Brunty farms
This family-owned business, which has farms in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Ashland, raises 700 broad-breasted white turkeys. The birds, known for their larger breasts, range from 8 to 25 pounds. "I always give cooking instructions along with pickup," says co-owner Melanie Brunty. "Pasture-raised poultry cooks more quickly than a commercially raised bird." 2470 Martin Road, Akron, 330-594-7315, bruntyfarms.com
goatfeathers point farm
Whether you pick this farm's popular broad-breasted bronze, full-flavor bourbon red or the rare blue slate, hold the stuffing, says owner Cindy Smith. "You can put [in] some loose celery and onions, but don't stuff it with bread stuffing," she says. "It can suck all of the moisture out of the turkey." 4570 Akron Peninsula Road, Peninsula, 330-657-2726
miller livestock co.
This Kinsman farm feeds its 150 broad-breasted white turkeys non-genetically modified corn and soybeans. "A fresh turkey just has a completely different texture," says owner Melissa Miller. "I think that what people comment about most is about how moist the turkey is." She also suggests pairing it with a homemade gravy by using the pan juices, flour and water. "The gravy is just out of this world," she says. 9590 Kinsman Pymatuning Road, Kinsman, 330-876-5655, millergrassfed.com
miller's organic produce
Forget all the fancy techniques for cooking your bird. Owner Andy Miller offers a simple method for cooking one of his 75 broad-breasted white turkeys this holiday. "We advise people to put it in a roaster and cook that with butter over the breast," says Miller of the breed, which ranges from 16 to 22 pounds. "It has a great flavor." 17201 Bundysburg Road, Middlefield, 440-548-5697
Tim's turkeys
If you're looking for a turkey that's outside the box, this farm offers a rare breed. Owner Tim Stein and his daughter started raising bourbon reds 10 years ago. The slow-growing bird, which takes eight to nine months to mature, develops a delicious layer of fat under its skin. "[The taste] is kind of nutty," Stein says. "It's more maybe pheasant-like." 3600 Allard Road, Medina, 330-606-3799, timsturkeys.com
