ALL'S FARE WITH FOWL TURKEYS ARE STILL A BARGAIN.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer Though its trimmings are a tad pricier, turkey is still a deal for Californians this Thanksgiving, thanks to a increase in the flock. This year farmers will raise 19 million turkeys, a 6 percent increase over last year, which will help keep prices down, said the California Farm Bureau Federation. That's enough to make California the nation's sixth-biggest turkey producer. ``Whatever bird the consumer's looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. is out there,'' said Bill Mattos, president of the Modesto-based California Poultry Federation. ``You can even find them free if you look in the right place, then prices go all the way up to $2 a pound for a free-range, California-grown bird.'' Prices initially hovered at regular levels but have dropped in the final week leading up to the big feast. To avoid a glut glut pronounced as rut, slut Vox populi An excess of a service or skilled labor in a particular area. See Physician glut. of unsold turkeys and stay abreast of competition, the farm bureau has noticed that grocers are slashing slash·ing adj. 1. Bitingly critical or satiric: slashing wit. 2. Dashing; pelting: a slashing hailstorm. 3. prices. The federation says 92 percent of homes will be carving up the gobblers this year, and celebrations are likely to be larger with the current emphasis on family get-togethers. And all these factors are combining to keep prices for Ol' Tom nice and low. ``It's looking good right now,'' said Ron Miller Ron Miller or Ronald Miller can refer to several different people:
These prices and high demand for Thanksgiving goodies have grocers bracing bracing, n a resistance to the horizontal components of masticatory force. themselves for an onslaught of shoppers in coming days. Ralphs, which is offering free turkeys up to 20 pounds to club members who buy $75 worth of food, also expects strong sales for its prepared meals. The latter have boomed in popularity, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. spokesman Terry O'Neil. ``People would rather have someone else cook for them so they can just enjoy the day,'' he said. ``This last weekend was one of our best shopping days, and we're expecting this holiday to be a record setter setter: see sporting dog. setter Any of three breeds derived from a medieval hunting dog that would set (lie down) when it found birds so that it and the birds could be covered with a net. Setters have long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. because of all the people staying at home.'' The precooked pre·cook tr.v. pre·cooked, pre·cook·ing, pre·cooks To cook in advance or partially. Adj. 1. precooked - cooked partially or completely beforehand; "frozen precooked meals from the supermarket" feasts are also a strong seller for the local chain of Hows Markets, which expects its aisles to be bustling bus·tle 1 intr. & tr.v. bus·tled, bus·tling, bus·tles To move or cause to move energetically and busily. n. Excited and often noisy activity; a stir. with last-minute shoppers until the big day. ``Our business stays steady until this week, then we get mobbed,'' reported Matt Hughes Matt Hughes may refer to several people:
Hows formerly did a free turkey giveaway but was forced to abandon it due to high costs. It has repositioned itself to focus more on fresh birds, Hughes said. ``The free turkeys used to be a big loss that (gets) people in the door, but we decided to go with fresh turkeys at a good price instead,'' he said. ``People would get the free turkeys, then just give them away to food banks - which was good but it got too expensive for us.'' For shoppers looking for a more upscale treatment for their dinners, Whole Foods is offering organic, free-range turkeys. They're pricier, with a Diestel-brand bird going for $2.39 a pound. These birds are supposed to taste better. ``We even hang out with the farmers to see what the turkeys are being fed, so they're not getting any antibiotics or animal foods,'' said Elizabeth Carovillano, the chain's director of marketing. And though there's no shortage of bargains in the poultry aisle, other staples could be a little costlier this year. The farm bureau attributes this to higher energy costs incurred by retailers throughout the year that are being passed on in raised prices for cranberries and russet rus·set n. 1. A moderate to strong brown. 2. A coarse reddish-brown to brown homespun cloth. 3. A winter apple with a rough reddish-brown skin. 4. A russet Burbank. adj. potatoes. ``They get hit a little on the turkey, but they make it up on cranberries,'' said the CFBF's Miller. ``You probably won't even notice, though, since you only buy them once or twice a year,'' he said. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Customer Lisa Keil, right, orders Thanksgiving desserts from Tina Landrum at Sherman Oaks West Whole Foods Market. (2 -- color) Turkey and all the trimmings can be ordered in advance from the prepared-foods section of many Southland south·land or South·land n. A region in the south of a country or an area. south  land·er n.Noun 1. markets. This array of traditional Thanksgiving dishes is offered by Sherman Oaks West Whole Foods Market. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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