Cottage Farm Turkey

Please note: The turkeys will be delivered fresh from the 19th December 2025

Phil Baxter, our founder, was a schoolteacher in Halstead, Kent with a passion for being entirely self-sufficient. In 1976 whilst pursuing the “good life” he decided to rear a turkey for his Christmas dinner. He purchased three eggs which he lovingly nurtured in his bedroom! Having proved a great success, in 1977 he reared a further 20 birds for the enjoyment of family and friends. 1978 saw the birth of Cottage Farm Turkeys which has since become a highly successful business, dealing in Day Old chicks through to Growers which Phil’s son Jody now supplies to farmers countrywide. Turkeys are naturally inquisitive and love to explore their surroundings, making the most of fallen apples in the orchard and playing in dust baths they create under the old oak tree – so similar to that of their wild cousins of the North American forests! At night they are tucked up in the safety of spacious Pole barns, on deep straw beds, away from the elements and our friend Mr Fox. As Christmas approaches, the turkeys have a short walk of no more than 100 metres to our hygiene inspected, on site, processing facility. Compare this to supermarket turkeys which are loaded onto lorries and transported through the night to massive factories. We believe that keeping our turkeys calm contributes to the flavour and tenderness that Cottage Farm Turkeys are renowned for! Our turkeys are dry plucked and game hung in a temperature controlled chiller for ten days to let the meat mature. After hanging, they are eviscerated, with the giblets packed separately for making the best gravy. Each bird is then trussed and weighed before being wrapped in grease proof paper and placed in individual boxes with a pop up timer, cooking instructions and recipe ideas for leftovers!

If you’re looking for something a little smaller, we would highly recommend our Ballotine of Turkey – all the flavour none of the fuss!

Free Range Turkey

Preheat oven to 180C. Cook for 35-40 mins per kilo plus an additional 20 mins. Allow the bird to rest by covering in tin foil for 20 minutes. Any juices that escape the bird should be poured into the gravy. Serve with our Pommes Chateaux and Brussels Sprouts – and don’t forget the Trimmings!

Keep refrigerated. 5 Days unopened.

When dispatched fresh; can be frozen for up to 3 months. When dispatched frozen, please note turkey may begin to defrost in transit and shouldn't be re-frozen.