October 13, 2003

TURKEY CONSERVATION LEADERS RECOGNIZED

by Donald Bixby, Technical Programs Director

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Board of Directors recognized four leaders who have contributed both significantly and graciously to the conservation of heritage turkeys. Glenn Drowns was the recipient of the Bixby-Sponenberg Breed Conservation Award in 1999. At the 2003 ALBC Annual Conference in Wichita, Kansas, three others were recognized for their invaluable work: Robert O. Hawes of Hampden, Maine; Frank R Reese, Jr. of Lindsborg, Kansas; and Paula Johnson of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Robert O. Hawes

When Bob was 10, his father, one of America's first used car salesmen, took some ducks in trade for a car. Thus began his lifelong love of poultry. Soon he added bantam chickens and Toulouse geese. By the time he was 15, Bob had established a mail order business selling chicks, geese and ducks. He tells of collecting pictures of poultry while other boys were collecting baseball cards. He has had a long and distinguished career that has included poultry work at McGill University (1962 - 1971) and Hy-Line International (1971 - 1978), and as professor and poultry scientist at the University of Maine until his retirement in 1997. He has authored scientific publications, book chapters, and popular articles on poultry production and aquaculture. Bob lives in Hampden, Maine with his wife, Alice.

Bob is an enthusiastic exhibitor of exhibition poultry with many wins to his name, including some at the renowned Boston Poultry Show. His favorite poultry are reported to be bantam Columbian Plymouth Rocks and Buff Cochins, and large Light and Dark Brahmas. Bob was among the first 30 licensed judges of the American Bantam Association. He was instrumental in developing and guiding the recently completed 2001-2002 ALBC chicken census, and continues to be engaged in ALBC poultry conservation efforts.

Bob served on ALBC's Board of Directors from 1994 - 1997. He co-authored "Birds of a Feather: Saving Rare Turkeys from Extinction" with former ALBC staff member Carolyn Christman, and helps to guide the content of and writes many of the articles that appear in "The Snood News," ALBC's publication of all things turkey. ALBC and heritage turkeys would be much poorer had Bob not been a part of the picture. His knowledge, passion, and commitment to poultry conservation is truly inspiring.

Frank R. Reese, Jr.

Frank - known by many of his friends as "Bob" - lives in Lindsborg, Kansas. He writes, "My first remembrance of turkeys was over 40 years ago when I was five or six years old. I visited the Trow family who raised about 20,000 Bronze turkeys every year. It was then that I fell in love with turkeys." He joined 4-H when he was 8, and his father bought him his first 25 Broad-breasted Bronze poults. At age 11 he was already winning at the county fair with his Black Jersey Giant chickens; that win took him to the Kansas State Fair. "At the fair I saw my first Standard Bronze, Black Spanish, Royal Pam, Narragansett, White Holland, and Bourbon Red turkeys." He also met the late Norman Kardosh, who became his lifelong friend and mentor. Bob has been taught by some of the great turkey breeders of the 20th century, including Norm, Sadie Lloyd, Agnes Trow, Bill Cawley and Hy Patton. He calls raising turkeys his "labor of love."

Frank is dedicated to breeding turkeys that meet his high standard for productivity without compromising on beauty. He carefully breeds to the Standard of Perfection in form and feather.

He is a licensed judge of the American Poultry Association, with special certification for turkeys, and has helped to re-establish the All-American Turkey Growers Association. He was the primary supplier of heritage turkeys to Slow Food's national customers last year. He participated in the ALBC turkey research in 2002, and conducted a clinic on breeder selection at the 2003 ALBC Annual Conference. Bob continues in the steps of his mentor, generously sharing his time, knowledge, and passion with the next generation so that the turkeys will be here for years to come.

Paula Johnson

Paula came to turkeys later in life than the previous award recipients, but has quickly distinguished herself has a careful observer of turkeys, and a committed and outspoken advocate. In the early 1990s, Paula was talked into taking a Bourbon Red hen by the manager of the local feed store, and was enchanted with the bird. Being curious and a scientist at heart, she began trying to learn more about them. Little did she know that this simple act would become a pivotal point in her life and in the fate of heritage turkeys. Paula quickly learned that heritage turkeys were nearly impossible to find, so much so that she feared they would soon be extinct. In 1998, the year after ALBC conducted its census of heritage turkeys owned by hatcheries, Paula single-handedly conducted a census of heritage turkeys owned by individuals for the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities (SPPA), discovering some valuable flocks. She conducted the census two more times, documenting the trend that heritage turkeys were increasing. Additionally, under the tutelage of Bob Hawes, she carefully studied turkey genetics, and suggested a naming system consistent with it. Paula raises turkeys as part of an integrated pest management program in her certified organic pecan orchard in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She participated in the ALBC turkey research in 2002, and is currently working to save the chocolate turkey along with an array of other turkey varieties.

Each of these people deserves a tribute and a debt of gratitude. The successes in heritage turkey conservation are in no small part the result of their passion and dedication.

Previous recipients of the Bixby-Sponenberg Breed Conservation Award include:

• 1995 - Winifred and Kenneth Hoffman of Earlville, Illinois, for their work with the Dutch Belted breed of dairy cattle.
• 1996 - Dr. Lyle McNeal of Logan, Utah, for his leadership in the rescue and conservation of the Navajo-Churro sheep breed and its restoration to the hands of native American and Hispanic shepherds of the Southwest.
• 1997 - David and Millie Holderread of Corvallis, Oregon, founders and owners of Holderread Waterfowl Farm and Preservation Center for a wide range of duck and goose breeds; and
• 1997 - Rea Swan of Lexington, Kentucky, the person most responsible for the survival of the Rocky Mountain horse, a unique American breed; and
• 1997 - John Wheelock from Colchester, Vermont, provided seed stock to breeders, and his knowledge of pedigrees made it possible to include the Milking Devon as the pilot breed in the ALBC's Rare Breeds Gene Bank. He was also pivotal in the organization of a Milking Devon Breeders Association.
• 1998 - Mark Fields of Clark, Missouri, for his pivotal work in celebrating the Dominique chicken, the publication of a book on the Dominique and the revitalizations of the breed club. He also contributed to conservation of White Park cattle and Mulefoot hogs.
• 1999 - Glenn Drowns of Calamus, Iowa,for his notable contributions to the survival of rare breeds of turkeys and the conservation of important poultry genetic resources. He has shown exceptional leadership in the conservation of turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese and heirloom vegetables.
• 2000 - Cynthia Creech of Greenville, Tennessee for her work with Randall Lineback cattle, and literally saving the breed at the slaughterhouse door.
• 2001 - Rosemary Fleharty of Prairie Home, Missouri for her success in guiding the Dexter cattle association for more than 15 years.
• 2002 - David Lincicome of Garret Park, Maryland for his decades of support for the conservation work of ALBC and his contribution to the Jacob and Tunis sheep breeds.

For information on other rare breeds contact American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, PO Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Ph.(919-542-5704) albc@albc-usa.org.