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The Last Turkey I Ever Bought
I like Thanksgiving. I like the idea of coming together with loved ones to give thanks and share a nourishing, delicious meal in the crisp Fall weather. What I don’t like, however, is what most of us choose to serve for Thanksgiving dinner. But perhaps “choose” isn’t the right word. After all, how many of us really choose to serve turkey on Thanksgiving? Isn’t it more of an expectation or obligation? Something we’re just “supposed to” do? A poultry-industry marketing strategy turned cultural norm that we all, for the most part, accept without question?
The year before I went vegan, we held Thanksgiving dinner at our house and I was saddled with the task of being the keeper of that “tradition.” For some reason, I shuddered at the thought of buying one of those plastic-wrapped, bowling-ball-shaped bodies that filled the freezers at the supermarket. At the time, I lived in an idyllic semi-rural community, so I decided to buy a turkey from the area’s most popular family-owned farm and market: Tendercrop Farm.
I distinctly remember walking through the charming, rustic wooden barn filled with apple crates, hay and bittersweet wreaths. Dried flowers tied in bundles hung from the rafters, and the smell of spiced cider warmed the air. I stood in line with other rosy-cheeked residents as we waited to submit our orders. The birds were sold by weight and the one I ordered to be killed weighed 16 pounds. A few days later, I picked up the body, brought it home and cooked it for our friends who were visiting from New York.
The next year, I read Diet For A New America and went vegan. So as it turned out, that was the last Thanksgiving turkey I would ever buy. The following Fall, I read in the paper that Tendercrop Farm owner, Matthew Kozazcki’s stepson (who worked as an animal caretaker at the farm) had been charged with animal cruelty. He and his friend had gotten drunk one night and bludgeoned 21 turkeys to death using a shovel, pitchfork and a baseball bat. According to this report: “They entered a growout house where 3,700 turkeys lay sleeping, and began throwing a pitchfork into the mass of birds, trying to hit two with one throw. One of the suspects brought out a baseball bat and smashed the turkeys against a wall. Kozazcki’s brother later discovered the birds’ corpses lying in a ditch by a road near the barn, along with a pair of blood-soaked sneakers.” Many of the birds were covered in their own feces, an indication of the terror they experienced.
When interviewed about what his son had done, Kozazcki brushed off the seriousness of the crime, stating, “We’re talking turkeys here, not people.”
It’s tempting to view the Tendercrop turkey bludgeoning as an isolated tragedy committed by emotionally disturbed young men. But I would argue that their actions are a reflection of a more pervasive social problem – one we’re all responsible for. After all, how can we expect to raise children to be respectful and kind to animals when we teach them that animals are just units of production to be used for our own pleasure and profit? How can we expect farm workers - like Kozazcki’s son – to be compassionate towards animals when we simultaneously teach (and pay) them to kill?
Many members of the community were disturbed and outraged by the crime. But isn’t it a little bizarre to express horror when someone kills a turkey with a baseball bat, but not when he slaughters a turkey with a knife? Both are needless acts of cruelty and violence. And both should be condemned by a civilized and compassionate society.
The turkeys bludgeoned at Tendercrop Farm received attention because they were killed in a non-traditional manner. But their fate was not necessarily worse than the fate inflicted on millions of turkeys every single year. There are widespread reports of workers throwing turkeys like footballs, ripping their feet and wings off, grinding unwanted birds alive, even sexually abusing them. And even if the birds manage to escape the frustration and anger of desensitized workers, they all are violently killed in the end anyway – throats slit, many scalded alive.
I think we should pause and ask ourselves: is this really anything to be “Thankful” for? Is this a tradition worth repeating and passing on to our children? Or do we want to start a new tradition instead — one that is based in non-violence and compassion?
Eventually, Kozazcki’s son returned to work with the animals at Tendercrop Farm, where I assume, he still works today. And this Thanksgiving, like every other, the good people of the community will line up in the barn, waiting to place their order, because that’s what we’re “supposed to” do.
