written by: Maxx Chan

55 mph:Β Maximum air speed of wild turkey

0 mph: Air speed of a commercial turkey

4,500 calories:Β The average gobbled on Thanksgiving

5:Β Diseases possible from the feast: botulism, listeria, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, trichinosis and Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

2.8 million:Β turkeys are produced in Utahβ€”12th in the nation.

75 Million:Β years ago, turkey-like creatures first roamed the Americas.

No. 1Β Thanksgiving myth:Β That Ben Franklin backed the wild turkey as the national bird. Ben only joked that turkeys are courageous and β€œa much more respectable bird” than the bald eagle, which eats carrion.

See more inside ourΒ 2017 November/December Issue.