Rio Grande Turkey

My friend Laura Paskus in Albuquerque, www.laurapaskus.com, sent this photo of her daughter, Lillie, who will be two years old in January, and their Rio Grande turkey. They acquired him and his mate from the local feed store, but the hen was killed by a hawk last spring.

So now he plays with Lillie. She chases him and when they tire of that, he chases her. The chickens get out of their way when they are chasing around.

Although the turkeys were intended for the table, this one has charmed his way into their hearts. "It looks like we will not be eating him for Thanksgiving," she writes. "Even my cold-hearted, hunter, I-kill-everything-butcher-it-myself-and-eat-it-all-year husband can't bear the thought of butchering him."

Rio Grande turkeys are a variation of wild turkeys, but are easily tamed. Thus the beginnings of domestication! Turkeys were originally domesticated in Mexico.