Thanksgiving Turkey Buyer’s Guide

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For many, this Thanksgiving will be quieter and smaller than previous years because of COVID-19, but for most, roasting a turkey is still an essential part of the tradition and the holiday.

Turkey farms around the area are seeing brisk sales, with the smaller birds selling out quickly.

There is still time to pre-order a bird, but time is running short. Below are a few choices in the area, including one non-turkey alternative. 

Gozzi’s Turkey Farms, 2443 Boston Post Rd, Guilford 

(203) 453 2771

www.facebook.com/Gozzis-Turkey-Farms (this link doesn’t work well!)

Order ASAP by phone

Price: $3.09/pound

Pick up: the week of Thanksgiving

“We raise about 15,000 birds a year, mostly for Thanksgiving and we do sell out every year,” said Bill Gozzi, owner. Bill said he is the “third Bill” to own the farm, which was established by his grandfather Bill Gozzi in 1940 and then owned by his father, the “second Bill.” Grandfather Bill developed the Guilford Gozzi White, one of the first white meat turkey strains. Gozzi’s Turkey Farms raises free range and all natural birds without the use of hormones or antibiotics. The smallest available bird on Monday was 16 pounds and the turkeys range up to 32 pounds. “Order soon because we’re running out!” 


Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, LLC, 227 Ekonk Hill Road, Moosup 

(860) 564-0248

www.ekonkhillturkeyfarm.com

Order: through Thursday (11/19) by phone or email: info@ekonkhillturkeyfarm.com

Price: $5.29 per pound

Pickup: the week of Thanksgiving

“We’re taking orders from 15 pounds up to almost 40 pounds,” said Ashley Hermonot, whose family owns and operates the farm. “All together we raise about 3,000 turkeys per year and we do about 2,000 of those for Thanksgiving. We freeze a lot whole, we bake them for things like turkey pies in our stores and we also sell ground turkey and turkey legs in our store.”

The turkeys are raised free-range and antibiotic free. Pies are also available for purchase at the store, but the farm isn’t taking any more pie orders for the holiday. 


Walt’s Food Market, 178 Main St., Old Saybrook

(860) 388-3308

Order: by phone by Friday, 11/20

Price: varies

Pickup: the week of Thanksgiving

“We’re going to do about 300 birds this year. We’re going to be pretty much on track from last year, they’re just getting smaller birds — the 10 pound and the 12 pound. The big birds aren’t moving because people aren’t having big gatherings,” said Paul Kozey, owner of Walt’s. “But nobody’s cancelling Thanksgiving, they’re going to have it come hell or high water.” 

This year he’s offering uncooked turkeys and also turkey dinners, but no whole cooked turkeys. 

The turkey dinner entrees are $14.99 per pound and “pretty much have to be preordered — call it in, we’re pretty much old school. We’ll take a few walk-ins,” Kozey said.

His dinner menu includes a wide variety of traditional options, including three kinds of stuffing, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, butternut squash, creamed onions, cranberry sauce and green bean almondine. He also offers a range of appetizers, fresh sausage, soups, quiche, breads and pies for pre-order.


Stone Gardens Farm, 83 Saw Mill City, Shelton

(203) 929-2003

Order: by email at stonegds@comcast.net by Friday, 11/20

Price: $4.50 per pound all sizes and $7 per pound for bone-in breasts 

Pickup: Monday through Wednesday, the week of Thanksgiving

The farm has limited sizes left for pre-order including whole turkeys from 20 to 25 pounds, half turkeys in the 12 pound range and bone-in breast at about five pounds.

The fresh turkeys are fed GMO-free food and are raised without use of hormones or antibiotics.


Four Mile River Farm, 124 Four Mile River Road, Old Lyme

(860) 434-2378

Order: by email info@fourmileriverfarm.com by Monday, 11/23

Price: varies

Pickup: the week of Thanksgiving

For those who want an alternative to turkey, Four Mile River Farm offers chickens, beef, pork and maybe some lamb next week, said Chris Bourne, co-owner of the farm.

“We have some big chickens, that’s as close as we come to turkeys. So if you’re having a very small Thanksgiving we can get you set up with a five or six pound chicken, and we have beef and pork.” 

The farm stand is open from about 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and prepaid curbside ordering is available.