When it comes to Christmas Day, it’s no surprise that Craig Michie of Barra Bronzes “doesn’t have the energy” to cook his own turkey.
That’s because he works 16-hour days in the lead up to Christmas, and sells around 3,000 turkeys each year.
“It’s a bit too much,” the 42-year-old laughs.
“Everything is just madness up until the 24th.
“Then I try to catch my breath.
“I always sleep well on Christmas Eve.
“Christmas Day is just trying to recover from the chaos.”
The whole month of December is busy for Craig and his family, but it’s from around the 14th when the pressure ramps up.
“It’s quite a high intensity period of the year, with quite a lot of pressure,” he adds.
“I try not to get stressed out, but it’s difficult.
“What keeps me motivated is the thought of sitting down and having the turkey on Christmas Day, and then being able to sleep on the sofa and just relax with the family after it’s all done.”
Craig will get up at four in the morning to get a head start on the day before orders and calls start coming in.
His day involves getting the turkeys fresh straw, mixing up their homemade feed of barley, wheat and oats, taking orders and more.
What makes Craig’s Barra Bronzes turkeys different?
Craig believes his “artisan” turkeys are better than anything you could buy in a supermarket.
“You can’t really get meat like that in the shop,” he says.
“It’s something special for that one time of the year.”
So what is it that sets the birds apart?
“The age of the turkey makes all the difference,” says Craig.
“The fact that it’s 26 weeks old, in comparison to the standard supermarket turkey which is only 12 weeks.
“It doesn’t have time to grow slowly, and give you that real full flavour.”
The turkeys are also game hung and dry plucked, which Craig says enhances the flavour.
The turkeys are allowed to roam freely on the farm and forage for fruit and insects, though they are also provided with the feed mixture by Craig and his family.
“I think it’s really important to be mindful of what you’re eating,” he adds, “and whether that animal has been ethically produced.
“The key with turkeys is space and ventilation.
“After turkeys have been brooded under heat for a few weeks, when you open the shed door for the first time, they make this distinct clucking noise.
“That’s when they see the grass and start pecking it.
“It’s that sound they make when they’re really content, so that’s the noise you really like to hear with them.”
Conversation