How does a guy with a master’s in geology wind up as a butcher? He spends a year in Italy where he falls in love with food and cooking that entices him to shift his life focus. But Josh Turka affirms that his science background remains invaluable in his role as meat cutter and sausage maker. “My tendency to apply trial-and-error scientific thinking has helped us develop and improve our products, and I absolutely love geeking out on the science of charcuterie.”
Upon returning from his extended sojourn in Italy, Josh spent the next decade working as a chef in the greater Boston area and then learning the butcher trade at a shop in nearby Somerville. By 2021, he and his wife, Ashley, decided it was time to follow their dream, move to central Vermont, and open a butcher shop in a year-round community where people believed in high-quality, local food. They settled in Waitsfield where the avid outdoors couple could play in the mountains.
Josh started making small batches of sausage and charcuterie in the commercial production facility owned by Babette’s Table. “Erika Lynch has been incredibly generous and supportive since day one and helped me get off the ground,” Josh says with deep respect for his fellow charcutier. He distributed his small-scale, artisanal products in the Waitsfield area and spent that first year developing his 5th Quarter brand. In late 2022, he built a small butcher shop in a sunny corner in the popular Mad River Taste Place.
By the summer of 2023, he had hired an assistant butcher, Justin Ricketts, and they started cranking out fresh sausages, pâté, rillettes, cured hams, bacon, pastrami, pancetta, and guanciale. And then, Josh perfected the hot dog. “I try to make better-quality versions of the things I loved to eat as a kid: hot dogs, Philly steaks, Jersey pork roll, bacon. This beef-and-pork hot dog smoked over applewood has been a quest for me since I opened the shop, and it’s become our calling card.”
5th Quarter takes provisioning to the next level, stocking their shelves and cases with everything you need for creative meals, snacks, and drinks.
Photo: Judd Lamphere of Jam Creative.
5th Quarter took off, thanks to the enthusiastic support of chefs, co-ops, and farm stands who carried his products. Josh doubled his commercial space within the Mad River Taste Place in the spring of 2024, when he also was presented with the opportunity to buy the entire business. “Even though I had only been open for about 18 months, I decided to go for it; 2024 was a thrilling, wild ride to say the least.” The expanded 5th Quarter Butcher + Provisions opened in January 2025, carrying on the same ethos of stocking the retail store with artisanal pantry staples from Vermont and beyond. “We partnered with Sam Rosenberg of The Local who now manages our wine, beer, and cider program, which has been a real draw.”
“Charcuterie is what drew me to butchery originally,” Josh explains. “I love taking the odds and ends that no one values and turning them into something spectacular. Our goal is to show the value of the whole animal with a product worthy of the center of the plate.” Josh is particularly pleased with his guanciale, cured pork jowl that offers luscious fat and a silky texture. “It’s traditionally used in pasta carbonara and amatriciana, and it’s also perfect with braised greens and beans.” And if you’re thinking of spending a winter weekend making cassoulet, stop by 5th Quarter for their duck confit, pork shoulder or belly, and plump sausage, as well as dry beans and a bottle of wine for the chef.
Making sausage allows Josh to flex his culinary creativity. “We have more than 80 varieties and we’re always dreaming up new combinations.” Count on 10 varieties in the case at any time. In deep winter, Josh creates colorful, spicy sausages that take us to warmer climes. Sichuan Mala gets a kick from Sichuan pepper and chili bean paste. Haitian uses lime, habanero, fresh thyme, and chiles. Toulouse Vert blends rich pork with leeks and kale. Maple Bacon stars their house bacon, sage, and maple syrup. But 5th Quarter’s top seller by far is Nonna’s sausage, comprised of hearty, coarsely ground pork seasoned with fennel, red wine, and a touch of chili flake.
The glass display case also features freshly cut, dry aged beef and pork, rich with a thick layer of “good” fat. Josh is rightfully proud that 100 percent of his meat comes from Vermont farms (Snug Valley, Von Trapp, Triple J Pastures, Union Brook). Short ribs, shanks, roasts, steaks, chops: 5th Quarter has it all and will gladly offer advice on how to cook each cut.
5th Quarter is bright and cheerful with sparking white tiled walls and big windows. “I want people to see how the sausage is made! My family calls me a Luddite, but personally, I want to move away from impersonal Instacart shopping. I want people to come in, talk to our knowledgeable staff who are so passionate about food, sample something from our phenomenal cheese case, get inspired, and walk out feeling they’ve learned something and are psyched to go home and cook. You can’t get that online. We want 5th Quarter Butcher + Provisions to be an experience where you discover something new each time.”
