Turkeys, chicken and lamb - a cornucopia of home grown from Heritage Acres
Of all the animals raised on Heritage Acres - turkeys, chicken, laying hens and sheep - Eric Munson admits he likes working with turkeys the best.
“I just enjoy them,” he said. “They have a personality.”
Eric, his father, Sheldon and brother, Caleb care for the animals on their Wadena-area hobby farm. The lambs are pasture raised and poultry is free range giving each animal ample room to roam and exercise.
The family moved to their Wadena hobby farm in 2003 when Sheldon was relocated for his job with the State of Minnesota. The only buildings on the family’s 80 acre farm site were the house and shop. They needed more for their plans to raise stock. Soon they built a barn and chicken coop.
Each one of the six children joined 4-H and showed animals raised on the hobby farm. That’s where Eric grew an appreciation for turkeys.
Over time, the “farmhands” moved away and Eric’s parents downsized, but Eric and Caleb joined their father in continuing their small enterprise with the animals.
Like most ventures, it started small. They raised a few chickens and turkeys for friends. Their numbers grew and they are now in their third season direct marketing a variety of lamb, turkey, chicken and eggs.
They have 35 katahdin ewes and one ram and will add 10 to 15 ewe lambs to the herd next spring, Eric said. The breed is known as a hair breed meaning it doesn’t have a wool coat. Katahdin sheep are hardy and handle both cold winters and hot summers well.
Besides their diet of succulent grasses, the sheep also receive a non-GMO feed ration which includes oats, corn, minerals and molasses.
Their lamb is sold by the half and whole and they also offer cuts. Check out their website at heritageacresmn.com.
Keeping the flock safe from predators is their llama, Tina.
They have broken their pasture into paddocks and, in the spring, summer and fall, they move the sheep from one to the other as needed. They monitor the grazing closely and move the sheep when more grass is needed. A paddock system allows grasses ample time to recover from grazing and flourish to be ready for its next grazing.
Most of their turkeys are pre-sold with customers ordering the birds early, but, if available, can be purchased through an online order.
The turkeys are a Broad Breasted White breed - a breed he describes has been raised for generations.
Turkeys and chickens dine in a wooded pasture with its floor covered in wild raspberries and acorns. The result is a flavorful meat.
Finding a processor can be a challenge especially for the turkeys, he said. Some processors are two-plus hours away, but they’ve connected with Fox Farms in Browerville and are pleased with the final product.
The birds are ordered through Welp Hatchery in Bancroft, Iowa. The turkey poults and chicks arrive at the local post office, Eric said. They will get 200 to 300 birds at a time.
They raise California Whites, Leghorns, Plymouth Rocks and Buckeyes. Each egg carton is different, he said. Egg shell colors differ depending on the breed, but the egg itself is the same quality. All are high producing layers offering around 200 to 230 eggs a year. They have contracted with one restaurant for egg sales and also accept online orders when they have eggs available.
Laying hens are the only poultry they keep over the winter, he said. The coop is insulated and the temperature maintained so egg production is not affected by weather changes.
Cornish Cross is the breed of broiler they raise. They raise 300 birds at a time and harvest 900 a year.
Broiler sales are 60 percent pre-orders, he said.
“We have animals that are living a life as natural as possible,” he said. “They get to eat green grass and they get exercise.”
Besides grass, the stock is fed non-GMO feeds.
Check out heritage acresmn.com both on Facebook and at their website for ordering info and to get great recipes.