I’m grateful I no longer stand among them.
What a poignant moving essay! It is bizzare how one type of murder is “tradition” while another type is considered an act of cruelty. The end result is the same. I expect that people who feel there is a difference are looking more at the motive: one murder results from unbridled, out-of-control anger and violence while the other has the “purpose” of providing a meal for a holiday gathering. Bizarre, indeed.Thanksgiving holds a special sadness for me now as I am aware of the life lost to grace the dinner table. I, too, am glad to no longer be a part of that. Thank you!
This is a very powerful post Jo. I am sharing!
Thank you for this very truthful and moving writing. I too will NEVER purchase a turkey for Thanksgiving nor will I eat a turkey for Thanksgiving. I am thankful that I do not partake in the cruel and non-compassionate tradition. I am setting the path of a compassionate life for my 7-year-old. She too can’t comprehend eating a dead animal and celebrating it when it is not necessary. Anybody that disagrees with that needs to read Diet for a New America and Forks Over Knives.
i wont even go to my family for Christmas because i do not even want to see them doing what there think there should do at christmas and buy and sit there and indulge on a murdered turkey, thats got to them more me not going and i want them to know its breaking families now, whats more important. i put the choice ball in their court, and i am proud to make a stand against what is the worst atrocities in this world, humans exploiting animals
Great post!
@Alison – thank YOU! I have so much respect and love for anyone who raises a compassionate, vegan child…thank you, thank you, thank you — you are giving the world the gift of HOPE.
@Deb – I think you make a very good point. Holidays should be about coming together with friends and family. Why the insistence on including a dead animal in that gathering should take priority over the gathering itself is just baffling.@Rhea – I know what you mean about the sadness. 
( And yes, I can see that argument being made — one form of violence is more acceptable because the end result is “food.” But since that “food” is not necessary for our survival and is only consumed for pleasure…well, then, I struggle to see how it’s so different — killing for pleasure vs. killing in rage.
This is a great article.
I just said the following (in my own words) to my husband, mother, and aunt last night:I think we should pause and ask ourselves: is this really anything to be “Thankful” for? Is this a tradition worth repeating and passing on to our children? Or do we want to start a new tradition instead — one that is based in non-violence and compassion?My mother is willing to have a turkey free Thanksgiving
)P.S. Those sick people who murder animals (and think it’s okay) will most likely hurt a human. More people need to start thinking about this.
tatiana514 — you just made my day. I’m so glad your mother is willing to have a turkey-free Thanksgiving!! Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you for writing this, and showing that just because the intent of the scum who murdered those birds differed from that of the slaughterhouse employees, the result is the same – terrified birds (still just babies) dying in indescribable pain. We have just rescued a turkey who was destined to be eaten and it is both heartbreaking and delightful to see this beautiful, sensitive creature experiencing freedom and investigating new things. Just as soon as he is used to me (he is still quite scared) I can’t wait to throw my arms around him and kiss his sweet head.
what a wonderful post! thank you. i just posted it to my facebook wall.
happy compassionate thanksgiving!
for 6 years, we have had a vegan potluck at our home for people who do not want to participate in the normal, cruelty based tradition. last year over 60 people attended we and call it “thanksliving”.i heard a story of a fellow vegan who attended his family’s thanksgiving and buried the turkey in the back yard because “it is a dead animal and that is what you do with dead animal’s”. needless to say his family was not too happy with him but i think he made his point.
