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Jimmy Radovich of Kansas City carries a live turkey to a waiting truck. This was part of Frank Reese's turkey roundup this past fall near Marquette.
In Honor of Brian
By Linda Mowery-Denning
Last Updated: January 27, 2010
Editor's Note: This feature first appeared in the Nov. 26, 2009, edition of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter
Jimmy Radovich carried two live turkeys, one in each hand, to the cages awaiting them in the large, long tractor-trailer parked at the Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch.
The birds were moved, from the 1938 “turkey loader" staffed by ranch owner Frank Reese, to the truck, which carried the turkeys to Ohio for processing.
“We call this turkey wrangling," said Radovich, as he walked the several feet between loader and truck, the two birds he carried upside down by their feet flapping their wings in protest.
Radovich has done this for two years — all for his friend Brian Anselmo.
“There's 15 of us here," said Radovich, who lives in Kansas City. “Last year, we had close to 40.
“It's just a good way for us to get together and remember a friend."
Brian was 28 years old when he died Sept. 2, 2008, of an apparent asthma attack. He managed Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch and also worked for the Animal Welfare Institute, where he traveled across the country to educate farmers on the humane treatment of animals.
The two jobs fit together perfectly.
Reese, a fourth generation Kansas farmer, sells heritage turkeys and other poultry, some with bloodlines that stretch back decades.
His Bronze turkeys have been part of the operation for 50 years, coming from a breeder in Alton, whose turkeys were descended from an egg his mother received in 1917 as a wedding gift.
According to information provided by Reese:
“These birds are unique in that they are more than free-ranged; they have pastures green with grass to liberally roam naturally foraging. At night, the chickens and grass to liberally roam naturally foraging. At night, the chickens and turkeys have areas to roost on. They never have to sleep on the ground, nor do we clip wings, beaks or cut toenails. All the birds are raised humanely, as you would expect. We are proud of that fact."
Natural mating and a vegetable diet also are part of a turkey's life on the ranch. Under such conditions, it takes five to six months to get to market weight. Reese's toms, if they don't become someone's Thanksgiving dinner, can live for 18 to 20 years and the hens can live for eight to 10 years.
Compare that to a factory farm turkey, which has a lifespan of a year and is pushed by genetics to grow 300 times faster than those at Good Shepherd.
“Our turkeys run, jump and fly," Reese said. “We don't have to feed them antibiotics. They don't die. They have an immune system."
The rancher's business model also differs from the one used by Tyson and other food giants. The large companies control every aspect of an animal's life and death by contracting with farmers to perform specific jobs, such as eggs production or collection of sperm from the toms.
Reese also controls all aspects of his operation; however, so do the other 15 or so farmers who buy turkeys from the ranch after they're hatched.
“These turkeys are totally different than what you buy from the grocery store," he said. “They [supermarket turkeys] are not naturally bred. They are designed to die and be butchered."
This beautiful fall Sunday morning, Reese and his crew herded turkeys — more than 1,000 — for the trip east.
“Hey, Frank," yelled one of the workers. “Looks like you're busy today."
“Yeah, one day a year," Reese said, maintaining his rhythm as he grabbed a turkey from the loader and handed it off to a carrier.
This same scene was being repeated at sister turkey farms in Seneca and Goddard, bringing the total number of turkeys headed for the processing plant to almost 10,000.
At Marquette, beyond the chatter of the workers was a constant chorus of turkey talk — from those headed to market, as well as birds in other parts of the farm, the ones that will survive this Thanksgiving.
The turkeys on the truck will go to all parts of the United States, as well as Japan, Israel and other countries, once they're processed.
“From Kansas," said Reese, who sells his premium birds for $4 a pound, mostly because his process is less efficient and, therefore, more expensive than the assembly line operations of the Tysons and Purdues.
Their operations demand a one-size-fits-all bird, which looks like every other bird once it's processed and packaged for sale in the supermarket.
“I believe in diversity," Reese said. “I believe there should be more than one genetic animal in the world."
But for Jimmy Radovich and more than a dozen others, this day was about more than turkeys. It was about Anselmo and a friendship that for Radovich continued for more than 20 years before Brian's death. It's also about family. Brian's parents, Jerry and Ellen Anselmo, arrived in time to carry their share of turkeys. His sister also was part of the crew.
“We're all here — just because of Brian," said Radovich, who works for his family's funeral home business, which has offices at Great Bend, LaCrosse, Emporia, Chanute and Kansas City.
Brian also grew up in Kansas City, a city boy who found his calling in the country. He worked at the Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch for seven years, first helping to raze buildings and build fence and then stepping over to the business side following graduation from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
“Brian had never been on a farm in his life, but he loved animals," said Reese, who met his former ranch manager through a mutual friend.
There were other reminders of Brian this Sunday. His dogs, “Carmella" and “Izzie," walked from person to person, enjoying the pats of affection they received from almost everyone.
“In honor of Brian, they made this an annual event," Reese said. “For his mom and dad, it's sort of a pilgrimage, a return to a place where their son lived."
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