Iowa family sending 2 turkeys to White House

Nathan Hill watches his sons Collin, 9, left, and Conner, 8, pet two turkeys destined for the annual White House turkey pardoning ceremony on their farm near Ellsworth, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008. The boys helped raise and choose the birds, one of which will be pardoned by President Bush the day before Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/The Globe Gazette, Arian Schuessler)

Arian Schuessler

Nathan Hill watches his sons Collin, 9, left, and Conner, 8, pet two turkeys destined for the annual White House turkey pardoning ceremony on their farm near Ellsworth, Iowa, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008. The boys helped raise and choose the birds, one of which will be pardoned by President Bush the day before Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/The Globe Gazette, Arian Schuessler)

The Associated Press
November 20, 2008

ELLSWORTH, Iowa (AP) — Two turkeys from Iowa will travel to Washington, D.C., to be pardoned by President George Bush for Thanksgiving.

The birds were raised at Circle Hill Farms in Ellsworth. Two were chose in case something happens to one of them along the way.

Paul Hill, one of the primary interest holders in the company and chairman of the National Turkey Federation, chose the birds that will be pardoned.

After they are pardoned by Bush, the birds and the Hill family will fly first-class to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., where the birds will be grand marshals in the Thanksgiving Day parade. The turkeys will then be taken to FrontierLand’s Big Thunder Mountain in the Magic Kingdom, where they will be retired and live out their natural lives.