Farm Fresh Turkey from Varga Farm

Joe and Brooke Varga attend local farmers markets in New Hampshire.

The sun rises on a crisp autumn day as the hens’ squawks echo through the farmland. Plump turkeys wander about, pecking on grass in the fields. Husband and wife duo Brooke and Joe Varga rise early on fall mornings, pulling on their boots to scoop hay, feed the Scottish Highland cows and collect eggs well before starting their 40-hour work week. Their farm, Varga Farm in Middleton, is a combination of passion, love and hard work.

Joe Varga grew up surrounded by farming on both his mother’s and father’s sides of the family — his great-grandparents on his maternal side immigrated from Czechoslovakia to Connecticut. They purchased a farm in Ashford, Conn., while his paternal grandparents immigrated from Hungary and started a farm in Mansfield, Conn., just three years later. “My daily job growing up was on a farm,” says Joe. “It’s in my blood and on both sides of the family tree.”

When Joe moved to New Hampshire, he met Brooke and convinced her to start a farm of their own while juggling their full-time jobs. “I barely grew up with a cat,” Brooke Varga says. “But I always had a love for animals and wanted some of my own, so it was easy to convince me to do this because it’s purposeful, beneficial and different from the life I grew up with.” 

The Vargas raise Highland cattle for beef, small batches of meat chickens in the summertime, hens for eggs, pigs to order and Thanksgiving turkeys. All their animals are raised on their land, with feed supplemented with brewer’s grain from local breweries, including Muddy Road Brewery in New Durham and Burnt Timber Brewing & Tavern in Wolfeboro. The animals roam freely in fenced-in pastures and are provided shelter if the animals choose to rest there.

“I’d consider us a small-batch farm,” Joe Varga says. “Just Brooke and I do everything, and it’s all pasture-raised.” 

With Thanksgiving season just around the corner, many people plan their turkey for the feast just a week or two ahead. Yet, Joe and Brooke Varga were preparing for the busy season back in early July, when turkey season begins for many farmers.

Varga Farm offers farm tours for those who want to see the Scottish Highland cows.

At that time, the Vargas purchase the broad-breasted white turkeys as chicks. These chicks are raised in a larger coop until they reach a certain age and can spend a few weeks outside in the field in a movable pen. Once ready, the turkeys are raised in a fenced area until the week before Thanksgiving, when they are processed, weighing between 18 and 22 pounds. 

This year, the Vargas purchased 30 chicks and will end up selling around two dozen.The farm owners secure customers’ interest through an email list and by setting up shop at local farmers’ markets. 

“With the natural progression of eating what we raise and doing this for ourselves, we added turkeys into the mix so we can provide turkeys for everybody too,” Brooke Varga says. This is the farm’s fifth year raising turkeys, and they adjust their methods, pricing and quantity yearly based on what sells.

Turkeys graze to be ready for Thanksgiving season.

Varga Farm even processes its poultry on the property, which is rare for a farm at its scale. They process their poultry under the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines. Joe and Brooke participate directly in the turkey-raising process on the property.

“Poultry processing in this area is extremely limited compared to other animals under the USDA,” Joe Varga says. “There are only three USDA slaughterhouses for animals that aren’t poultry in New Hampshire.”

Once the turkeys are sold, winter is near, and the farm slows down a bit before purchasing young stock again come spring. However, the farm is never completely empty or quiet, as they have laying hens for eggs year-round and Scottish Highland cows — everyone’s personal favorites — to visit on
the farm.

“There’s always something going on on the farm, whether we’re feeding the cows hay in the morning before we go to work; and then after work collecting eggs, feeding the chickens and pigs,” Joe Varga says. “Every day we’re making sure our animals are healthy and happy.”

The Vargas aim to continue providing their region with high-quality meats year-round and hope to double their beef herd over the next two to three years as inquiries increase. “We’ve come a long way, learned a lot over the years, and I can see us doing this until we can’t walk,” Brooke Varga says with a laugh. “It’s fulfilling after seeing the hard work, and I don’t see us changing this anytime soon because we love doing it.” 

To learn more or pre-order meat from Varga Farm, visit their website at vargafarm.com to make an appointment.

Additional Local New Hampshire Farms to Purchase a Farm-Raised Turkey and Livestock 

Coombs Farm • 4 Little River Road, Kingston • coombsfarm.com

This family-owned farm along New Hampshire’s seacoast strives to put the best quality food on the table for consumers. Turkeys are raised on grass with ample space to roam, ensuring a healthy environment.

Hurd Farm LLC • 11 Old Stage Road, Hampton • hurdfarm.com

Hurd Farm LLC raises happy, healthy animals including turkeys, chickens, pigs and cows, ensuring farm-to-table practices throughout generations.

Vernon Family Farm • 301 Piscassic Road, Newfields • vernonfamilyfarm.com

Along 33 acres of land on the Piscassic River, Vernon Family Farm is a first-generation pastured livestock farm. The farm additionally offers a live music series and an outdoor agritourism event series focusing on the community and healthy food. 

Kellie Brook Farm • 1024 Portsmouth Ave., Greenland • kelliebrookfarm.com

Kellie Brook Farm offers locally raised farm products, including turkey, available for online ordering and on-farm pickup through their website.

Birch Rise Farm • 4 Birch Rise Farm, Sanbornton • birchrisefarm.com

This small family-run farm raises pastured white turkeys using humane, all-natural methods. They focus on pasture raised chickens, pastured pork, pastured turkeys and free range eggs.