Mark – your vegan potluck sounds lovely! We hope to start a similar tradition someday here…
This is a very moving and thought-provoking post, thank you. I adopted a turkey from Farm Sanctuary for Thanksgiving (I’m Canadian, so it’s already come and gone), and my mom made HOMEMADE tofurky for me for dinner! I was so touched. http://www.adoptaturkey.org/
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Thank you Jo – Once again you strike to the heart of the matter and bring such clarity to the issues. Apparently you had some clue as to differentiate from the mass-manufactured birds and the ones from a smaller (better) place. Me? I had no idea of any of it… I think the last turkey’s body was so “cheap” it was a “free bonus” with a $50 purchase. I was totally unaware… I never imagined the cruelty via the dis-assembly line let alone by way of pitch-fork. :/You make us pause and examine these brutal acts committed under the guise of (sacred) tradition. It’s painful but necessary. I hope someday such stories will no longer be needed. In the meantime – I’m grateful to all who speak out for compassion and wisdom.
Did thinking make monsters out of humans? Or NOT thinking?
The value of a life is based upon the intelligence of the species. Is it wrong to “murder” an oyster or a breathing head of lettuce? Should we send National Guard troops to the Island of Little Diomede, Alaska to stop the Eskimos from “murdering” the seals that they consume in minimal quantities for sustenance? Was it okay that Native Americans “murdered” buffalo 200 years ago? Can the aforementioned be overlooked in the eyes of one that defines “murder” as “taking the life of another for one’s own personal gain”? Well…good luck on your endeavors! The food-chain will never change. The instant that tofu becomes less expensive than a pack of turkey slices, I will be on board. Until then, I have to feed my children, I am not wealthy and the deer I hunt every season for the price of a few bullets helps to feed my family! I do not disrespect my prey, but my family means more to me than the life of a brain-dead oyster….
Judge, you bring up so many misconceptions and myths in your brief post that it’s hard to know where to begin in responding to you. Most people agree that it’s wrong to harm and kill animals unnecessarily. And yet most of us have no real “need” to harm and kill animals, as we live in the modern world and have access to an abundance of plant-based foods. In other words, since we have access to fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, etc…then we have no excuse to harm animals. It is sentience, not intelligence, that is important to consider when it comes to other animals. As Jeremy Bentham remarked, “The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?” All sentient animals suffer alike. All want to live. None want to be harmed. As for your concern about plants, here’s a brief article you might want to read: http://www.nonhumanslavery.com/but-what-about-plants-dont-they-suffer-tooI'm glad you will “be on board” when tofu (which is not required for a vegan diet, btw), becomes less expensive than a pack of turkey slices, (which I think it already may be). But have you ever stopped to consider why it is that meat and dairy are so inexpensive? After all, they are incredibly resource-intensive foods. The animals must be fed, housed, given water and medicines, slaughtered, dismembered, trucked and refrigerated. Producing a quarter pound of hamburger requires 100 gallons of water, 1.2 lbs. of feed grain and energy equal to a cup of gasoline, causes the loss of 1.25 lbs. of topsoil and causes greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to a 6-mile drive in a typical U.S. car..” (Source: United Nations Population Fund)So how could it be that we can buy a hamburger for $1 at some restaurant chains? The answer is, our government subsidizes the dairy and meat industries. Please take a look at this revealing diagram: http://www.thisveganlife.org/no-to-npr-yes-to-taxpayer-funded-cheeseburgerSome analysts estimate that the true cost of a single hamburger could be as high as $200! http://aharoonakramlodhi.blogspot.com/2010/01/real-cost-of-hamburger.htmlBesides, eating a whole-foods vegan diet is actually the cheapest way to eat. Beans, rice, pasta, vegetables, fruit…these foods are all very inexpensive. I’m saddened that in addition to all the factory-farmed meat, egg and dairy products you are undoubtedly buying at the supermarket, you also believe you must kill a deer and expose your children to needless violence and animal cruelty. What is that teaching them? You say you don’t “disrespect” your prey, but how can that be? When we harm others and take their lives not out of necessity, but out of habit, convenience or desire, how can that ever be considered “respectful”? I hope you will consider that there is another way. We can live with, and teach our children about compassion and justice instead. Here’s a great FAQ that you might find of interest: http://ar.vegnews.org/FAQ.html
