SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — The barns at Pallman Farms near Clarks Summit are packed with thousands of turkeys. Craig Pallman says they've spent nearly five months raising these birds to go from farm to the Thanksgiving table. Once November hits, the team goes into overdrive.
"It's seven days a week. Our workforce knows that once once we get started and start running the processing plant, it doesn't stop," Pallman said.
Pallman Farms raised roughly 10,000 turkeys this year.
That's more than last year when the turkey industry was affected by the avian flu at some of the hatcheries.
Shortages aren't a problem this year and that's good news for customers who buy their turkeys from here.
"Our hatchery orders are all based on previous years business so we're typically placing orders with the hatchery based on what we sold last year. And there was no shortage as of this year. So we're in pretty good shape," said Pallman.
The crunch begins when it's time to harvest the birds. Pallman says there's a short window of when they can begin to label the turkey 'fresh' for customers when they pick them up right before Thanksgiving.
"That's what the family has built the business on and in order to in order to satisfy the requirements for us to market and fresh were limited as to how early we can start on the harvest and the processing."
Pallman says it's a lot of hard work but the reward in the end is the best part.
"That's going to be the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table and that customers two feet across the counter from you, and you're looking them in the eye and you're giving them what they ordered. There's a level of satisfaction there that you know that you can't get every day," said Pallman.
There's still plenty of time to order your turkey here at Pallman Farms before the Thanksgiving holiday, by calling 570-587-3258 or online.