Maplecrest Turkey Farms, Inc.: A. C. Gingerich & the Turkey Industry in Wellman, Iowa

Book excerpt: In the late 1920s until 1965 Maplecrest Turkey Farms of Wellman, Iowa, was a leading pioneer in the modern commercial turkey industry. A. C. Gingerich, an Amish-Mennonite farmer and entrepreneur, was able to successfully develop his business from a handful of turkeys to make Wellman both a “Turkey Capital/Center of the World” and have it uniquely proclaimed as “Thanksgiving Town” by the late 1930s. The Maplecrest brand was known for its premium quality and was available, by name, in leading restaurants also by the late 1930s. This historical book looks at how the modern turkey industry was able to initiate itself largely through knowledge of disease prevention through sanitation means. Some chapters include topics such as how the turkeys were raised, processed and marketed, especially to Eastern markets, e.g. New York City, Boston, etc., and a chapter on World War II discusses the major role that Maplecrest played in producing not only turkeys, but beef, pork and lamb for the armed forces. (219pp. color illus. index. Masthof Press, 2016.)