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'Artisanal' turkeys gobbling up niche market for Thanksgiving dinners

'Artisanal' turkeys gobbling up niche market for Thanksgiving dinners

While most shoppers will be looking for frozen or fresh turkeys at the grocery store this weekend, there's a growing market for local, free-range birds.

Sabrina Bovee owns the Grazing Goose ranch near Indian Head, east of Regina, with her husband. They've raised 85 free-range turkeys this year, fed only grass and locally grown grain.

"To raise turkeys this way costs more money, for sure, but it's the value-added piece people will pay for," she says.

But not everyone is willing to cough up the cash for these high-end birds.

Bovee's turkey's are selling for about $4.50 per lb, compared to $0.99 per lb in supermarkets. That works out to about $80 to $90 for most of the turkeys from Grazing Goose. She says she understands that's too steep for some.

"Some people don't get it," Bovee says. "They'll say 'Oh my god, your turkey is so expensive. I can get a $20 turkey at the store."

Bovee says most customers don't mind paying the premium because they feel they're getting more for their money. All turkeys are raised, butchered and packaged at the farm, including handwritten tags on each one.

"It breaks my heart," Bovee, a registered dietician says, "I'd love to able to offer this food at the same price at the grocery store."

A more affordable locally-grown Thanksgiving turkey option is available from the Southland Hutterite Colony in Saskatchewan which ships hundreds of birds to local retailers and farmers markets.

"Oh definitely, demand is high for these turkeys," said Trevor Labbe, owner of Jerky Boys Meats in Lumsden. His business sells a couple dozen Hutterite-supplied turkeys each year and always sells out.

"We get nothing but good comments and repeat customers," Labbe said, despite the price. At $2.99 per lb, they are still 3 times more expensive than the best deal at the grocery store.

"I think people can tell the care that goes into raising them," he said.