TRAINING TURKEYS

Deborah’s Grandfather was fond of saying, other than at Thanksgiving, turkeys had no worth for he believed that turkeys were the stupidest creatures on Earth. He told stories of turkeys innocently and ignorantly standing on the ground and staring up into the rain so long…they ultimately drowned… Of course we know this isn’t true….and the reason for her grandfather’s sarcasm is a genetic condition in turkeys called titanic torticollar spasms. In truth we know turkeys are quite social creatures who also have big hearts and contrary to what old farmers think…turkeys are quite smart. I felt the need to test these competing theories…I figured it wouldn’t be hard and for my test case I would use the turkey family that frequents our back yard. They travel through once a day looking for the things that turkeys eat…stopping for a rest…which gave me the perfect opportunity to put my theory to the test. I started taking handfuls of birdseed, “Hello turkeys!” I would say then I’d toss those handfuls to them…at first they ran away. Eventually however…those hungry turkeys found their way back and seemed to be enjoying their complimentary mid-day snack. The next day when I saw them in the yard…I greeted them…then tossed them seeds eventually establishing a routine….as they became accustomed to our Balsam House cuisine. Now the turkeys perch on the fence near our cabin…under an old chestnut tree and If I don’t see them when they arrive…they gobble up at me. “Hello turkeys! I yell to them as I hurry out the door… then toss them the handfuls of seeds I know they’re waiting for. So there you have it proof that turkeys are quite smart…no longer should we disdain them… after all look how easy with some birdseed it was for me to train them. However…as I watch them enjoying their mid day snack as happy as turkeys can be I have to wonder when I hear them gobble from atop the fence… If I was training them…or they were training me? Whatever the answer…when I see them…my pride I can’t contain… Hey…I notice it’s beginning to sprinkle…and they are gobbling… I think I’ll go outside and join them…staring at the rain.