Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Begin advertising your event in newspapers; on the radio and local television; through
flyers posted on street corners, telephone poles, in feed and farm stores; and on the In-
ternet via farm and even social-networking sites.
One week before taste test:
Decide how you are going to standardize the cooking method. I believe you must cook
both birds using the same methods and the same equipment. Two electric roaster ovens
would work great. This makes any claims of a better tasting bird more valid. Plan for the
proper cooking and serving equipment and any seasonings you'll use. Plan the tables,
chafing dishes, plates, toothpicks or forks, and so on. Purchase any necessary items.
48 hours before the taste test:
Purchase a typical-grade commercial bird, or better yet a frozen discount bird that so
many others will purchase. Make sure you save the supermarket bird label to place on
poster board or a sign next to the bird during the test. Try to have the turkeys close to
the same weight.
4-5 hours before the taste test, if preparing a 12- to 15-pound (5.5-7 kg) bird, earli-
er for a larger bird:
Place both birds in a roaster or other pan; season them exactly the same. Make sure you
are treating each bird exactly the same. If you baste and turn one, baste and turn the
other. Set up a visually pleasing tasting station and any outside signs announcing to the
drive-by public that the test is happening.
During the taste test:
Offer tasters the meat fresh and hot as it comes from the roaster. Let the consumer see
the cooking container and the contents. If you are able, you may also offer a tour of the
facilities, so that the consumer can see how the birds are raised, but keep in mind biose-
curity issues here.
Remember that turkeys might be harvested a bit late to get a proper inventory for
a taste test your first raising year. The following year, however, you may want to host
an early to midsummer taste test in order to raise enough turkeys to match the demand.
Chicken taste tests can be done more frequently and the grow-out time is much shorter
than that for turkeys.
Pass around the following information on a preprinted recipe card or piece of busi-
ness stationery during the taste testing. Your testers will find the combination of educa-
tion and succulent mouthfuls of heritage bird irresistible.
