MASON, Ohio — As if he didn’t have enough projects going, Butch Schappacher of Mason took on the task of raising and selling turkeys for the upcoming holiday season. So who said you can’t teach an “old dog” new tricks?

“I think I surprised a lot of people with my decision to raise the birds,” said Schappacher. “My family and many of my friends were a bit amazed, and said I had too many rings in the fire as it was.”

Schappacher, 58, tends 65 acres of corn, soybeans and pumpkins in Warren County just two miles east of ever-growing Mason, Ohio. The third-year president of the Warren County Farm Bureau is without a doubt the most popular farmer in this county, best known for his venturous agritourism throughout the year.

He plays host to a farmers’ market each spring, entertains schoolchildren during pumpkin season and his farm is a stop for the Indiana & Ohio Railroad, which takes visitors from historic Lebanon, Ohio, to his farm each October. He also tends to 15 head of cattle.

His only downtime was the Thanksgiving season – but things have changed. “With all that I have going on here on the farm, many people were baffled that I would try something I knew absolutely nothing about,” Schappacher said. “It wasn’t for lack of chores, because I have plenty going on, but it was something I always wanted to try.

“Besides, I was tending to sweet corn in July, August and September, and pumpkins in October. By the time November comes around, the corn and pumpkins are gone and I’m here on the premise anyway ... so, why not?”

Schappacher did a little research on the task of raising turkeys and began asking questions of King & Sons Poultry, a turkey processor near Greenville, Ohio. Starting last summer, he posted a small billboard at the end of his lane requesting orders for turkeys, though he had no experience with the birds.

Long before the birds arrived on his property, he began receiving orders for Thanksgiving turkeys. “We started taking orders the first of July. One gentleman ordered 15 to give to his employees, another woman ordered 13,” he said.

“I pre-sold all but 15 this first season. I guess for the first year that’s pretty good. Some have asked me if I will increase the number of chicks next season. I’m not so sure just yet.”

After countless phone calls on this subject, Schappacher took the plunge, purchasing 200 baby chicks last spring at $2.75 per bird.

“Of the 200 I purchased, 185 reached maturity so I guess that’s a pretty good success rate right there,” he said. “One good thing is that by the end of November the birds will be gone, and I won’t have to take care of them all winter. I use the winter months to work on equipment and do my taxes.”

A small, old barn that once housed pigs became home to the chicks. Schappacher’s only major purchases were heat lights, fencing and small feeders.

“What astonished me was how much these birds eat. That’s my biggest starting cost,” he said. “I also learned that you need hens and toms, and birds of various sizes, because not everyone wants a 25-pound turkey.”

Schappacher said he spent $3,000 on feed alone. He’ll get most of that back, though. In the end, he’ll sell his birds at $2.99 per pound.

“I don’t believe in gouging. I think mine is a fair price,” he said. “Some turkey farmers ask as much as $5 per pound and some are below my price. My goal is to put out there a fresh bird and get some repeat customers. They are truly grain-fed birds and there are no antibiotics involved.”

He asked lots of questions of those at King & Sons Poultry; many questions. “I learned you need to keep heat on the birds until they start getting feathers, and you can’t let them get cool at a young age or they’ll crowd together to stay warm and some may die by being smothered,” Schappacher said.

Once the birds reached maturity he turned them loose in an outside pen during the day, but kept them protected indoors each evening. A five-foot fence helped keep any predators away.

Schappacher recently shipped the birds back to King & Sons Poultry, had them weighed, vacuum-packed and returned to the farm a few days before Thanksgiving.

“I figure with all the costs going into this venture, I stand to make roughly about $4,000,” Schappacher said. “The major cost to this venture is time, and I’m here on the farm each day anyway.”