ERLANGER, Ky. — Thanksgiving is just under three weeks away. Accordingly, many people already have their turkey waiting in the freezer, while others will soon head out to buy one to feed their families.
In northern Kentucky, a poultry farm has been providing the freshest turkeys possible for 80 years now. But it hasn’t been possible without the hard work of a family that prepares for this month all year long.
At Tewes Farm, the phone stays busy this time of year. So does Stephanie Tewes, her siblings and many of her 80 cousins, who pitch in to help her father, Dan Tewes, the owner. Dan was one of 17 children and inherited the farm from his father.
“My grandfather bought this property in Erlanger 80 years ago,” Stephanie said.
The extra help is needed to raise up all the turkeys, which will be processed and sold directly to families.
“All hands on deck, especially the weeks leading up,” Tewes said.
It’s as fresh as one can find in the area.
“There aren’t a lot of turkey farms around. I don’t even really know of any. There’s a few that have a few turkeys, but we have 3,000 here,” Tewes said. “Luckily, we’ve been able to keep our price the same for the last three years. So we’re gonna be $4.50 a pound. We’ve made cuts in other places.”
It’s more expensive than what customers will find in a grocery store, but there are literally a lot of mouths to feed around the farm, and the cost of feeding the turkeys is built into the cost of selling them.
“I can guarantee you that it was right here a few days before you picked it up out here in the field. Which I think is a big deal. People are trying to eat more local and support local businesses, which is huge to keep us all around,” Tewes said.
The Saturday through Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the big rush, so the Tewes family wants people to place their orders on the website by the Nov. 20.
Tewes said she gets a kick out of seeing the same families her family has served for generations. She’s not sure what the future holds when her dad retires, but for right now, he still loves doing it.
She said that passion is needed in this industry.
“A lot of people, let’s be honest, don’t want to work that hard anymore. I mean, I’m not sure that I want to work that hard,” she said. “There’s so many farms that used to be around when I was a kid that are gone now.”
That’s why, she said, whether it’s her family farm or another’s, it’s important to buy local.
In addition to ordering a bird online, the family's website also features frequently asked questions like how big a bird one should buy, and grandma’s classic recipe.