🦃 Go local for your Thanksgiving bird

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Hey, 518 readers! Today, we’re setting you up for a delicious Thanksgiving centerpiece with our annual roundup of the best places to get a local, pasture-raised turkey. Skip the Butterball and support our local farmers!

💎 And the winner of last week’s reader poll on your favorite Capital Region hidden gems is The Broken Inn in Nisky. It won with 36% of the votes, with the Historic Albany Parts Warehouse coming in second.

“Friendly and comfortable atmosphere, great food, reasonable prices,” says Annette Wheilman about The Broken Inn.

About Historic Albany Foundation’s warehouse, 518 reader Anita says, “This place was a treasure trove years ago, glad to see they've expanded. Can’t wait to get down there.”

A couple of folks, including The Harbinger Theatre’s Patrick White, sent kudos for including the Curtain Call Theatre. “Always looking for some good theater!” Patrick says.

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

🦃 Where to get your locally-raised Thanksgiving bird

This Thanksgiving, skip the factory bird for a pasture-raised turkey from a local farm you can actually visit. Going local means you’re supporting our regional family farms instead of Big Agriculture, while encouraging more humane and sustainable farming practices.

Best of all, birds raised outdoors with room to roam and forage also develop richer flavor, making your Thanksgiving centerpiece tastier.

Luckily, the Capital Region has plenty of options, from pasture-raised birds to heritage turkeys, most within an hour’s drive of downtown Albany. Here's where to look for your superb bird this T-Day.

🦃 Honest Weight Food Co-op — Albany

$4.99–$5.99/lb | $20 deposit

Our personal Thanksgiving go-to for several years now, Honest Weight offers naturally raised turkeys from Misty Knoll Farm in Vermont: $5.99/lb, approximately 11–26 pounds. Folks rave about Misty Knoll for good reason.

Honest Weight also offers whole turkeys from a California family farm for $3.99/lb (but it isn’t local, obviously); and individual turkey breasts. Note: This Thursday is the cut-off for all pre-orders!

🦃 Tiashoke Farm — Schaghticoke

$5.25/lb | $25 deposit

This multigenerational family farm is a Washington County destination known for its cute general store and grass-fed beef and humanely raised pork. Turkeys run from 18 to 30+ pounds. Pick up your bird on Nov. 23, from 4-7p.

Bonus: When you pick up your bird, be sure to drop into Casa Reyes next door—a terrific Mexican joint in the middle of farm country.

🦃 Marchaland Farms — Greenwich

$4/lb | No deposit required

One of the most affordable pasture-raised options in the region. Marchaland's turkeys forage outdoors and receive supplemental locally sourced, GMO-free grain.

You can request a preferred bird size, although exact weights aren't guaranteed. 

🦃 Buckley Farm — Ballston Lake

$7.99/lb | $50 deposit

Buckley's fresh, never-frozen turkeys are pasture-raised with access to grasses and natural feed. Choose from birds under or over 17 pounds, with pickup available Nov. 21–25.

🦃 Laughing Earth Farm — Cropseyville

$7.50/lb | $20 deposit

Certified-organic, pasture-raised turkeys that forage on grass, clover, and insects. Fresh birds must be picked up the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

New this year: For an additional $25, the farm will cut your turkey into parts, with pickup Nov. 24. You can also add a $30 organic Thanksgiving vegetable share.

🦃 Turkana Farms — Germantown

$12/lb | $40 deposit

Looking for a splurge? After a 5-year hiatus, Turkana Farms in Columbia County brought back its heritage-breed turkeys in 2023, including Bourbon Reds, Naragansetts and Blue Slates. Unlike supermarket turkeys, these slower-growing, traditional breeds are prized for their rich flavor and firmer texture. Turkana's turkeys roam the pastures and are supplemented with locally sourced organic grain. Heritage turkeys are extra flavorful, but they’re priced accordingly—a single 15-lb bird will run you $180 😲 

🦃 YundWell Pastured Poultry — Canaan (sold out)

$7.99/lb | $30 deposit

A small, family-run farm where turkeys spend their days grazing in open fields. Despite going up in price from $6.79 to $7.99 per pound from last year, preorders are SOLD OUT. You still might be able to pick up one by calling the farm.

Pro-tip: Don't wait until Thanksgiving week—make your order now!

Locally raised turkeys sell out, especially at smaller farms. Plan on 1 to 1½ pounds per person, and remember that deposits count toward your final bill.

The Rock Orchestra: Arena of Fire comes to MVP Arena on Thursday for one night only! 🔥 🎻 🤘

Legendary rock and metal anthems collide with the power of a full orchestra in an explosive two-hour spectacle. With world-class vocalists, a choir, and elite fire performers The Fuel Girls, The Rock Orchestra is bringing the music of Metallica, AC/DC, Linkin Park, Guns N’ Roses, Evanescence, System Of A Down and more to the arena stage with fire and pyrotechnics.

From haunting symphonic passages to full-throttle rock explosions, this is a night of spectacle and sound you won’t forget.

Time is running out to get your tickets!

🚲️ The all-volunteer Albany Bike Rescue, located on Trinity Place in Albany's South End. repairs and sells hundreds of bicycles every year at little or no cost. Support their efforts by purchasing a 2027 calendar featuring a customer story each month!

🥙 Al-Afandi Mediterranean has just opened at 264 Central Avenue in Albany, and it’s already getting rave reviews for its chicken and beef shawarma and shish kabobs.

