No Turkey For Thanksgiving? 7,000 Baby Turkeys Die in Fire

Approximately 7,000 baby turkeys were roasted too early for Thanksgiving.

Bob's Turkey Farm, one of New England's largest turkey breeding farm, set ablaze late last week, killing all the turkey set to be delivered this Thanksgiving.

According to The Associated Press, the turkeys were only a day to 3 weeks old, and all small enough to fit a hand.

"Someone drove in the yard really fast," said Susan Miner, 58 and owner of the farm, in an interview with New England Cable News. "They said, 'You have a barn on fire.' I told my daughter to call 911 and come running down, but it was too late."

A state fire marshal spokesperson told the TV network that no one was injured in the incident.

According to the farm's website, thhe business began operating in 1954 with just 125 turkeys. Before the fire incident, an estimated 10,000 turkeys were raised on the farm.

Turkey and Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day, which has been celebrated on and off since 1789, is the biggest "holiday" in the United States. For years, the day has been greeted with Macy's parade, American football and turkey. But have you ever wondered why turkey has become the star of the table every Thanksgiving?

The answer to that question has confused a lot of people and up to now, the topic has been a cause of debate. But there are a few explanations or guesses.

In an article, Telegraph UK said it might be because wild turkeys are native to North America, they were a natural choice for early settlers.

TIME, meanwhile, reported that some attribute the turkey's popularity to Sarah Joseph Hale, the so-called "Godmother of Thanksgiving," who kept mentioning turkey on her accounts of early New England celebrations.

Through time, it became the mainstay for the dining festivities and later on espoused by the U.S. after Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in 1863.

Whatever the reason may be, turkey, the noble fowl, has become the star of the feast. And because it's bigger than the chicken, one turkey can feed the whole family.

Turkey is not just famous in the U.S., but as well as in Israel, Poland and even Africa. National Geographic said wild turkeys typically live in forested areas, grasslands and swamps, foraging on insects and fruits.