For Sale: One Turkey Trot Festival (Feedback)

TO THE EDITOR:

I enjoyed reading Gwen Moritz’s Oct. 23 Editor’s Note very much. As a fifth-generation citizen of this state, I, too, am troubled by the image of our fair state. Most of the criticism is unfair and uncalled for, but then again, I know I am biased, and I also know that I have insider knowledge that most of what is used to lampoon us is inaccurate, misleading or flat out wrong.

I am also a native of Yellville, and as it holds true for Arkansas, Yellville, too, is lampooned or worse every year over the tradition of releasing turkeys from a low, slow-flying airplane, part of the 71-year-old Turkey Trot festival with the turkey drop portion of it happening for many of the last 69 years.

And, as alluded to earlier, most critics are outsiders who know nothing about Arkansas or Yellville, the festival and even less about turkeys and their ability to fly, whether from a tree, the ground or, indeed, an airplane. In the words of someone famous, “Sad. Very sad. Very unfair.”

For what it’s worth, the idea for the turkey drop is not an original one. The local American Legion, which was the originator of the festival, gleaned the idea from our own Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Back in the day, the wild turkey population was severely depleted in the Ozarks, and the only way the commission could access the backwoods to help with the re-establishment was to release them via an airplane flying above the turkeyless forest below. Turkeys fly — a scientific fact. Not that that matters.

So the turkey drop is a bit of a celebration of the success of that effort to re-establish a much loved and delicious bird to the hills of the Ozarks. And the crowd, most of whom are visitors, love it.

Ultimately and unfortunately, no one cares about the why. They believe what they want to believe. Facts are not facts anymore, you know. But I will tell you a fact. One that can literally be taken to the bank. As a former president of the local chamber and a four-time chairman of the festival, I have insider knowledge that it can be bought. We are poor up here. We can use the money. The festival is for sale, and Arkansas Business readers, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or anyone else who doesn’t like our little town festival can buy it, and the buyer of it can shut it down, move it or whatever.

Seriously. The price: $1 million made payable to the Yellville Area Chamber of Commerce, and we will hand you the keys to it once the check has cleared.

I’m sure you’ve read Brooks Blevins’ book “Arkansas/Arkansaw.” Despite all of our raised voices, righteous indignation, hurt feelings, saber rattlings or fist raisings and shakings, I agree with him that there isn’t a whole hell of a lot we can do about this state’s image. And I’ve got to ask, do we really want Arkansas to become a part of the great homogenization of America? I don’t. Little festivals like ours ensure that it doesn’t. Be on our side on this one, Editor Moritz. We’re your people, turkey feathers and all.

Thanks again for the great newspaper. I look forward to reading it and the Editor’s Note every week.

Lyn Baker
Yellville