Turkey talk: Customers placed orders for fresh Thanksgiving birds earlier than usual
The early bird gets the … turkey?
This Thanksgiving season, with people set to gather with family and friends once again, hosts and hostesses want to ensure the main course will be there as well.
According to area farmers, customer orders for fresh birds are way ahead of last year. That has created concern about a turkey shortage.
“We sold out so fast this year because people called early to make sure they got a turkey and got the size they want,” said Beverly Pounds, owner with her husband, Tim, of Pounds’ Turkey Farm in Allegheny Township.
The farm posted on its Facebook page that it has stopped taking orders, at least for now. Beverly Pounds said she did that because, by last Monday, she had reached the limit of orders she knows she can fill. Customers can check back Nov. 15 to learn whether more turkeys are available, she said.
She said early ordering isn’t the only issue contributing to the concern about a shortage. Some farms that have sold fresh turkeys in the past are not selling them this year, and there is a labor shortage. Pounds’ has raised fewer turkeys this year.
They typically have 10,000 to 12,000 turkeys. This year, they’ve raised 7,000.
“We have a great crew, but it is labor intensive this time of year, and it’s getting hard to find more people to work,” she said.
To be able to fill as many retail orders as possible, they have cut back on the wholesale side of the business.
Pounds said they take orders based on how many they definitely can fill. For those who have placed orders, they will be filled.
She said she has to allow wiggle room to account for the loss of some of the turkeys for various reasons. Some might not be the weight a customer wants.
Most of the turkeys they have sold will be between 11 and 22 pounds. They feed the turkeys corn, soybeans, wheat and oats. They don’t use antibiotics or hormones.
Most people come to pick them up on the same three days before Thanksgiving, which this year is on Nov. 25.
“It’s about the integrity of the business,” Pounds said. “We want to make sure if we take an order we have a turkey dressed and ready to go for that customer.”
Report: No turkey shortage this year
According to a story by Consumer Reports, there is not a shortage of turkeys this year, but it might be tougher to find a fresh one. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said production of fresh turkeys is expected to be down 1.4% compared with November 2020.
Customers might have a harder time finding a fresh turkey smaller than 16 pounds, which are in demand because of smaller holiday gatherings. Last year, the smaller birds sold out first.
But frozen turkeys in all sizes will be in abundance.
Pandemic aftershocks
There are turkeys available at Jones Turkey Farm in Winfield, near Saxonburg, owner David C. Jones said.
He said last year was challenging because some customers canceled orders, saying they were uncomfortable picking up the birds because of the covid-19 pandemic. Jones said he used to take payment at time of pickup but lost money last year because of the cancellations.
He said some farmers went out of business because of challenges the pandemic brought.
“People panicked and wouldn’t pick up orders or they would call and say, ‘My aunt is making the turkey so I don’t need one,’ ” Jones said. “Or because they weren’t going to have a lot of people at Thanksgiving, they would just need a turkey breast instead of a whole bird.”
He said he knows of farms that “cut their flock way back.” And the price will be higher this year, as with most food items.
“We are all getting older, and this takes a lot of work,” he said. “I took a risk this year, so I have a few extra turkeys this year. But it’s not fun anymore.”
He said it is best not to wait until the last minute.
“I don’t want people who want a fresh turkey to not get one, so order now,” he said. “I will never oversell because I don’t want to be the one to ruin someone’s Thanksgiving dinner because they order one and I don’t have one for them.”
There’s always frozen
If you can’t find a fresh bird, getting a frozen turkey should not be a problem, Giant Eagle spokesman Dick Roberts said via email. Depending on the type of turkey you buy, pricing has the potential to be marginally higher than last year, he said. The higher cost is being driven by increased product and transportation costs.
Roberts said the supermarket chain is seeing continued increased interest in smaller birds and the stores are prepared for that as well as offering choices for turkey breasts and capons turkey options .
The stores also have plenty of larger turkey brands, he said.
“That’s a trend that’s been anticipated and prepared for, so that hasn’t resulted in any shortages,” Roberts said. “Early holiday buying trends indicate that consumers are preparing for larger holiday gatherings this year, and they are shopping accordingly.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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