The Rural Voice, 1998-12, Page 18Talking
turkey
The Vines family
take turkeys from
the barn to the
table
Story and photos
by Allison Lawlor
14 THE RURAL VOICE
In the heat of the summer the
Vines family started preparing for
Christmas.
A shipment of 1,500 hatchlings
arrive at their turkey farm in Listowel
at the end of August — enough time
to fatten, clean, process and stuff the
birds for Christmas dinners across the
province.
People usually like their
Christmas birds bigger. Normally
Ruth and Eldon Vines keep the birds
for 14 - 15 weeks, but to give them
some extra meat for Christmas, the
turkeys are kept for an extra five
weeks.
Another shipment of birds arrives
a month later in September. These
birds are raised to be smaller birds,
for customers who want a turkey in
the 10 -pound range.
"We used to have to keep all the
birds 20 to 21 weeks, 20 to 25 years
ago," said Eldon. "Now, 13 weeks is
enough time to fatten them up.
The Vines buy their hatchlings
from two hatcheries in New
Hamburg and Stratford. They have
always raised a breed known for
producing fatter birds, Nicholas hens.
"It costs a lot more to raise
heavier birds at Christmas and
Thanksgiving in extra feed," said
Eldon.
In response to the increased cost
of raising fatter hens, the Vines
decided to do something new this
fall. They bought their first batch of
hybrid hens. Eldon is hoping the
birds will do better than their regular
hens.
Buying the hybrid birds is just one
of the many changes the Vines have
instigated on their farm. They are
scaling down their business. Up until
a year ago they raised up to 25,000
birds a year. This year they will raise
only 8,000. The birds will primarily
be for their own use for the small
store and processing plant they run
on their farm.
It was over 40 years ago when the
first turkey hatchlings arrived on the
Vines' farm. At the time neither
Eldon nor Ruth knew anything about
raising turkeys. Eldon was working
at a feed mill in Kurtzville when the
Eldon Vines (above left with friend)
has been in the turkey business for
40 years, growing them (below) and
processing them.