A Columbus County turkey farm

Turkey day is just around the corner. You won’t find cows and pigs on the Wilson’s farm; they are in the business of the feathered kind. They own the only turkey farm in Columbus County.

Earl Wilson said, “We had no idea that when we bought the farm that we would have a turkey farm out here.”

The farm sits on 100 acres. Four turkey houses serve as the temporary home to more than 30,000 turkeys. It takes around four months for each flock to mature. The ideal weight for making it to the dinner table is around 45 pounds.

“It mounts up into money, at the end of each flock you know you have so much money coming to you,” said Earl Wilson.

Turkey farming is not a seasonal business. Year round Wilson’s flocks eat hundreds of pounds of feed a day. Eventually, they will be shipped to stores nationwide, and places as far as Japan.

“We keep them four months and that’s it,” added Wilson.

You don’t have to worry about one of Wilson’s turkeys making it to your Thanksgiving dinner table. They will still be alive and kicking on Thanksgiving.