OUR TRANSPARENCY WINDOW!
Getting down to the nitty gritty.
Farming can be a complicated thing to navigate for both farmers and customers alike! Every farmer has different ideas, practices and beliefs about what makes good food. Every farmer believes that they are doing it the best way they can and that their product is the best. We believe that the customer should decide with as much information as possible whether the food they are purchasing fits into their unique specifications for how their food is raised. Is Pasture raised the best? Do Non-GMO, Organic, Conventionally grown matter? Do I need to see a certification to make these decisions? Each person is going to answer these questions differently but the important part to this query is having the information to make those decisions based on what is right for you and your family. So, Here we are, just like visiting us at our market stand, an open book of our specific thoughts and practices. This page is meant to act as a window of sorts to see into our day to day decision making and why we have chosen the practices we use. (and why we wish some were different and how we are working to achieve those goals!)
Exciting Activities You’ll Love
CHOOSING OUR CHICKS
We've tried a few different hatcheries over the years and have learned a few lessons.
1. Genetics matter. Different hatcheries use different genetic lines and we have seen benefits in the genetic lines we use and how they adapt to a pasture based system.
2. The closer the birds are hatched the healthier they are! Our birds are hatched in PA and driven in a climate controlled van to CT where the Burr family takes great care of them. They hang out in their heated garage for no more than a few hours before being transferred to our little Honda fit where we listen to folk music and snacks are shared from the backseat to the chicks. Rosie reads them books when we arrive to their new home in our cozy, warm brooders. We've gotten birds from other areas in the country in the past by using the postal service and although they take wonderful care of our little chicks during their journey the travel tends to put extra stress on their little bodies and we've seen some difficulties with the birds staying strong through those tough first few days.
BROODING PRACTICES
Our brooders are the top of the line infrastructure for the small farm! Just kidding! When we moved to our farm there was no infrastructure for us to use so we had to come up with plans on the fly. We purchased two used and not in great shape retired campers off of facebook marketplace, gutted them, insulated them and hung fresh new plywood walls. We waterproofed the floors and laid down easy to clean and sanitize rubber mats. Our ohio brooders fit perfectly in the center of each of the brooder chambers (campers) to provide a warm and cozy space for the chicks to snuggle up during their first weeks of life.
For bedding we have tried a few different mediums. Dry pine shavings work well at absorbing ammonia and moisture but can be very expensive and need to be replaced or topped off almost daily. Sawmill sawdust is often too fine for the birds small respiratory systems and can cause irritation. It is often not kiln dried and can turn into a sloppy mess around waterers or in humid weather. Finally, we have tried our current bedding solution. Peat moss. We find that it absorbs moisture and ammonia well, reducing respiratory irritation and keeping a sanitary environment for the birds to bed down in. Although it is more expensive per bag than pine shavings, we find that we can set up the brooder at the start of a batch and the bedding is good for the whole time they are in the brooder. This reduced labor and overall cost of bedding while providing a healthy environment for our chicks to grow.
We use ohio brooders as a source of heat for our birds. These brooders allow for a range of temperatures for the birds to choose from. Directly under the light bulb is the warmest and on warmer days or for those chicks that tend towards the huskier side outside of the brooder hood stays at a cozy temp usually just above outside temps.
FIELD PRACTICES
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CATCHING CHICKS FOR TRANSPORT
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PROCESSING ON FARM AND USDA
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WHY FARMERS MARKETS?
We've decided to focus our sales mainly on farmers markets. We feel that face to face sales to our customers are the best way to offer our products, connect with our vibrant community and teach our community about the benefits of pasture raised poultry.
OUR MEMBERSHIPS AND FARMS THAT WE LOOK UP TO NEAR AND FAR!
American Pastured Poultry Producers Association
APPPA is an incredible non-profit organization dedicated to bringing pastured poultry to every plate in the U.S. and offering high quality education and support to producers.
NOFA is Vermont's serious powerhouse when it comes to a local food system. They support farmers in everyway from financial and legal help to teaching the next generation about farming and the food system. We couldn't do this without their support.
This is where Bob and Taylor met. Pat's Pastured played an integral role in our education in pastured poultry.
Have any questions about our practices, beliefs or things you would like to learn please reach out!
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