👨‍🍳 In case you missed it, Jim Baker is bringing back Daisy Baker’s in Troy—for the second time. The latest iteration will open during the Victorian Stroll on Dec. 6 if all goes according to plan. [Times Union]

Check out this adorable starter home in Delmar with good bones at a great price in the top-rated Bethlehem school district. Solid wood floors throughout. The basement has partial bath and separate exterior entrance, offering possibilities for future expansion. This bright, solid home on a quiet street will provide good memories for years to come. Love it? Hurry up and put in a bid because this sweet little bungalow will likely sell faster than 100% of its neighbors, according to Zillow.

The deets: 2 bd, 2 ba, 928 sq ft. Days on the market: 5. Asking: $219,900. See the full listing here.

This week’s “Top 5” is brought to you by Mount Ida Preservation Hall in Troy.

This weekend, Mt. Ida presents Wake Up & Circus!, a family-friendly performance showcasing the creativity and talent of young circus artists ages 9–17. Under the direction of Sean Fagan of Circus Theatricks, these emerging performers combine circus arts, dance, and theater in an original show filled with movement, storytelling, and collaboration.

Sat, 1:30-3:30p, $5-30.

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🍺 Drink Amsterdam | Our friends at the Capital Craft Beverage Trail host their first-ever Drink Amsterdam Holiday Market at the historic Clocktower in Amsterdam. Sample locally made beer, wine, cider, mead, and spirits from 15 regional producers while enjoying live music and holiday shopping. Fri, 6-9p; tix: $50 in advance; $60 at door.

⭐️ 🍗 Capital Region Wing Wars 21 | The 21st annual Capital Region Wing Wars takes over Franklin Terrace Ballroom in Troy with 20 local restaurants battling for the title of King of Wings. Sample dozens of wings, vote for the People's Choice winner, and help support the St. Jude the Apostle School Tuition Assistance Program. Sat, 5–9p, $50.

⭐️ 🤘 The Rock Orchestra | Full disclosure: The Rock Orchestra is a sponsor of The 518, but we also happen to think this show looks pretty rad. This two-hour spectacle features music from Metallica, AC/DC, Linkin Park, Guns N’ Roses, and more, performed by a full orchestra, powerhouse vocalists, and choir, with fire performers and pyrotechnics adding to the drama. Not to be missed! Thurs, 8p, tix starting at $56.65.

⭐️ 🎙️ Troy Listening Room | Local musicians Sophia Vastek and Sam Torres have transformed a former South Troy church hall into the Troy Listening Room, a cozy, one-of-a-kind concert venue that doubles as their home and recording studio. (We profiled TLR last year.) For the last show of the season, Troy Listening Room brings upright bassist/singer/composer Carmen Quill, fresh off the release of her new album Harmless, and the whispered vocals and autumnal melodies of Adeline Hotel (aka Dan Knishkowy). Sat, 7-9:30p, $10-$40 (sliding scale).

⭐️ 🗳️ Telling the Truth 2026 | Just in time to digest the blue tsunami that crashed over the midterm elections, the New York Writer’s Institute holds its annual “Telling the Truth” event at UAlbany’s Page Hall. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Troy native Devlin Barrett and Times Union editor Jimmy Vielkind for an engaging conversation about American politics, journalism, and the future of democracy, followed by an audience Q&A. Fri, 7p, free.

This week’s events roundup is brought to you by

Lark Street Tavern is your Albany hotspot for live local music, karaoke, comedy, trivia, and more!

This Wednesday, Bingo Bananza launches and continues every Wednesday night.

On Sunday, it’s Off The Record (our Sunday matinee). See our full schedule of events here.

WEDNESDAY

🎖️ Albany’s annual Veterans Day Parade steps off at 11a from the corner of Ontario Street and Central Avenue.

THURSDAY

👩‍🍳 Capital Region legends First + Adams & Jacob Alejandro team up for a scrumptious collab dinner.

🧘 Son of Egg in Rensselaer is hosting Community Yoga with Pinksoom every Thursday evening through Feb. 25.

FRIDAY

🦪 Oyster & Fin, the new fish market in Clifton Park, celebrates its grand opening at 11a (although they’re already open Tue-Sat 11a-6p).

🖼️ The Albany Institute of History & Art’s annual fundraiser, An Artful Evening, is always a delightful affair for an amazing cause. Plus, readers of The 518 get a special 15% discount!

🍽️ Eat your art: Opalka Gallery & The Dishing team up to present “Light and Transient Causes: A Culinary Experience,” an interactive tasting with art.

🎸 Get to Lost & Found for Femininomenon Sing-a-Long with Sydney Worthley, Julia Alsarraf & DJ Fearless.

🎹 Dueling Pianos at The Fairways of Halfmoon promises to be high energy and hilarious,.

SATURDAY

🎅 It’s opening day for Santa's Playland 2026 at Quick Response, a Capital Region holiday favorite.

🥫 Come Rock the Pantry at The Hangar on Hudson to raise funds for Oakwood Community Center’s food pantry.

🩸 Nothing like a Murder Mystery Dinner to whet your appetite.

🎭️ Spontaneous Broadway returns to Mopco—see an original Broadway show conceived and produced live based on audience suggestions!

🌱 Join Wild Ones Capital Region for a free, family-friendly native plant seed swap at Thacher State Park Visitors Center.

🕯️ Celebrating its 14th year, Lucas Confectionary invites you to Candles & Cocktails.

SUNDAY

🤝 Troy’s Bard & Baker Cafe invites you to Humans Meeting Humans, a low-key way to meet new people.

MONDAY

🎻 Get to the Irish American Heritage Museum for an evening of lively tunes from Richard Hearn and Kate Knudsvig, two renowned performers of traditional Irish music.

TUESDAY

🍕 Join DeFazio’s Pizza Making Class at 216 if you wanna make pies like the pros.

🖼️ The new show at the Art Center of the Capital Region, The Scapegoat and The Bear, is a must-see!

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website.

Click here.

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