Pounds Turkey Farm to stop raising their own turkeys after 90 years
Pounds Turkey Farm near Leechburg has raised the turkeys that have appeared on families' Thanksgiving and Christmas tables for generations. But the farm said that after 90 years, they will no longer raise their own turkeys.
At its peak, 12,000 turkeys were raised at the farm. People came from hundreds of miles around. Two brothers and one of their daughters oversaw it all.
Store manager Beverly Pounds said it was a very hard decision.
"It took months, took a lot of thinking back and forth. Lots of prayer, sleepless nights. Discussions," she said.
Their decision is shocking to decades of loyal customers, but they say it's too much work and they're too old to continue.
"We're all on Medicare now and physically, it's a hard task to process turkeys during November," said co-owner Tim Pounds.
The farm will keep the store open though, selling pot pies, homemade biscuits, cranberry sauce and gravy. One of the daughters will keep everything else up and running.
"I'm just incredibly proud of what my grandpa started. We've been here for 90 years and we're a staple in the community and I really just want to keep that going," said Jody Pounds.
"Jody's a bright kid and I think she'll do well," co-owner Rich Pounds said.
Pounds Farm says it has partnered with a Mennonite Farm, so they'll still have fresh turkeys, just not from their coops.