We’ve had a good run of media attention around our turkey bratwurst lately, including this WCCO-TV segment. Trust me, when I envisioned my role many years ago, I never imagined grilling brats on live TV. Then again, I didn’t envision we’d someday craft a lineup of turkey bratwurst.

I’ve seen some funny things behind the curtain as I’ve burned up my 15 minutes of fame. There was the time the meteorologist got oozed with melted Swiss cheese from a healthy bite into our Rachael Bratwurst, or the time when the camera man inadvertently stumbled backward into the garden pond, seconds before going live into our spot. Much like turkey farming, it appears most professions are about bouncing back quickly from surprises.

I suspect our turkey brats earn media attention because they’re a distinctive item. There aren’t many good, clean turkey versions on the shelf, which is why some longtime customers encouraged us to make our own. Pair that with the Minnesota flavors and local partnerships we crafted, and you’ve got a good story to tell.

Speaking of which, I’m always aware of all the other partners who could be in my place at the grill. We wouldn’t have a bratwurst line without our smokehouse partners at Lorentz Meats, or plump local cheese curds in our Turkey & Cheddar Brat without CannonBelles. And, you couldn’t buy them conveniently if our core retail partners hadn’t given them a shot on their shelf. We grow the turkeys, but we don’t do any of this alone.

Thanks for tuning in and firing up your grill!  We’ll hope to see you at Ferndale Market in the summer days ahead.