LEECHBURG, Pennsylvania — Tom McIlwain is sitting just outside the double doors leading to the country store at Pounds Farm, shaking off the chill and warming up with a cup of hot coffee. The 91-year-old has just finished herding the last batch of live turkeys, gathering them onto a large trailer to go to the processing center for this year’s Thanksgiving season.
The Apollo native calculates he’s been chasing some kind of farm animal for most of his life. Despite retiring 15 years ago, he is still herding turkey, saying he is proud his efforts are an integral part of putting the main dish on family tables all over western Pennsylvania this Thursday.
“I decided to keep working to help good friends out,” he says, then looks toward Rick Pounds, one of two brothers who own the farm. “But also I like being part of a farm…
