A Week on the Estate: Cameron Talks Turkey

“At this time of year, we’re no longer incubating for the Christmas season as the birds need a certain amount of time to mature. Rather than separating the stags from the hens, we prefer to let them stay together. It’s more natural, it’s better for the birds and it means we’re producing up to 15 eggs per day. We’d like to sell some of these fertilised eggs and help some of our county’s keen gardeners and smallholders find out what this remarkable bird could do for them.

“In the world wars, turkey eggs were a popular option because of their size and nutritional value. In the post-war, factory-farming era, interest in turkey eggs faded away but they’re making a strong comeback now. You can find them in artisan grocers, farm shops and high-end supermarkets. You could also produce your very own Christmas turkey. The centrepiece of your festive spread could be a bird you’ve raised and cared for yourself on your own land.”

The Norfolk Black is the UK’s oldest breed of turkey. Known as Black Spanish, this bird may have been brought to Europe from the Americas by conquistadors in the 16th century. A true heritage breed, the Norfolk Black can raise its own young and thrives in a free-range setting.

The birds tend to be feistier and more curious than modern breeds bred for bulk and docility. At South Ormsby Estate, Norfolk Blacks rotate through our paddocks alongside our Lincoln Red cattle, grazing grass and weeds, harvesting bugs and scratching to help cycle the dung through the soil. Like their wild cousins, they’re true omnivores and are partial to insects, grass, nettles and thistles.

Their lifestyle and diet come across in the flavourful succulence of their meat. Our birds grow slowly, they eat at their own pace and they’re given longer to mature. An adult stag bird can weigh in at 11kg.

“I joined the South Ormsby Estate team in March this year,” said Cameron. “I’d been working for a large poultry operator and wanted to break away from the mass-production sector where weight matters more than welfare. I love working where the birds are in the best possible environment and have decent quality of life.

“The picture across the sector is improving year on year. People are more interested in how the meat on their dinner table was produced and cared for. They want farming to be sustainable and not harmful to the environment.

“I’m originally from East Kirkby, the home of the ground-running Lancaster bomber, ‘Just Jane’. The Lincs Aviation Heritage Centre looks after the locals with a free fireworks display every year so that we’ll forgive them all the engine noise!

“I currently live on the Estate with my wife, Sian. We’re the new tenants at 2 Brinkhill Bridge Cottage. It’s been renovated to an amazing extent. It’s got lime plaster, oak floors, underfloor ground-source heating, and anaerobic filters so effective that waste water can go safely into the stream. It’s a little patch of heaven for us.

“I’m busy putting the finishing touches to the turkey initiative and we hope to get started soon. The price will be very reasonable. I’d love to hear from anybody interested in this opportunity. Just drop me a line at: Cameron.Aldin@southormsbyestate.co.uk .”

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