UNIVERSITY PARK, PENN STATE - Folks in State College flocked to Penn State's Poultry Research Center to snatch up the perfect Thanksgiving turkey Monday.
In just a few days, "Her name would be 'Roast'." These birds will be just that.
For the past 12 weeks, members of the Penn State Poultry Science Club raised nearly 1,100 turkeys to find new ways to grow the birds without any use of antibiotics.
"We went through the process of humanely slaughtering them and we would then go through the process of making sure all their feathers came off and we would chill them and make sure all of their insides were out before they were cooled," Club President Taylor Young said. "We had to restuff the gizzards back in them because some people like to cook those and then they're vacuumed packed and put in the freezer to wait."
And wait these folks did. "This is the longest I've ever waited," customer Curt Swagler said.
Swagler is just one of many customers who waited in line for more than half an hour, but it's a tradition he hopes to continue.
"I've been here for seven years now. It's become a tradition, we come and get our turkeys from the Poultry Club, support the club and get good turkeys for Thanksgiving," he said.
All 450 turkeys were sold out in just two hours Monday, the fastest they have ever sold. Proceeds from the turkey sales will go toward the Poultry Science Club to help students fund a trip to Poultry Science headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia and for future research.
In just a few days, "Her name would be 'Roast'." These birds will be just that.
For the past 12 weeks, members of the Penn State Poultry Science Club raised nearly 1,100 turkeys to find new ways to grow the birds without any use of antibiotics.
"We went through the process of humanely slaughtering them and we would then go through the process of making sure all their feathers came off and we would chill them and make sure all of their insides were out before they were cooled," Club President Taylor Young said. "We had to restuff the gizzards back in them because some people like to cook those and then they're vacuumed packed and put in the freezer to wait."
And wait these folks did. "This is the longest I've ever waited," customer Curt Swagler said.
Swagler is just one of many customers who waited in line for more than half an hour, but it's a tradition he hopes to continue.
"I've been here for seven years now. It's become a tradition, we come and get our turkeys from the Poultry Club, support the club and get good turkeys for Thanksgiving," he said.
All 450 turkeys were sold out in just two hours Monday, the fastest they have ever sold. Proceeds from the turkey sales will go toward the Poultry Science Club to help students fund a trip to Poultry Science headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia and for future research.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.