November 23, 2011 Turkey Farm

CaliforniaMama · 11-23-2011, 09:06 AM

(Apologies to peoples of the world - here is yet another American holiday.)

Before I was born, my aunt (my mother's oldest sister) and uncle owned a turkey farm. During the holidays, customers (pictured above) would come and pick out their turkey. My aunt, uncle, mom and other relatives would "dress" (pluck the feathers and all that) the turkeys and prepare them for the customers.

This photo was taken by the local newspaper photographer for a newspaper feature on the turkey farm. This was probably the mid 1950's.

My uncle immigrated from the Azores as a teenager. He had only a few dollars in his pocket. He obtained some kind of menial job. He saved what he could and used the money to buy a few turkey chicks. He raised the turkeys and sold them. He used the profit to buy twice as many chicks the next year, and so on, until he had a full-fledged farm.

When he felt he was making enough money, he went looking for a wife. People in the community told him about my grandmother, a young widow. He went calling. (Imagine having a man knock on your door to see if you would marry him when you'd never even met him before!)

She turned him down. She wasn't interested in marrying again. However, my aunt saw a good prospect and spoke up saying that she was available and interested. And so began a love story.

My uncle went looking for a widow with children and ended up with a much younger, beautiful, virgin bride. They lived happily together for more than 25 years.

He was my favorite uncle and my Godfather. I have his old-fashioned, hand-painted-on-curved-glass portrait hanging near my bed.

infinite monkey · 11-23-2011, 09:10 AM

:applause:

That is wonderful, CaliMama. What a neat piece of personal history. Thank you for sharing that!

glatt · 11-23-2011, 09:10 AM

Excellent IotD!

Spexxvet · 11-23-2011, 10:05 AM

Personal IOTDs are the best IOTDs. Thanks.

Nirvana · 11-23-2011, 10:10 AM

fabulous!

Griff · 11-23-2011, 10:17 AM

Here is Harriet Jones PM the unflappable survivor.

classicman · 11-23-2011, 11:13 AM

Thats a great story and a wonderful piece of history. Thanks for sharing Calimama.

Clodfobble · 11-23-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliMama

When he felt he was making enough money, he went looking for a wife. People in the community told him about my grandmother, a young widow. He went calling. (Imagine having a man knock on your door to see if you would marry him when you'd never even met him before!)

She turned him down. She wasn't interested in marrying again. However, my aunt saw a good prospect and spoke up saying that she was available and interested.

Sometimes I think things would be better if it still worked this way. There's something to be said for viewing a marriage as an agreement for mutual benefit instead of expecting it to be an overwhelming rush of love every single moment for the next 60 years. Had a friend in high school whose very traditional Indian family had selected her future husband for her, but she hadn't been allowed to meet him yet. We had a lot of conversations about it, and she always said she was in favor of her culture's way of doing things. Never got to find out how the marriage is going now, though.

dmg1969 · 11-23-2011, 11:20 AM

Very cool, CaliforniaMama! And love the pic.

glatt · 11-23-2011, 11:45 AM

When our firstborn was in daycare, she had an Indian lady taking care of her in her own home. We met the entire family, and they were very nice. Their marriage was an arranged one, and they genuinely loved each other. You could see it in the way they talked to one another and talked about themselves. They showed us their wedding pictures and talked about their arranged marriage about 15 years earlier. They said that they learned to love each other after being matched up by their parents. It was pretty neat.

infinite monkey · 11-23-2011, 11:46 AM

Griff, is that your turkey? It's really cool looking!

Ya know, I miss the Muscovy Duck that used to hang around the river. In fact, I miss all the white ducks too. I don't know where they all went, but one by one they disappeared.

Griff · 11-23-2011, 01:29 PM

Yeah, she's a Royal Palm. Nice bird.

BigV · 11-23-2011, 01:55 PM

Seems like it would be pretty easy to catch an unflappable bird. Drumsticks, baby!

hipshot · 11-23-2011, 09:10 PM

What a nice Thanksgiving tale (except for the turkeys...) Thanks for sharing.

