The Art of the Cure – A Family Tradition Since 1949

Our Story

Since 1949, Turner Hams has handcrafted salt-cured Virginia country hams in the Shenandoah Valley. Discover our family tradition and legacy of flavor, or shop our collection of cooked, uncooked, and gift box hams delivered right to your door.

White building with signs on a road with mountains in the background

Where It All Started

In 1949, after returning home from serving in World War II with the U.S. Navy, Garnett Turner and his wife, Lena, opened Fulks Run Grocery in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains. There, Garnett began curing country hams using his grandfather Webster Turner’s brown sugar and salt dry-cure recipe – a family tradition dating back to the early 1900s.

Continuing the Legacy

What began as a small family grocery has grown into a celebrated Virginia tradition. For more than 75 years, our brown sugar and salt dry-cure has been known for its rich, authentic flavor as we remain committed to preserving a craft more than a century old. Today, Turner Hams continues to handcraft each ham using the same time-honored methods, carrying forward the story of our family and the heritage of our community.

The Turner Hams Difference

Our Process

Close up of a dinner table with sliced Turner Ham on a cutting board surrounded by slices of bread, peppercorns, and a bowl of salad.

We Skip the Smoke

We do not smoke our hams – choosing instead to let the natural aging process and the rich, clean mountain air shape the flavor that is distinctly Virginia.

Slices of Turner Ham, cheeses, bread and vegetables on a wooden board with a marble background

A Heritage Recipe

Passed down through four generations, our brown sugar and salt dry-cure recipe dates back to the early 1900s. The brown sugar brings a mellow richness to our country ham and creates a nuanced and unique flavor that sets it apart from the rest.

Wooden cutting board with sliced Turner Ham, vegetables, and biscuits on a wooden table.

Longer Aging, Deeper Flavor

Our country hams are aged twice as long as most – typically 9-16 months or longer. This extended aging deepens the flavor and imparts an elegant complexity that is both briny and balanced.

Scenic view of the Shenandoah Valley with green trees and a blue sky with clouds

A Shenandoah Valley Tradition

Our hams are crafted in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, at the headwaters of the river that carries the story of this place downstream. Cool mountain breezes, mineral-rich water, and the quiet calm of the valley create a unique microclimate—an ideal environment for the natural, slow curing of our hams.