OK, here’s your chance to outsmart the writer: Did you know that June is National Turkey Month? I sure didn’t, and if you’re completely honest with me, you probably thought that celebration had something to do with Thanksgiving time.

I did. That makes sense, but the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)  points out that June is actually “Turkey Lovers’ Month” to celebrate the year-round popularity of the bird. To validate that popularity, they cite the fact that in 1970, 50% of all turkey consumed was during the holidays; that figure is now down to 29%.

The state comes off rather well in this discussion as it accounts for over 7% of total US production and ranks 5th in terms of the number of turkeys raised. Healthwise, turkey is a low-fat, high protein food, and a 3-ounce serving of skinless turkey breast has only 120 calories.

If I’ve piqued your interest and you’re looking for summer recipes and picnic fare, then consult the National Turkey Federation for a thorough recipe guide. For the easiest recipe, make turkey on the grill.

If you are planning ahead to winter and thinking of a fabulous Thanksgiving or Christmas event, this may be the year for a heritage turkey. Locally, you can place an order at Ayrshire Farm–it’s probably not too early to be thinking of that reservation! Last year they held a turkey tasting event, (with 8 heritage breeds), and the results were quite interesting. Here’s a photo of the prize-winning Midget White!

Turkey now; turkey later.

Your waistline thanks you.