Jo…Do opponents ever come here or is this just another communist single-party veggan state of mind sort of forum? You did evade my questions concerning the Native Americans’ :”murder” of some animals. On the contrary, a $4.50 packet of Smart Balance fake bologna will buy 4.5 McDoubles at McDs. Atop of that, the McDoubles are already cooked which further saves on time and meal preparation costs. I am not a frequent defender of the fast food industry. I am merely stating the reasoning that the average blue-collar survivalist sees when he/she purchases food/”murdered carcasses”. The few veggies I do grow for my family are always encroached by non-human mammals and birds. If they could steal all of my garden, leave nothing for my family and get away with it, they would do so in the blink of an eye. I do not kill for sport and there is no supermarket that is less expensive than living off of the land. When I do kill, it is usually instant…no assembly lines, etc. I even catch and evict spiders and stinkbugs. Is that not humane? Do you spare the lives of stinkbugs that invade your home?Question…do you have a God or are you religious? The true sin in the chain of nature is abuse. Anyway, I have the Law of the Land behind my back. You also have the Law of the Land behind your back. It is called “Freedom of Speech” and thanks to some people who fought wars and died for this freedom, you hereby have this right to campaign for any cause or issue that you desire. This will be my final posting. I hope that you find your zen/chi/inner-peace or whatever it takes to stop hating yourself and mankind. I have nothing against you… Take care…
I’m finding it so difficult that people have to defend being compassionate humans. I’m so sick of people who think it is okay to kill other living creatures. So so sick….
Judge, I find it interesting how people who are so familiar with the menus at fast food chains claim to be living off the land and killing in self-defense or out of sheer need for survival. As for fetishizing Native Americans – here’s a post I wrote about that a while ago: http://www.nonhumanslavery.com/fetishizing-ancient-indigenous-rituals-to-ease…Besides, if you are buying fast food cheeseburgers, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. you are directly supporting Factory Farms and factory farming is the antithesis of the “respect” you claim to show towards animals. Please google “factory farming” to find out for yourself if you are still unaware of what we are doing to other sentient beings in the name of greed and gluttony. Also, it seems you didn’t read or didn’t understand why it is that McDonald’s burgers are so cheap. The prices of meat, dairy and eggs are artificially low. The true cost is much, much higher – and it’s not just about money, either. We pay dearly with the costs to our environment, human health, and our compassion and humanity. If you think this issue is just about other animals, you are mistaken. Please look into the links between 1st world meat consumption and world hunger, global warming and environmental devastation. Even the United Nations is urging a world-wide shift to a plant-based diet in order to stave off the worst effects of hunger and climate change. For so many reasons, as Bruce Friedrich writes, eating animals really has become indefensible. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/resolved-eating-animals-i_b_671…I hope that since you cared enough to even post a comment here that you will continue to consider this issue. I’m just guessing, but if you are like most people, I think you would agree that it’s wrong to cause animals unnecessary harm and suffering. So how can you justify harming and killing animals when you have no real need to do so? I understand that was your last post – and that’s ok with me. Just hoping you will consider some of the points I raised. Thanks.
Abby, I can read your comment in my email, but I don't see it on the blog. Perhaps you deleted it or maybe there's a glitch with Posterous again? In any event, thank you so much for the kind words of support. Yes the tone we take is very important and it's something I'm personally always seeking to improve upon. It's not always easy, as the apathy, selfishness, defensiveness and sheer cruelty we encounter can be downright overwhelming at times. I often have to take a step back and take several deep breaths before writing — and even then, I don't always get it right. But I'm grateful you think I at least get it right some of the time!
Thanks for reading — and most of all, thanks for doing what you can to help create a more just and kind world.
Hi Jo, I am glad you got it! After I hit the comment button it disappeared and I wondered whether it would ever show up so I checked this morning. I look forward to reading the rest of your past posts. I am about half way though them and really appreciate your efforts. And I think you get it right “most” of the time not just “some”.
Well thanks, Abby! I appreciate that:-))