm even though they’re in their nineties. My wife Jo processes the hundreds of online orders.’
The end of a Chilcott turkey’s life is humane and quick. Mark uses a special stun gun to give the birds a lethal electric shock. They are dry-plucked by hand, and then receive the ultimate beauty treatment: waxing to remove every hint of fluff.
The whole body is then left to hang for 10 days. Mark firmly believes this old-fashioned way of preparing turkeys is the best. ‘Just like hanging beef, hanging poultry improves flavour and makes the meat more tender. Usually, commercially-produced turkeys are around 14 weeks old when slaughtered. Mine are 24 weeks – fatter and more tender.’
This artisan approach means nothing goes to waste. The entire flock will be used in some way. Even the beautiful glossy feathers, for which turkeys were originally bred, are transformed by keen archers into arrows or used by artists for painting. The rest are composted.
The turkey run
With modern families tending to be smaller, there’s an increasing demand for crowns and joints rather than a whole bird. Mark recruits a retired butcher to help with the jointing: ‘I offer joints right down to as small as 1.5kg,’ he says. ‘And we do packs of drumsticks and thighs – that’s my favourite bit of the bird!’
So Mark still eats turkey on Christmas day? ‘Absolutely! And I cook the Christmas dinner. I raise it, kill it, dress, cook and eat it!’
Birds are supplied all boxed up complete with herbs and cooking instructions: ‘My top advice is to invest in a meat thermometer,’ he says. ‘Check the thickest part of the bird has reached 72 degrees. Turkeys can dry out, so start by cooking it face down and pour a glass of water into the bottom of the roasting tray to keep it moist. Stuff it with an apple and orange and season all over.’
On Christmas Eve, the farm becomes a turkey drive-through, with customers collecting orders. Mark’s customer base is loyal, many families hailing the annual Owermoigne turkey run as the official start of their Christmas. Mark reveals even some vegetarians buy – happy to “fall off the wagon” once a year for a free-range turkey!
Diversification into turkey farming has paid off for the farm business. ‘There was a big initial investment in processing and refrigeration, but the turkeys have helped make good use of our land. And if wheat or beef prices are low, turkey farming provides an economic buffer.’
And on again
It doesn’t stop for Mark on Christmas Eve, however. ‘After the last turkey’s gone, I’ve still got the other animals to tend before sitting down with a celebratory beer,’ he says. ‘It’s the same on Christmas Day, like on every farm with livestock. In the New Year, I’ll clean, repair and prepare for the next batch arriving in July.’
It’s no surprise that Mark manages just one week’s holiday a year. ‘And I’m thankful for that! Many farmers never get any break. The Chilcott clan has been farming in Dorset for generations, it’s in our blood. My daughter Charlotte is studying agriculture at university and she is keen to get involved in the family business.’ It seems there’s little chance of the Chilcotts going ‘cold turkey’ anytime soon!
chilcott-turkeys.co.uk
01305 852639
Mark’s quick fire questions:
Who would you like to share a turkey feast with?
Kaleb Cooper – Jeremy Clarkson’s oppo. I saw his live show. He was hysterical.
Also, the blind comedian Chris McCausland. I really admire the way he doesn’t let his disability affect him. My son Harry is partially sighted, so we relate to Chris and his challenges.
Books by your bedside?
Farmer’s Weekly gets passed around the whole family and read until it’s in tatters!
Jonathan Dimbleby’s Endgame 1944 – I’ve got it as an audio book so Harry, who also loves military history, can enjoy it.
Turkey Titbits:
- The first record of a turkey in England was in 1526, brought by sailor William Strickland.
- It’s believed Henry VIII was the first British monarch to enjoy turkey on Christmas Day.
- In A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, Scrooge gives the Cratchit family a turkey. It’s on record that the Dickens’ family also had turkey for Christmas that year.
