03/24/2026
❤️Tonight we celebrate the legacy of Gertrude the turkey❤️
We bought Gertrude in 2021 from a kid who had raised a whole barn of meat birds as his 4H project. Along with her sister Ethel, Gertrude had may firsts here- including her first experiences with grass, meeting other farm animals, and becoming a beloved pet. Chances are, if you’ve been to our farm you’ve gotten to pet Gertrude or be a witness to some of her antics.
She played many roles on the farm, from quality control inspector of farm projects, to babysitter of newborn critters, to camp counselor- but her most defining quality was that Gertrude LOVED kids. During farm camp, she could most often be found right in the middle of a group of playing kids. She loved mud pies, inspecting shiny rocks, and cleaning up any unwanted snacks (and some that may have still been wanted 🫣).
Gertrude was also an exceptional farm ambassador when we would take farm animals to events outside of the farm. She has been to elementary schools, pre-k centers, and birthday parties. For many, she was their first experience of “a real live turkey,” and she always did us proud.
She had started to slow down over the last few months- after all, almost 6 years old is a lot for a bird who was only supposed to live for 6 months. So I am immensely glad that she had the chance over spring break to have one last day in her happy place, in the middle of a group of muddy, wet, laughing kids.
🖤 The farm won’t be quite the same without her 🖤