Was the turkey farm in the Central Valley? I am in San Joaquin County, and we have quite a few turkey farms in the area.

11-23-2011, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama

My uncle went looking for a widow with children and ended up with a much younger, beautiful, virgin bride.

Am I the only one that finds that statement a bit creepy?

11-23-2011, 09:06 AM	#1
CaliforniaMama I wonder . . . Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Left Coast, a pretty good place to be. Posts: 1,278	November 23, 2011 Turkey Farm (Apologies to peoples of the world - here is yet another American holiday.) Before I was born, my aunt (my mother's oldest sister) and uncle owned a turkey farm. During the holidays, customers (pictured above) would come and pick out their turkey. My aunt, uncle, mom and other relatives would "dress" (pluck the feathers and all that) the turkeys and prepare them for the customers. This photo was taken by the local newspaper photographer for a newspaper feature on the turkey farm. This was probably the mid 1950's. My uncle immigrated from the Azores as a teenager. He had only a few dollars in his pocket. He obtained some kind of menial job. He saved what he could and used the money to buy a few turkey chicks. He raised the turkeys and sold them. He used the profit to buy twice as many chicks the next year, and so on, until he had a full-fledged farm. When he felt he was making enough money, he went looking for a wife. People in the community told him about my grandmother, a young widow. He went calling. (Imagine having a man knock on your door to see if you would marry him when you'd never even met him before!) She turned him down. She wasn't interested in marrying again. However, my aunt saw a good prospect and spoke up saying that she was available and interested. And so began a love story. My uncle went looking for a widow with children and ended up with a much younger, beautiful, virgin bride. They lived happily together for more than 25 years. He was my favorite uncle and my Godfather. I have his old-fashioned, hand-painted-on-curved-glass portrait hanging near my bed.

11-23-2011, 10:05 AM	#4
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Personal IOTDs are the best IOTDs. Thanks. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

11-23-2011, 10:10 AM	#5
Nirvana Back in 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,684	fabulous! __________________ Speaking simply... do not confuse this with having a simple mind.

11-23-2011, 10:17 AM	#6
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Here is Harriet Jones PM the unflappable survivor. Attached Images __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-23-2011, 11:13 AM	#7
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	Thats a great story and a wonderful piece of history. Thanks for sharing Calimama. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

11-23-2011, 09:10 AM	#2
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	:applause: That is wonderful, CaliMama. What a neat piece of personal history. Thank you for sharing that!

11-23-2011, 09:10 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Excellent IotD!

11-23-2011, 11:20 AM	#9
dmg1969 I got nothing Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 486	Very cool, CaliforniaMama! And love the pic. __________________ Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

11-23-2011, 11:45 AM	#10
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	When our firstborn was in daycare, she had an Indian lady taking care of her in her own home. We met the entire family, and they were very nice. Their marriage was an arranged one, and they genuinely loved each other. You could see it in the way they talked to one another and talked about themselves. They showed us their wedding pictures and talked about their arranged marriage about 15 years earlier. They said that they learned to love each other after being matched up by their parents. It was pretty neat.

11-23-2011, 11:46 AM	#11
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Griff, is that your turkey? It's really cool looking! Ya know, I miss the Muscovy Duck that used to hang around the river. In fact, I miss all the white ducks too. I don't know where they all went, but one by one they disappeared.

11-23-2011, 01:29 PM	#12
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Yeah, she's a Royal Palm. Nice bird. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-23-2011, 01:55 PM	#13
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Seems like it would be pretty easy to catch an unflappable bird. Drumsticks, baby! __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

11-23-2011, 09:10 PM	#14
hipshot Enlarged to show texture Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 80	What a nice Thanksgiving tale (except for the turkeys...) Thanks for sharing. Was the turkey farm in the Central Valley? I am in San Joaquin County, and we have quite a few turkey farms in the area. __________________ "When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car."

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