TURKEY — Turkey may seem like an odd name for a town, but at this time of year people in Sampson County think it makes perfect sense. 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 farm with 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 will have spent about 16 hours in a turkey house and chances are good it will have been raised on an eastern North Carolina farm.

According to Durwood Boney, also a participant in the farming operation, 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 family got involved.

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