ASAP: Where to get a local Thanksgiving turkey

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Madison County turkeys of East Fork Farm.

ASAP explores local options for Thanksgiving turkeys and holiday birds.

Want to make a local Thanksgiving meal this year, starting with a farm-fresh bird? The following farms are taking turkey reservations now; visit their websites and/or contact them directly for more details and to order. Many farms are also at local tailgate markets and can provide additional info or register you there.

*Note: This is not necessarily a complete list. We will update it to include more farms as we gather that information, as well as to remove farms once they sell out. You can also browse farms offering turkeys (year-round and at the holidays) via our online Local Food Guide

  • Balsam Gardens: (from their website) “We had great success last year with our turkeys and are happy to be offering them again in 2012. We are shooting for 15-20 pound birds. We only raise a limited number of turkeys once per year and must sell them all. Therefore, we cannot guarantee any particular weight for you, but we can do our best to provide you with what you want on your pickup day. We will be processing the turkeys over a five day period leading up to Thanksgiving, November 17-November 22.  You will pick your turkey up fresh the day it is processed between the hours of 4-6 pm. The price is $4 per pound. There is a $20 deposit that will come off the final price of your turkey and an $0.88 non-returnable convenience fee for placing your order online.” Learn more about Balsam Gardens in their Local Food Guide listing.
  • East Fork Farm: (from their website) “We are now taking orders for fresh Thanksgiving turkey, frozen Christmas turkey, and fresh Christmas goose. Pricing for turkey is $4.50 per pound. Pricing for goose is $7 per pound and weights will vary between 8 to 15 pounds. A deposit of $20 is required before your reservation is complete. We are processing the turkeys on the farm November 19th and 20th and they can be picked up on Wednesday November 21st at the Montford Farmers Market (Asheville Chamber of Commerce) between 2 and 5 pm. Christmas goose and turkey are available for pickup at the North Asheville Tailgate Market on December 22 from 12 to 4 pm.” Learn more about East Fork Farm in their Local Food Guide listing.
  • Which Came First Farm: (via ASAP’s Classifieds) “We’ve got fresh pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkeys available! Come see us at the French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market (Wednesdays 2-6 pm), or the Oakley Farmers Market(Thursdays 3:30-6:30 pm; final market is October 25), or get in touch to reserve your bird. Turkeys will be available fresh on Tuesday the 20th of November (that’s the week of Thanksgiving). A deposit of $25 is required to reserve your bird. Turkeys are $4.50 per lb. We plan for our turkeys to range from 12 lbs to 22 lbs but we cannot guarantee a specific size. Please indicate your preferred size range and we’ll do our best to accommodate you: small 12-16 lbs; medium 15-19 lbs; large 18-22 lbs.”

Know of a farm offering holiday turkeys not on this list? Do tell!

Read the full article here, and check back for updates.

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Spotted in West Asheville: Pick-up info for fresh local turkeys from Which Came First Farm in Lake Lure (see above), available from the West Village Market:

I hear the correct price for free-range is actually $4.50 per pound.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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3 Comments

  1. Greg November 7, 2015

    Jason— I would love it if this article was updated for 2015. Whaddaya think?

    Reply
    1. Jason Sandford November 11, 2015

      Thanks Greg! I’m working on it, and I think Stu has something in the works.

      Reply
  2. Stewart David November 15, 2012

    Or you could adopt a turkey rather than eating one!

    Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Turkey Project has encouraged people to save a turkey at Thanksgiving through sponsorships that help them rescue animals and care for them at their sanctuaries.

    http://www.farmsanctuary.org/giving/adopt-a-turkey/

    Reply

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