Irish Daily Mail

NO PANDEMIC CAN STOP THE NEED TO GOBBLE, GOBBLE!

- By James Ward

A TURKEY farmer has said his customers are not getting in a flap when it comes to ordering their Christmas dinner.

Despite the coronaviru­s pandemic potentiall­y limiting Christmas gatherings, David McEvoy said his orders have increased by half.

Mr McEvoy, of Termonfeck­in Delicious Turkeys in Co. Louth, said people are more keen to gobble up his stock than ever before.

He said: ‘This year is going super for turkey orders. We’re up about 50% last year on the same date. The turkeys were hatched in June and are outside since August. And they’re looking fantastic.

‘I think this year people are going out of their way to get a special turkey for

Christmas, seeing as it is an extra-important occasion, considerin­g the long, difficult year everybody’s had.

‘I’m very optimistic about the market and hopefully we’ll be sold out somewhere around December 5, which is pretty early.’

While the uncertaint­y of the pandemic has not hit sales, with limits to be imposed on Christmas dinner gatherings, people are winging it with their orders.

Mr McEvoy said: ‘Some people have ordered a turkey but actually haven’t specified the size. They’re just not quite sure as to how many people will be coming for dinner. There’s not a lot of that, but there’s a few. I have noticed that in the ordering.’

He said he had noticed that many people are ordering smaller turkeys this year, possibly owing to smaller numbers expected at Christmas dinner.

The farmer said: ‘At the moment I do see smaller turkeys, particular­ly in the orders we received so far.

‘Ultimately our turkeys start at around four-and-a-half kilos, so that is the smallest size.

‘But you get a much plumper turkey with our type of turkey.

‘We mightn’t sell the very biggest turkeys, but in general people seem to be ordering what they’ve always ordered.’

 ??  ?? The birdman of Termonfeck­in: David McEvoy on his farm in Co. Louth
The birdman of Termonfeck­in: David McEvoy on his farm in Co. Louth
 ??  ?? Cluck is ticking: Turkeys on the farm in Termonfeck­in, Co. Louth
Cluck is ticking: Turkeys on the farm in Termonfeck­in, Co. Louth

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