A survey by Canadian Press found that local farm markets around central Ontario say smaller turkeys are preferred this year.
“In other years, families would be gathering and often they’d be doing a big turkey with all the trimmings, but this year it seems like while most are still doing a turkey, they’re choosing a smaller size,” said Lynda Van Casteren at Nicholyn Farm on Horseshoe Valley Road, west of Midhurst. “They’re still doing all the trimmings.”
Many of those buying larger turkeys are serving more than those sitting around the table.
Cayleigh Jago at A&D Bird Seed Country Store south of Stayner is also finding demand different this year.
“It’s been a lot of people wanting small. It’s only groups of five or six or just the family and they don’t want anything super big,” said Jago. “We usually have a long list, and we usually sell out.
“Definitely it’s a big change from large turkeys to really, really small turkeys or even doing large chickens.”
Some are also buying individual turkey pieces, such as the breast or the thigh, instead of an entire turkey.
In Warminster, west of Orillia, Hewitt’s Farm Market & Bakery is also finding more of a demand on turkeys, particularly the smaller ones, this year due to travel restrictions and more people staying home.
“I think there’s a lot more people staying in the area too, people aren’t away on vacation,” said Trevor Hewitt, farm owner and co-owner of the market on the family farm. “Because of that, I think there’s a little bit more of a demand as well.
“We’re a little busier for sure with the turkeys.”
