The Green Fork is the official blog of the Eat Well Guide. Click here to Find Good Food.

Don’t wait! Yes, now’s the time to order that local, pasture-raised, heritage turkey for your Thanksgiving feast.

Why settle for a factory farmed turkey from the supermarket when you have the option of treating yourself and your guests to a much more flavorful bird that was raised in a humane manner.

Since labels are one of the most confusing aspects of making our food choices, here are some helpful tips for finding the turkey that’s right for you (when deciding what size turkey to buy, a good rule of thumb is one pound of turkey for each person):

Pasture Raised: Pasturing is a traditional farming technique that allows animals to be raised in a humane, ecologically sustainable manner. It indicates that the turkey was raised outdoors on a pasture where it ate grasses and other food (insects) found in the pasture, rather than being fattened on grain in a feedlot or barn. The diverse diet of the pasture also adds more flavor to the meat and helps farmers with their pest management. Many farmers use this term to distinguish themselves from the term “Free Range”.

Free Range: “Free Range” or “Free Roaming”means that the turkey had some access to the outdoors each day. However, this doesn’t guarantee that the animal actually spent any time outside. As long as a door to the outdoors is left open for some period of time, the animal can be considered Free Range. Although the USDA has defined this term for chicken raised for consumption, no standards have been set for egg-laying chickens or for other animals. If you are looking to buy a turkey that was raised outdoors, look for a label that says ‘Pastured’ or ‘Pasture raised.’

Heritage Breeds: Heritage turkeys are derived from rare and endangered breeds. Production standards are not required by law, but true heritage farmers use sustainable production methods. This method of production saves animal breeds from extinction and preserves genetic diversity. Unlike conventional turkeys, heritage breeds reproducing naturally without human intervention have longer reproductive lifespans, and have a slower growth rate (not to mention, they taste better). Examples of heritage turkey breeds include: Bourbon Red, Beltsville Small White, American Bronze, Royal Palm, White Midget, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black, Narragansett and White Holland.

Conventional/Commercial: These turkeys have become synonymous with the Broad Breasted White breed of turkeys which are grown in factory farm conditions where they have been fed antibiotics to make them grow faster and have been genetically modified to produce more breast meat than the birds can physically support. Conventional turkeys also require artificial insemination to reproduce and may include preservatives and artificial colorings.

Organic: In order to be labeled “organic,” a turkey (along with other organic foods) must meet the USDA’s organic standards and must be certified by a USDA-approved food-certifying agency. The turkey cannot be grown using synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, or sewage sludge, cannot be genetically modified, and cannot be irradiated. Organic turkey must be fed only organically-grown feed (without any animal byproducts) and cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics. The animals must have access to the outdoors (ie. free-range, which doesn’t mean they actually have to go outdoors and graze on pasture to be considered organic).

Hormone Free: Animals were raised without added growth hormones. By law, poultry cannot be given any hormones – so the use of this label on turkey is misleading.

Antibiotic Free: No antibiotics were administered to the turkey during its lifetime. If a turkey becomes sick, it will usually be taken out of the herd and treated but it will not be sold with this label.

Yes, a heritage bird may put a small dent in your wallet (they generally run about $4-5 per pound), but remember that in these efforts you are supporting your local economy by supporting local farmers as well as helping to sustain these endangered heritage breeds.

Need help finding your local, heritage turkey? Search the Eat Well Guide for a farm or store near you!

Stay tuned for tips and recipes for cooking your free-range, heritage turkey to perfection. Vegetarian or Vegan? We’ll also be posting about meat-free alternatives for a tasty Thanksgiving feast.