The Fulton turkey farm has returned and will be selling turkeys this Thanksgiving.
If you’re a long-time resident of Howard County, you probably know all about the Maple Lawn Turkey Farm in Fulton. You may have even visited the farm during Thanksgiving week to pick up a fresh turkey for your table. Last spring the family that owns the turkey farm was split on continuing operations. Unable to come to an agreement on the future of the farm, an auction was held to liquidate the farm.
Not ready to give up the family business of farming turkeys, Chris Bohrer and his wife stepped up and repurchased the equipment. The farm is now up and running and getting turkeys ready for Thanksgiving under the name “Sho Nuf Turkeys.” Now the folks that bought turkeys at Maple Lawn Farms in the past will be able to continue the tradition.
The “new” Sho Nuf operations are almost 100-percent the old. The same people that farmed and processed for the original farm will bring those same turkeys to your table this holiday season. The land under the farm is still slated to be developed into homes, but that timetable is still at least five years away. Until that happens, Bohrer and his family plan to continue on at the farm.
Courtesy of Sho Nuf Turkey Farm
The farm will produce about 20,000 turkeys this season. A portion of those will be sold wholesale to local markets, and the rest will be sold on-site at the farm. Sho Nuf turkeys are free-range raised and fed with vegetarian feed to create a healthy, tasty turkey. The way the turkeys are processed also makes a big difference in how they taste, says Bohrer.
“I think our turkeys are the best you can get for two reasons. First, the turkeys live a quiet life and aren’t under any stress, and second, the ice chill process we use fosters a moister turkey.”
After the turkeys are killed, they are placed in an ice water bath and chilled to 40 degrees over eight hours. The turkeys aren’t packaged until 24 hours later. The farm will be offering whole turkeys, bacon, and pieces, including turkey breasts and wings. They are still working on adding ground turkey at some point.
Bohrer says the best days to pick up your turkey is the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving. Click here to visit their website and reserve your turkey.
Are you excited that the Maple Lawn Turkey Farm has reopened under a new name? Is getting a turkey here a tradition for your family? Tell us in the comments!