CALGARY -- COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta will see smaller gatherings this holiday season with fewer family members around most dinner tables but the main dish will likely look the same as previous years.

Laurel Winter, a fourth generation turkey farmer who farms southeast of Calgary, says raising smaller turkeys isn't as easy as you might think.

"This is our busiest time of year," said Winter. "Our business is fresh turkeys at Christmas so we’re run off our feet here."

She and her husband Lyle Weigum raise two flocks of turkeys each year with about 30,000 birds. The family focuses on fresh Christmas turkeys with a target weight of between 7.7 and 9.9 kilograms. It takes 18 weeks to raise a turkey for market from a day old bird and the Christmas turkeys arrived at the farm last August.

"But we ordered them in August 2019," explained Winter. "So there’s a lot of planning to get this bird here on your table at Christmas.

"It’s hard to just grow a smaller turkey."

Lyle Weigum says you can't just slow the feeding process for the mature birds.

"That’s unhealthy for poultry," said Weigum. "Turkeys need a consistent diet with consistent access to protein and energy and if you reduce that the bird suffers so you have to keep feeding them your same program so you can’t really slow down growth."

Winter's Turkeys, turkeys, pandemic, Alberta

Sunterra retail group’s COO Chris Alladin says the company learned a lot about how people are celebrating during the pandemic from Thanksgiving and has made adjustments. The company not only sells the ingredients for festive meals, but its chefs will also cook the meal for you.

"We saw great growth in the meal program," said Alladin. "The convenience for some families delivering to other families and having them enjoy the same meal, so much sharing at the table (virtually) and we expect similar behaviour (this Christmas season).

"We are seeing that customers are ordering the tradition. They still want to have the nice turkey."

Alladin says there are a number of options available as to what kind of bird to feature for the big event. They have ordered some smaller turkeys and larger chickens for customers to choose from.

Smaller families who are determined to have a turkey dinner at Christmas may find themselves with an abundance of leftovers.  Alladin says there's no need to worry as there are a lot of meals to make with the excess.

"Turkey pot pie is great,” said Alladin. "I love turkey sandwiches and if you want a great soup you want to take on a hike or something, (put in pieces of) the turkey, a few vegetables and a little bit of stock and you have a wonderful soup."

For more information on holiday bird offerings visit Sunterra Market or Winter's Turkeys.