Like many of us, Phil Haughton, founder of Better Food, is aware that the decisions we make impact nature. The condition of nature and how we interact with it in turn influences our health and wellbeing. In today’s globally connected world, these decisions can create change in places we are not able to see. Thus if we purchase meat we can unknowingly support an industry that poorly treats the animals and workers in the supply chain. At Better Food we do not think this is fair and choose to support only those that look after people and planet. That is why we are transparent about where we source our food and go the extra mile to make sure we build relationships with everyone in the supply chain. And this is the same for our Christmas birds.

Brilliant birds

Bill and Emma Yeats of Bishop Vale farm have been rearing our outdoor bred poultry for more than a decade. Their traditional bronze birds from North Somerset are free to roam and roost as they would naturally. Phil met Bill and Emma in 2012 when he was growing our Christmas turkeys himself. Having seen what a great job Bill and Emma were doing rearing organic chickens for Better Food it felt right to ask them to supply our stores.

“Turkeys are sensitive birds. I learnt that to give them a content time in our care you need to attend to every detail of their free range environment,” explains Phil, “from the quality of the organic feed and night time shelter to their bedding. This is why I visit Bill and Emma to assess the needs of the birds and plan for the year ahead. And you know what: every year customers tell me these are the best tasting turkeys ever”.

Eating a bird that has been reared this way is truly nourishing for the heart and the belly.

Know where your food comes from this Christmas and support small-scale farms. Order your local turkey here.