With the holidays approaching, now is the time of year when our thoughts turn toward turkey. For Raymond “Jim” Rischer, however, the birds are a way of life. Rischer’s parents started Raymond’s Turkey Farm in Methuen 50 years ago with 24 birds. Today, he runs the business with his wife, Patt, and their three grown children. Together, they raise 20,000 Broad Breasted White Holland turkeys a year, nearly half of which will soon head to a holiday table near you.
What’s the best part of your job? It’s a family business. I work at home. We live on the farm. It’s something that we’ve always done. It’s part of the job, having our own place and running it the best we can.
What’s the hardest part of your job? It’s seven days a week; somebody has to be here every day. The turkeys have to be taken care of, and the store is open every day. It’s more of a way of life than a 9-to-5Â job.
How would you describe a turkey’s intelligence? You hear all kinds of stories about how dumb they are, and that if it rains they can drown, but that’s actually not true. They’re skittish; they get scared easily. But instinctively, they do what they have to do to stay way from predators.
Is it true that turkeys can’t breed on their own? Mainly, they’ve been bred for large breasts and short legs to look good on the dinner table, so they would have a hard time breeding themselves. It’s more economical and efficient to do it artificially.
How many turkeys do you raise for Thanksgiving? We do about 10,000 fresh turkeys at Thanksgiving. What we don’t use, we make into pies and soups. What’s the likelihood that patrons could walk into your store and get a turkey the day before Thanksgiving? Sure, we always have plenty of turkeys, but you might not get the size you want. It’s better to order [ahead of time].
How often do you and your family eat turkey? We probably have turkey once a week. In fact, my wife has a turkey sandwich for lunch almost every other day. We still like it.
You grew up on the farm; did you ever name a turkey or keep one as a pet?
No. Turkeys were always business. That’s the way I was brought up. I had a dog.