Teaching With Turkeys

Crouched inside a turkey pen in the Kelley Building at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Carli Godwin fussed over Patricia to make sure she looked her best. Godwin focused on keeping the hen clean, calm and collected for her moment in the sun, especially given the stiff competition.

Godwin, an 8th grader at Bear Grass Charter School in Williamston, North Carolina, was among 200 youth who participated in the Youth Market Turkey Show (YMTS) competition Oct. 9-10. Held in collaboration with the North Carolina State Fair and the Prestage Department of Poultry Science, the annual event offers youth ages 5 to 18 an opportunity to get hands-on experience with livestock agriculture by raising turkeys.

“Spending time with the turkeys is really fun,” said Godwin, who first participated in the YMTS last year with encouragement from her FFA teacher. 

After doing the competition two years in a row, Godwin said the No. 1 thing she’s learned is that turkeys like to eat, and they grow quickly.

“They can go through their food very fast, so you have to fill it up every day,” she said, adding “It was fun to see them grow. I went on vacation this summer and when I came back, they were two times the size!”

Mary Fosnaught, 4-H and youth development Extension associate who heads up the YMTS competition, said Prestage Farms donated the poults (baby turkeys) for this year’s competition. In June, participants each received three turkey hens to raise into the fall. The youth selected their largest hen by weight to show at the event.

Annie Grace Manning, a 10-year-old from Nash County’s Lucky Spurs 4-H Club, took home this year’s Grand Champion title with her impressive 33-pound hen. Valerie Poole, a 9-year-old from Franklin County’s Buckles & Banners 4-H Club claimed the Reserve Champion title with her own 33-pound hen. Both winning turkeys will be on display at the Agri Supply Exposition Center at the North Carolina State Fair and will be sold at the Sale of Champions on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. in the Jim Graham Building.

“The Youth Market Turkey Show offers children and youth the opportunity to learn about agriculture in a very accessible and hands-on way,” Fosnaught said. “Not everyone has the space needed to raise large livestock like pigs or cattle, but more youth do have the resources to rear three turkeys for the 15 weeks. They’re a great way to introduce children and their parents to agriculture.”

In addition to firsthand experience with raising turkeys, YMTS helps expose youth to career fields involving poultry, livestock and animal science. Many poultry science students and faculty from NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) as well as North Carolina A&T University assist with the YMTS, serving as ambassadors for agriculture by supporting the participants and their turkeys throughout the competition.

Jobey Swaringen, a poultry science major and social chair of NC State’s Poultry Science Club, and Maggie Love, a poultry science and animal science double major at NC State, were among the YMTS volunteers. Both said they hoped the event helped youth and their parents see potential avenues for pursuing college degrees and careers in poultry science, livestock and agriculture.

“Along with helping the youth, it’s important for us as the Poultry Science Club to reach out and try to encourage our young generation to not only join our department and our college, but to also look and see what opportunities arise socially when they get here,” Swaringen said. “We want them to come and support agriculture, but we also want them to know that there’s a support system for them once they get here.”

“I participated in this competition growing up and I really liked this show, specifically because you don’t have to have a pasture to raise a turkey and you don’t have to know all things,” said Love, who plans to apply to CALS’ Food Animal Scholars program and eventually attend veterinary school to pursue a career in the food animal industry. “A turkey is a lot easier for people trying to get into agriculture. It’s a gateway in my opinion — anybody can do it. And I like to give back to that since it really shaped me as a young student.”

And although Patricia the turkey fell short of the top prize — weighing in at 26 pounds — Godwin enjoyed participating and said the experience has got her thinking more about her future career. “I’m actually hoping that I can be a veterinarian for agriculture when I grow up.”