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Wherever You Spend Thanksgiving, Your Turkey May Be Home-rown

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TURKEY — Turkey may seem like an odd name for a town,but at this time of year people in Sampson County think it makes perfectsense. The County is the second-largest producer of turkeys in the state,and North Carolina is the number-one turkey producer in the nation.

Turkey farmer Dick Boney knew turkeys were big business in his area,but had no idea how big. For four years, business is brisk on his farmwith an average 30,000 turkeys around at any given time.

His wife Patricia says turkey farming is a fast-paced operation.

Dick Boney says the probable main dish on your Thanksgiving table willhave spent about16 hours in a turkey house and chances are good it will have been raisedon an eastern North Carolina farm.

According to Durwood Boney, also a participant in the farmingoperation, while business is good, it does have its drawbacks.

Thanksgiving isn't the only reason the turkey business is booming,however. Nor, says Durwood Boney, is it the only reason his familygot involved.

North Carolina produces for more than 60 million of the 293million sold by U.S. farmers every year. Duplin, Sampson, Union and WayneCounties lead the state in turkey production.

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