An estimated 46 million unlucky turkeys will be the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner tables across the US on November 28, 2024. However, Peach and Blossom, two gorgeous white toms from Minnesota, will not be among them.
The lucky birds were pardoned by President Joe Biden in an elaborate ceremony held at the White House South Lawn on November 25, 2024. Both birds will live out their days as agricultural ambassadors at Farmamerica near Waseca, Minnesota.
"Based on your temperament and your commitment to being productive members of society," the president said, "I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom."
The turkeys arrived at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington D.C., on November 24, 2024. Here, the birds posed for reporters and fans. They were then whisked away to a luxurious suite to rest before the big ceremony.
The 18-week-old birds each weigh about 40 pounds (18 kg). They were hatched and raised on a farm in Northfield, Minnesota, by John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation. As part of the "presidential flock," Peach and Blossom underwent special training to get used to noise and people.
"Preparing these presidential birds has taken a lot of special care," Zimmerman said. "We've been getting them used to lights and cameras and even introducing them to a wide variety of music — everything from polka to classic rock."
The annual turkey pardoning tradition was long attributed to President Harry Truman. However, in 2003, the Truman Library dismissed this claim due to a lack of proof. President John F. Kennedy freed a Thanksgiving turkey in 1963 but did not refer to it as a pardon. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan joked about "pardoning" a turkey to deflect a political question.
The first official turkey pardon was given by President George H. W. Bush in 1989. "This fine tom turkey... is granted a presidential pardon as of right now," he declared, promising it a peaceful life on a children's farm. Since then, every US president has continued the tradition with a formal White House ceremony before Thanksgiving.
We wish Peach and Blossom a long and happy retirement. As for the rest of the turkeys . . . well, all we can say is, "Gobble, Gobble!'"
Happy Thanksgiving!
Resources: CNN.com, NPR.com, Wattagnet.com
