It’s Time to Talk Turkey for Junior Fair Participants

LEETONIA, Ohio – As November begins, many start thinking about Thanksgiving Day turkey.

For children participating in raising market turkeys for the junior fair in Columbiana County, however, they’re already planning for next year.

Those ordering their poults – baby turkeys – through the junior fair’s turkey committee must do so soon. Ordering dates are in November and December for turkeys that will be hatched and delivered in the spring.

Four months after the poults arrive, they are bound for the fair, some more than 30 pounds heavier than when they arrived. According to results from the Columbiana County Fair, last year’s grand champ, raised by Chezna Rettig, weighed in at 34.4 pounds and was purchased at the auction for $2,000. The reserve champion, raised by Carrie Knoedler, fetched $1,250 and weighed 29.2 pounds.

Hunter Panezott is one of more than 60 youngsters who brought turkeys to the Columbiana County Fair this past summer in a program that has been growing.

His father, David, is the chair of the turkey committee, while his mother, Casey, serves as the secretary. She said the number of turkey projects has doubled since 2021, and David Panezott said if about five more get involved, they will have to add onto the fairgrounds barn, which they recently fixed up after the program outgrew its prior space.

“It’s a good problem to have,” he said.

Youngsters like Hunter learn some of the tricks to get turkeys to eat more feed, gain weight and grow not just fatter, but with stronger, quality thighs and breasts for meat.

Hunter said he often takes his turkeys for walks. The family has a particular 100-yard stretch of their property in Leetonia, which includes a hill at one end. Hunter said he uses that distance and hill to build up their legs and create the muscles that give them extra meat.

When spring comes, Hunter will start off with more than one poult, only a day or two old. Last year he started with eight, and seven survived to mature.

As the fair approaches, he evaluates the quality of each turkey he raised to determine which one has the best chance of winning.

“For the fair bird, I usually go with the one that has the best breasts,” said Hunter, who is now 14 years old and has been raising turkeys since third grade.

The turkey is bathed in a kiddie pool in the days immediately leading up to the fair with dish soap, vinegar and warm and cool water to remove dead feathers and bugs.

Last year, Hunter won a showmanship trophy for his intermediate age group for his abilities to show and his knowledge of the birds. Those taking the project through 4-H and Future Farmers of America learn about the food, water, shelter and other requirements to successfully raise the turkeys, as well as the anatomy of the turkey, prevention of health problems and variety of breeds. 

David Panezott said both the white and bronze broad-breasted turkeys are the two breeds raised for Columbiana County fair projects, and the white broad-breasted turkey is the same as one would expect to buy from a food producer such as Butterball.

Participants provide the hard work needed to raise their turkeys, and they also learn some agribusiness skills along the way. Feed for Hunter’s turkeys cost $17 per bag, and it takes about 100 pounds of it over the 16-week growing period to raise them.

Hunter said he hopes his fair turkey will bring in $550 or more at the fair’s livestock auction held toward the end of the event. According to David Panezott, the average price per bird, including the champions, at this year’s fair was $420.42, while the average without the champions was $385.51.

Panezott said there is a waiting list of family and friends who want to buy the remaining turkeys his son raises that do not go to the fair. Hunter charges about $3 per pound for those birds.

Butchered toms usually weigh in at 20 to 25 pounds, while hens are 17 to 19 pounds.

Hunter reinvests some of what he earns from the project into the cost of raising next year’s turkeys. The rest he saves for something special.

“There’s a particular car,” Hunter said, adding he has had his eye on a classic car for six years.

Pictured at top: Hunter Panezott and one of his turkeys.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.