 Special Feature
Pardon the Turkey, Please!
About 45 million turkeys are eaten every year at Thanksgiving. But each year, two lucky turkeys are spared. Presidents traditionally have granted the National Thanksgiving Turkey a pardon. This tradition was started in 1947 by President Harry Truman, the first to pardon a turkey in a special Thanksgiving-eve ceremony.
Why are two turkeys pardoned? An alternate is chosen in case the National Thanksgiving Turkey becomes ill or otherwise cannot participate in the ceremony. In 2005, the 58th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, turkeys Marshmallow and Yam were pardoned on November 22. Children from all over the country cast their vote to name the turkeys. 12,726 votes were cast and Marshmallow and Yam were the winning names of the Thanksgiving Turkey and the alternate.
The 2005 National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate were from Henning, Minnesota, and were raised under the direction of National Turkey Federation Chairman Pete Rothfork. Mr. Rothfork delegated the day-to-day responsibilities to James and Vicki Trites of Henning. The birds are commercial turkeys used in normal industry
production, and they were raised using the same techniques as other commercial birds. They were fed a regular diet of corn and soybean meal and were
provided a continuous supply of fresh water. A few minor modifications were made to prepare the birds for the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. About 30 turkeys were removed from the normal commercial production flock and were raised separately on the Trites farm. The birds were periodically hand fed and given additional interaction with people so they would be ready for all the publicity they will receive as the National Thanksgiving Turkey.
What happens to the pardoned turkeys? Usually, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate will spend the remainder of their natural lives at the Frying Pan Park in Fairfax County, Virginia. This is the same place to which the Thanksgiving Day Turkeys and their alternates have been retired for the past 15 years. The farm is a 1930s-era replica farm operated by the Fairfax County Parks Department. Last year, however, the National Turkey and its alternate were taken to Disneyland Resort and Theme Park in Anaheim, California, to be a part of the holiday display and to stay the remainder of their natural lives. Both the turkeys served as honorary Grand Marshals for Disneylands
annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
You can help give the 2006 lucky turkeys their new names! Visit the White House Web site (www.whitehouse.gov) and vote for your favorite names.
President George W. Bush invites children on stage, November 22, 2005, to pet Marshmallow, the National Thanksgiving Turkey. White House photo by David Bohrer
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