Branstad pardons turkeys in Thanksgiving tradition

Continuing a long Thanksgiving tradition, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad pardoned two turkeys on Monday in a ceremony at the gubernatorial mansion in Des Moines.

Cranberry and Cinnamon, a tom and hen from a farm near Ellsworth, will live out their days at Living History Farms in Urbandale. Iowa is the ninth-largest turkey-producing state in the country, raising some 10 million birds a year.

Most end up between two slices of bread at Subway and Jimmy John’s restaurants.

Branstad’s grandchildren attended the turkey pardoning ceremony, petting the birds and posing for pictures as their grandfather read the official proclamation.