Turkey-raising ceases at Pounds Turkey Farm in Allegheny Township, market remains open

There are fewer mouths to feed this summer at Pounds Turkey Farm in Allegheny Township.

About 3,000 fewer, as owners Tim, Beverly and Rick Pounds announced Tuesday their long-lamented decision to cease raising fresh turkeys annually on the family farm that has been in operation since 1935.

Beverly Pounds and her husband, Tim, sat down for an interview to explain what they described as a “bittersweet” business decision.

“We all cried,” Beverly Pounds said. “The bittersweetness is ending something that we’ve worked so hard to do well, for so long.”

She posted the news on the business’s Facebook page Tuesday and said the rapid responses from customers have been overwhelming and heartfelt.

“Congratulations to the Pounds family,” wrote former customer Tommy Scanga of Myrtle Beach, S.C., formerly of Vandergrift. “When I was a little kid, we used to sell your turkeys at our grocery store. They’ve always been the best turkeys out there. Thank you for all the years.”

Sonya Mazak of Gilpin wrote: “Glad to hear you will still continue to have all your good food available at the store. I appreciate growing up on a farm, but I also know how much hard work and dedication that goes into everything. Best of luck to the hard-working, friendly Pounds family.”

Market operations remain status quo

The turkey-themed market will remain open despite the end of raising live turkeys.

The main reason for not raising thousands of turkeys in the two coops on the property involves age.

“We just can’t run as fast as we could when we were 30,” joked Tim Pounds, 67. “We are slowing down because of our age. It was a very hard decision — you’re admitting you’re getting older. There’s a lot of stress when you’re processing turkeys.”

About 30 additional employees were hired each season to meet turkey processing orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Pounds family said many of those steadfast employees also are getting older.

“A lot of our helpers come back every year, but now a lot of them are in their 70s. A day of processing turkeys is hard, and it’s physical,” Tim Pounds said. “I knew some of those folks wouldn’t be able to help us this year. They’ve been wonderful.”

Joyce Hanz | TRIBLIVE

In this file photo from 2015, Pounds Turkey Farm co-owner Beverly Pounds mingles with thousands of turkeys in a coop on the family farm in operation since 1935. Beverly and Tim Pounds are ceasing to raise turkeys after 90 years, although they are keeping their market open along Route 56 in Allegheny Township.

Hidden Hollow Turkeys in Woodbury, near Altoona, a Mennonite-run family turkey farm, will supply Pounds with fresh-raised turkeys.

Customers still can order a fresh turkey this fall, and it will be delivered to Pounds.

“We can have a little bit of margin in our life for that time, and we can lighten the stress of the business — that’s good,” Beverly Pounds said.

Turkey time

Tim Pounds recalled skipping school with his brother to help process the more than 11,000 turkeys during the height of sales in the fall turkey-processing season that lasts about three weeks.

The market is open year-round. It offers more than 60 turkey, beef and chicken products, including its signature made-on-site turkey pot pies, turkey jerky, turkey bacon and turkey ham loaf.

No changes are being made to the market, something the Pounds want to stress.

Longtime customers Chuck and Nicole Whitlock of Upper Burrell stopped by Pounds to pick up a custom meat order Tuesday and were relieved to hear the market is forging ahead unscathed.

The name will stay the same, too.

But after 90 years of growing and processing farm-fresh turkeys onsite, the Pounds are confident their choice of using Hidden Hollow Turkey Farm is a win-win for the customers.

“You all are the best customers anyone could hope for, and we plan to continue serving you well,” Beverly Pounds said.

Hidden Hollow Turkey Farm owner Nathan Hirsh raises all-natural, antibiotic- and hormone-free turkeys.

“We do appreciate the confidence that the Pounds family is putting in us,” Hirsh said. “Pounds Turkey Farm has set a high standard of excellence in their products for the last 90 years. We want to do our best to provide a product that will not disappoint those who have come to know and appreciate the turkeys they purchase from Pounds.”