Hart's Turkey Farm facts for kids

Hart's Turkey Farm is a popular restaurant located in Meredith, New Hampshire, USA. It first opened its doors in 1954. This restaurant is famous for its big menu, which features many delicious turkey dishes.

The History of Hart's Turkey Farm

The story of Hart's Turkey Farm began in 1946. Brothers Larry and Russ Hart, along with their wives Helen and Gerda, moved to the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. They had often vacationed there since the 1920s. The family started a farm. They sold fresh produce and meat, like chicken, turkey, fruits, and vegetables, right from a truck.

By 1953, the Hart family decided to focus only on raising turkeys. In 1954, they opened a small restaurant in Meredith, New Hampshire. It could seat only twelve people. The restaurant served tasty turkey sandwiches and dinners using their own farm-raised turkey. When Larry passed away in 1960, Russ became the sole owner of both the farm and the restaurant. By 1965, Russ Hart stopped farming to focus completely on growing the restaurant. He decided to buy turkeys from other farms, making sure they met his high standards.

In 1986, Russ and Helen's children—Lynn, Dale, Russell T., and Glenn Hart—bought the restaurant. Today, another Hart family member, Sam Willey, owns the restaurant.

In 2008, the restaurant opened a second location in Manchester, New Hampshire. This second spot closed for a short time in 2011 for updates. As of 2021, the Manchester location is permanently closed. In 2014, Hart's celebrated its 60th anniversary. They hosted a special event for the tourism industry, and over 600 people came to celebrate.

During the summer, Hart's Turkey Farm can have up to 230 employees. Like many businesses, they faced challenges finding enough workers in 2021. To help, the owner, Sam Willey, owns two apartment buildings. He offers reduced rent to his employees to support them.

Hart's also gives back to the community. Every year, they host a special Thanksgiving dinner. They offer free meals to families and individuals who need help or are celebrating the holiday alone. The restaurant also runs a catering company. Famous people like Katharine Hepburn and Caroline Kennedy have enjoyed meals at the original Hart's Turkey Farm.

Restaurant Style and Design

Hart's Turkey Farm is a large white building surrounded by parking areas. When you enter, you'll find a gift shop. In 2011, a writer from ABC News described the restaurant as having a "practical New England feel." He also said it had "a bit of a truck stop feel," which means it's comfortable and not too fancy.

The restaurant is divided into many dining rooms. Together, these rooms can seat over 500 people. The walls in these rooms are made of wood. Each room also displays a collection of plates and dishes decorated with turkey pictures. There are over 1,000 platters in this collection. Mae Hart started collecting them a long time ago. The restaurant also has a bar and a bakery.

Delicious Turkey Dishes

Hart's Turkey Farm used to make dishes using turkeys from their own farm. Now, they buy turkeys from other farms. Their main supplier is from Utah. The menu is very large and has many dishes centered around turkey.

The most popular meal at Hart's is a classic Thanksgiving-style meal. This meal is offered every day! It includes roasted turkey and comes in three different sizes. The largest size is over a pound of turkey. In 2014, this meal cost $22.95 and included side dishes. You can also get a turkey drumstick dinner. In 2011, it cost $10.99.

They also sell many kinds of turkey sandwiches. These include turkey meatball sandwiches and a "Turkey Gobbler" sandwich. The "Turkey Gobbler" is topped with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo. You can also try a turkey Rueben. Hart's also serves turkey versions of popular dishes like chicken divan, chicken alfredo, and cheesesteaks.

For appetizers, you can find many turkey options. These include croquettes made of turkey, turkey nuggets, and potstickers filled with turkey. They also offer turkey quesadillas, turkey soup, and tempura turkey. You can even try sauteed turkey liver with onion, cranberry relish, and mushrooms.

If you don't want turkey, they also have other choices. These include hamburgers and pasta. During the summer, they also sell fried clams and lobster rolls. Hart's makes many of their own items from scratch. They make their own salad dressing, mashed potatoes, chowders, and relish made with carrots. They even make their own ice cream! However, the cranberry sauce comes from a can.

In 2011, the restaurant sold a lot of food every day. They sold over a ton of turkey, 1,000 pounds of potatoes, and 4,000 bread rolls. They also used 40 gallons of gravy and made 1,000 pies daily. In 2021, the restaurant sold about 100 large 40-pound turkeys every day. On Thanksgiving Day, they sell 1,600 turkey dinners at the restaurant. They also prepare 180 dinners for people to take home.