TURKEY DELIGHT

The game bird has served as the Christmas centrepiece for millions of Britons for more than a century... yet not all are reared equally. KAT HOPPS visits the award-winning farm loved by celebrities for its freer fowl

- KAT HOPPS

IT'S JUST after midday on a sunny afternoon, and a gang of revellers has gathered for an impromptu outdoor concert. Bobbing their heads as they bustle about, they're clearly in tune with the jingling of tambourines from the music makers.

But despite the rolling fields and stunning rural backdrop, this is no outdoor festival.

Rather the “gang” in question are a flock of inquisitive turkeys participating in an enrichment activity. They're some of the 6,000 birds who live freely on Copas Farm in Cookham, Berkshire, owned by the Copas family for three generations.

Since 1957, when Tom Copas Sr was gifted 153 turkey poults, the family has reared slow-grown birds for Christmas.

Over time, they've developed a reputation for producing multi-award-winning fowl that enjoy freedom on the farm and are flavoursome.

Managing director Tom Copas, Tom Snr’s son, says he’s proud to produce “the UK’s best available turkey on taste, flavour and customer service”.

Following Tom Snr’s death in 2021, he’s run the farm nestled in the Chiltern Hills. Today he’s invited me to see why celebrities including Jamie Dornan, Vernon Kay, Matt Tebbutt and Gizzi Erskine form part of the Copas’ loyal fanbase.

Showing me around is 27-year-old farm manager Oliver Young, now on his 11th Christmas with the family after joining them from agricultural college.

It’s his job to keep the flock relaxed, safe and well fed, and it’s he who explains why the birds peck hung-up tambourines to relieve stress and entertain themselves.

“They love the noise and the glisten on them — turkeys are very sensitive to light,” he says.

“Everything we do with our turkeys is about being slow and steady, it’s about low stress. There’s no shouting and we don’t have machinery around.

“The turkeys have 24-hour access to feed, so they are never hungry and can eat as much or as little as they like.”