MANCELONA — Thanksgiving is just about three weeks away which means you may already be thinking of where to get your turkey.
Circle B Turkey Farms in Mancelona said that there is an entire process that goes into getting that bird ready for your dinner table.
“So basically, all summer long, we’re getting ready for the birds,” said Owner of Circle B Turkey Farms, James Biehl.
Escorting the thanksgiving turkey to your dinner destination doesn’t happen overnight.
“We get them as chicks the first of August. And before that, of course, we’re prepping the barns and the equipment ready for the chicks to come in and then by the week prior to Thanksgiving, they’re going to be ready, ready for the processing,” said Biehl.
With more than 3,100 birds, Biehl said he pays around $7-8,000 a week to feed them.
“The first few years were a struggle just to make ends meet. I mean, you know, we had a huge mortgage, and it was just tough times, but as the years went on, the processing got bigger and bigger and we dealt directly to the public and that really helped us,” said Biehl.
But we aren’t the only ones yearning for a feast.
“Wild animals can come after them. We’ve got coyotes and owls and foxes they love to get a shot at the turkeys. Actually, a possum has gotten a couple, and an owl has gotten a one bird, I believe, and clipped the heads of a couple birds as they were inside the pen,” he said.
And while we are talking turkey, Biehl said that don’t use any GMO’s or additive in the feed for their turkeys.
“We use an all-natural GMO-free feed, you know, we just pamper them and, you know, we just really enjoyed our customers, really enjoy it,” he said.
Biehl is already thinking of his next prospect to take over the family business, his son Ej!
“If you noticed that he’s the age I was when I moved to this farm, it’s very cool to see him interact with the turkeys. And he’s a big helper, actually.
You can call 231-587-9580 to order a turkey, or you can visit their website here.
