Flourish Magazine

they're sorted by sex and size and allowed to grow, roam, feed and socialize. Indeed a stroll alongside various flocks of turkeys confirms that they're quite sociable creatures, as they gobble and cluck amongst themselves. "They're pretty smart," Brodsky explains. "They're inquisitive. They'll follow you around." As for the old story about turkeys being so intellectually challenged that they'll stare at the sky in a rainstorm until the water pouring down their throats drowns them, Brodsky pooh-poohs that notion. If turkeys are out in the open during a storm, they'll huddle together and become completely saturated, putting themselves at risk of pneumonia. That's why Willie Bird turkeys are provided with abundant shelter "so they'll go under cover in the rain." Clustered in the shade of oak trees on a sunny afternoon or pecking along the dusty hillsides, the individual flocks resemble small societies or family units, complete with pecking orders. "Especially the toms," Brodsky says, gesturing toward a group of handsome white male turkeys with bright red wattles. "Toms are notorious for pecking orders. There's usually one that will be dominant." As if to demonstrate, a sudden loud noise is greeted by a gobble from the head bird that's quickly followed by a dozens of gobbles from the others as they all cluck in unison. Most of the turkeys at the ranch are ushered indoors at night to protect them from predators – mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats. Scarecrows are placed about the property to frighten away crows that might introduce disease to the flocks. Occasionally loud music is played at night to further deter and frighten off predators. When the turkeys reach 20 to 24 weeks of age, they're shipped to a processing plant in Los Banos, something that happens just two days a year – before Thanksgiving and before Christmas. "We only load at night under lights," says Brodsky. "Turkeys don't want to move during the day when it's hot. They travel in the middle of the night. They need to be there for slaughter first thing in the morning." Though raising turkeys might appear to be a seasonal business since the bulk of the population only roasts turkeys during the holiday season, there's actually demand for turkey year-round. "Summer is big for turkey legs," says Brodsky. Willie Bird operates a booth at the Sonoma County Fair, and the company has mobile barbecue units that are available for private parties and weddings – an old-fashioned twist on the recent food truck craze. Smoked products are also very popular for holiday entertaining, and turkey bacon is a huge draw all year long. And despite being surrounded by turkeys 365 days a year, Brodsky claims that he never tires of it: "I eat turkey nearly Willie Bird Manager Greg "Beagle" Brodsky in the field with several dozen feathered friends. 12 FLOURISH • WINTER 2013 

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