A Morton’s free-range Norfolk turkeys makes a beautiful centrepiece for your Christmas dinner, with generous quantities of sweet white and dark meat.

And, to celebrate the coming season, we have teamed up with Morton’s to offer three lucky readers the wonderful Christmas prize of a 6kg Norfolk Bronze turkey (over 12lbs) each, worth almost £100.

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.

Great British Life: A Morton's free-range Norfolk Bronze turkey ready for the ovenA Morton's free-range Norfolk Bronze turkey ready for the oven (Image: Morton's)

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 eight weeks they 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 is 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.

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.

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.

mortonsfarm.co.uk

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