Out and About - Winter 2021

Talk turkey

B ower Farm on the Berkshire Downs is part of the Yattendon Estates and home to the Walters family, who this year celebrate 50 years rearing traditional Christmas turkeys, which are despatched to customers across the UK. Phillip and Julia Walters both came from farming families and started their turkey business in 1971, when they bought 500 birds. Today there are nearly 10,000 turkeys on the farm and, while Phillip and Julia are still very much hands-on, the day-to-day running of the business is now carried out by their son Edward with help from sister Helen and Edward’s wife Kate. The Walters’ other son George also pitches in at busy times, particularly in

A local business has been supplying turkeys for Christmas since the 1970s. GERALDINE GARDNER visited Bower Farm, Aldworth, where the Walters family continues to provide the most traditional of seasonal fare

the run-up to Christmas. We visited the farm in early November, just before some turkeys were being prepared for Thanksgiving. Edward said: “We have about 350 turkeys that are a couple of weeks older than the Christmas ones and they will be prepared for Thanksgiving.” Although there are understandably fewer orders for Thanksgiving turkeys, as it is a US tradition, Edward said that they were inundated with orders last year. “Because of the pandemic more people were celebrating at home and

A young Helen meets the turkeys

might usually go home for the Thanksgiving holiday were stuck in the UK.” It is also good preparation for the very busy few weeks in the run-up to Christmas.

Helen said: “It’s a way of getting up to speed for the Christmas rush and ironing out any glitches in the process.” Helen and Kate mainly run

because they couldn’t travel, US citizens who

38 OA WINTER 2021