Search Site   
News Stories at a Glance
Deere 4440 cab tractor racked up $18,000 at farm retirement auction
Indiana legislature passes bills for ag land purchases, broadband grants
Make spring planting safety plans early to avoid injuries
Michigan soybean grower visits Dubai to showcase U.S. products
Scientists are interested in eclipse effects on crops and livestock
U.S. retail meat demand for pork and beef both decreased in 2023
Iowa one of the few states to see farms increase in 2022 Ag Census
Trade, E15, GREET, tax credits the talk at Commodity Classic
Ohioan travels to Malta as part of US Grains Council trade mission
FFA members learn about Australian culture, agriculture during trip
Timing of Dicamba ruling may cause issues for 2024 planting
   
Archive
Search Archive  
   
Pre-Thanksgiving week is busy for a Kentucky farm

By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

ERLANGER, Ky. — You can sit and chat with Dan Tewes of Erlanger, Ky., any day of the week. But during the week preceding Thanksgiving he’s not likely to give you the time of day.
That’s because this time of year Tewes is busy killing and dressing up to 3,000 turkeys.

“Ninety-five percent of my income comes during this one particular week,” Tewes said from his 40-acre farm in Kenton County, Ky. “I work my tail off during that week. If I don’t make ends meet one Thanksgiving week I won’t be around the following year. That week makes the money that pays all the bills. We carry a few turkeys throughout the year, but we’re mainly seasonal, so that week is highly important.”

Tewes’ grandfather started this poultry business in 1955 on a farm near Edgewood, Ky, roughly 10 miles away. His grandfather started selling chickens, turkeys and eggs to his neighbors before going commercial.

“With granddad it was always poultry,” Tewes said. “He was primarily interested in eggs and getting them to hatch. Back then he received one penny per egg. When he incubated the chicken he then received 10 cents per chick. Then one Easter he got a patent for coloring chicks. Then he received 25 cents per chick. In two years he received enough money to pay off the loan on his house.”
Dan is the 13th of 17 children. He and one of his brothers helped run the poultry business most of that time, but in 1997 his brother quit, leaving the business in the hands of Dan and his wife, Darlene.

“There’s 80 grandchildren around so there’s a lot of help when I need it and a good chance the business will remain in the family,” Tewes said. “It should continue, but my own five kids don’t want it because they don’t want to work that hard, but there’s still hope.”

He sells his dressed turkeys for $2.25 to $2.50 per pound. The average size turkey weighs 20 pounds, though his hens weigh 18-24 pounds. Fryers sell for $1.75 per pound. He also sells sausage, bacon and all sizes of white and brown eggs. He sells the chickens, eggs and other meat to help offset his business costs.
“Feed prices have risen 30 percent,” Tewes said. “I go through one ton of food per day.”

With the touch of a button a motorized auger churns food from a bin to feed pans below.

“I now have 1,500 hens and 500 toms,” he said. ‘The big problem, other than the cost of feed, are the predators. I’m having a lot of trouble with coyotes and owls. Coyotes were never a problem, but then the deer population grew and now I’ve had trouble with coyotes the past 15 years.”

To ward off the predators Tewes makes use of scarecrows on fence posts, bright lights and loud music.

Despite the problems throughout the year, the week prior to Thanksgiving makes his work worthwhile.

“We started out small and now we have local repeat customers from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky,” he said. “People come back for the same bird, too. Fresh turkey sells itself. There’s just more flavor and it tastes better.”

For more information about the Tewes poultry farm contact Dan Tewes at 859-341-8844.

11/26/2008