Behind the Scenes
Turkey farmer believes in doing things right
Tim Graber comes from a long line of turkey farmers, where he learned the trade by helping his dad and uncle on the farm when he was growing up. He started working part-time on the farm we visited when another farmer owned it. After renting that farm for several years, he purchased it 2 years ago. Tim is quick to credit others who have been instrumental in his success, including his bank and West Liberty Foods processing plant. With their help, he has been able to make things better for the turkeys which helps his bottom line.Specifically, Tim said they have learned a lot about improving water quality in the past few years. They are working with the local feed mill and getting good quality feed. They have installed generators and alarm systems and have invested in new technology for improved ventilation in the barns which makes the turkeys comfortable. A clean environment with the right temperature, and availability of feed and water makes a good life for the turkey.
Tim likes being a turkey farmer. Turkeys come in at a day-old and are shipped out at 20 weeks, so there is relatively quick turn-around. In each shed, you raise about 3 flocks per year. He said that every new flock of turkeys is a breath of fresh air. Every flock has its own challenges. He likes the variety.
He likes the flexiblity of being a turkey farmer when it comes to having three young children and a wife working part-time off the farm. He gets up early and does the chores so he can be home before his wife goes to work. He has some freedom when it comes to carpooling the kids or going to their activities. The work must be done, but not on a rigid schedule.
(We were standing in front of a turkey barn with the doors open for the first few minutes of our conversation. The turkeys began to get loud so we moved a little further away from them.)
Tim says his farm is a healthy place to raise a family. It is safe. It is clean. The kids spend time in the barns with him where they help and play. Tim is 100% positive the turkey they eat from the farm is safe and healthy for his family.
The turkeys come in from Minnesota, Ohio or Michigan the day they are hatched. They keep the temperature in the brooder barns warm for the young turkeys and they “take off growing.” After about 5 weeks, the turkeys are moved to a “grow-out” barns, where they finish their cycle. They are sold at about 20 weeks old when the turkeys weigh between 40 – 45 pounds, depending upon the season.
The turkeys are sold to West Liberty Foods where they are processed into sliced turkey deli meat for restaurants like Subway and grocery chains.
The barns are cleaned after each flock leaves. Neighbors use the manure for fertilizer on their farm fields.
There are 3 brooder barns and 8 grow-out barns on Graber’s farm. He runs about 6 or 7 flocks through the brooder barns and about 3 per year through the grow-out barns. On this farm, Tim raises about 210,000 turkeys annually. He rents another farm not far away, where he raises about 40,000 head of turkeys in a year.
Tim employs one full-time and one part-time worker who start the day with him by checking the birds to make sure they have feed and water. The dead birds are carried out and composted daily. They check the temperature and make adjustments. They work together hauling manure, sanitizing barns to get ready for the next cycle, washing and disinfecting sheds. They top dress the bedding with fresh straw, wood shavings or oat hulls to keep the litter drier and cleaner and more comfortable for the turkeys. There is always maintenance and repairs. Tim said, in a nutshell, it is all about the turkeys!
Twenty years ago, Tim helped his dad and uncle with turkeys on the range, but prefers keeping them safe from predators and the elements in a modern grow-out barn where there is always access to feed and water and dry bedding. You can’t control the temperature when turkeys are on the range.
Tim recalls his grandfather’s stories about a 20-week-old turkey weighing 20 pounds, and thinking that was good. Now, Tim explains, they get double that and it is because of modern production practices.
The consumer is always on Tim’s mind. He said it isn’t just about his family and what they eat. “The fun part about being a farmer,” he said, “is that you are feeding the world.”
He likes following it from the egg, through his operation, to the processing plant to the deli where the consumer gets a good quality piece of protein. He likes knowing it is being done right. That, to Tim Graber, is most rewarding.
Technologies and efficiencies have helped farmers like Tim provide more meat at an affordable price to the consumer.
Being a good neighbor by reaching out and working with those in the community is important to Tim. The economic impact of farms like Tim’s makes a big difference to Wayland and the entire state of Iowa.
Tim would like to see his children involved in turkey farming. “It is hard work, but there is nothing wrong with hard work!” Tim said. “The dividends pay off.”
Tim said the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers helps established farmers grow and helps young farmers get started. CSIF provides support for problems you might have, for neighbor relations and provide a lot of great resouces if there is a problem.
In closing I asked Tim if they are doing things right on his farm. He believes that by being proactive and by being good stewards of the land, air, water, livestock and community, they are indeed doing things right. Tim feels blessed with the opportunities he has for his family in agriculture and wants to give back.
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