Some farms aren't seeing less business for Thanksgiving despite ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

More opting for smaller turkeys for Thanksgiving 2020

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic means some are downsizing their guest list.

PHOENIX - The holiday season is fast approaching, with Thanksgiving just weeks away. 

As with many things in 2020, holiday celebrations will certainly look a little different as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At the town of Dewey, located southeast of Prescott Valley, sits Mortimer Farms. Those with the fam say they have seen an influx of customers who have downsized their guest-lists.

"The first thing we are seeing is an influx of small turkeys being ordered," said Ashlee Mortimer. "In the past, we usually get a lot of large turkey orders. With these smaller gatherings happening, I equate that with the smaller turkeys."

According to Ashlee, these more intimate affairs aren't leading to lower sales, as 25% more turkeys have already been sold, compared to this same time in 2019. Sales from their dozens of farm-fresh veggies and pies are seeing a similar trend.

Ashlee says more people are also looking for a true farm-to-table experience for Thanksgiving 2020.

"With the recent issues with distribution and traffic and the bottlenecks that COVID-19 caused, we are seeing a lot more consumers buy directly from the farmer and skip that middle man," said Ashlee.