GEORGETOWN, Ky. (Nov. 10, 2026) — As families across the country prepare for Thanksgiving, a sixth-generation Kentucky family farm is celebrating two decades of raising organic heritage turkeys that have become a holiday tradition for customers from the Bluegrass State to dinner tables across America.
Elmwood Stock Farm, a Kentucky Proud agricultural operation in Scott County, is marking its 20th year of producing organically raised, pasture-based turkeys. The family-owned farm has developed a national following for its distinctive approach to poultry production, combining traditional farming practices, certified organic methods and the preservation of rare heritage turkey breeds.
Farm co-owner Mac Stone has overseen the turkey operation since its inception, helping establish Elmwood as one of a relatively small number of farms in the United States producing heritage breed turkeys that are also certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For Stone and his family, the annual Thanksgiving season represents the culmination of nearly a year of raising and caring for birds that will eventually become the centerpiece of holiday celebrations.
“At most turkey farms, you never see a turkey,” Stone said. “Driving by Elmwood Stock Farm, you see our turkeys in the pastures. Raised on pastures like this, people just really love the flavor.”
Unlike conventional commercial turkey production, Elmwood’s birds are raised outdoors, where they have access to fresh pastures filled with grasses and clovers. Their diets are supplemented with certified organic, non-GMO grains.
The farm’s pasture-based approach allows turkeys to roam outdoors while developing naturally over a longer growing period than is typical of many conventional poultry operations.
Elmwood’s production system emphasizes animal welfare, environmental stewardship and the preservation of traditional agricultural practices. The farm says its methods produce flavorful, moist turkeys that appeal to consumers seeking alternatives to conventionally raised poultry.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Elmwood’s operation is its commitment to heritage turkey breeds, particularly the Narragansett turkey.
Named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, the breed is part of America’s agricultural heritage and is known for its distinctive feather pattern and traditional characteristics.
Heritage turkeys differ from modern commercial breeds in several ways, including their body structure, growth rates and ability to reproduce naturally.
While most commercially produced Thanksgiving turkeys come from broad-breasted varieties developed for efficient meat production, heritage breeds retain characteristics associated with traditional farm-raised poultry.
Preserving these breeds has become an important component of agricultural biodiversity efforts, particularly as modern livestock production has increasingly concentrated on a limited number of commercially dominant breeds.
Elmwood’s breeding program contributes to those conservation efforts by maintaining a year-round flock of heritage birds.
The farm incubates and hatches its own turkeys, raises young birds known as poults and gradually introduces them to fresh pasture as they mature.
The process takes place over much of the year, requiring long-term planning and daily care well before the Thanksgiving season begins.
Stone points to the recovery of the Narragansett breed as evidence that consumer interest in locally and sustainably produced food can help preserve agricultural traditions.
“We hatched hundreds of Narragansett turkey poults in the spring of 2026,” Stone said. “Contrast this with 1997, when only six Narragansett breeding pairs were even known to exist in the entire US. I strongly believe that their rebound is a measurable success of the local food movement.”
The farm’s commitment to raising Narragansett turkeys reflects a broader movement among small and independent agricultural producers to preserve livestock diversity while creating specialized markets for premium farm products.
By raising heritage breeds commercially, farms such as Elmwood can help sustain breeding populations while providing consumers with products that differ from those commonly available in supermarkets.
In addition to heritage turkeys, Elmwood raises broad-breasted birds similar in size and shape to conventional grocery store turkeys.
However, these birds are also raised through the farm’s organic pasture-based system, providing customers with another option for their Thanksgiving meals.
The two varieties allow the farm to serve customers seeking either a traditional heritage bird or a more familiar broad-breasted turkey raised using organic agricultural practices.
The operation is part of Elmwood Stock Farm’s broader commitment to organic agriculture and family farming in Central Kentucky.
As a sixth-generation farm, Elmwood represents a longstanding agricultural tradition in Scott County, where farming continues to play an important role in the local economy and rural landscape.
The farm’s ability to market its products nationally also demonstrates how Kentucky agricultural businesses can reach customers well beyond their immediate communities.
Direct-to-consumer sales, online ordering and nationwide shipping have created opportunities for specialized farms to build relationships with customers who value knowing where and how their food is produced.
For Elmwood, those relationships are particularly evident during the Thanksgiving season.
Many families return year after year to purchase their holiday turkeys, creating a recurring connection between the farm and customers across the country.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Stone, his wife Ann Stone and her brother John Bell, who are also co-owners of Elmwood Stock Farm, are preparing for one of their busiest periods of the year.
During the week before Thanksgiving, the family will coordinate the packing, local delivery and nationwide shipment of turkeys to customers preparing their holiday meals.
The process requires careful coordination to ensure that orders reach households in time for Thanksgiving celebrations.
For Kentucky’s agricultural economy, Elmwood’s success illustrates the potential for family farms to develop premium products, preserve traditional livestock breeds and compete in national markets through direct relationships with consumers.
It also highlights the role of Kentucky Proud agricultural businesses in promoting products raised and produced within the commonwealth.
While the farm’s turkeys have gained customers across the United States, the entire production process remains rooted in Scott County.
From hatching poults in the spring to caring for breeding flocks throughout the year and preparing holiday orders in November, the operation reflects the work required to bring a locally raised product to Thanksgiving tables nationwide.
For Stone, the annual tradition is about more than raising poultry. It is about helping families celebrate one of the year’s most meaningful gatherings while maintaining an agricultural legacy that has continued for generations.
“It’s a pleasure to raise these turkeys, knowing they’ll be the centerpiece of your holiday tradition,” Stone said.
Elmwood Stock Farm’s organic heritage and broad-breasted turkeys are available for pre-order ahead of Thanksgiving, with local delivery and nationwide shipping options.
Dining and Cooking