It’s hard to believe that it is almost Spring again. This Winter on the farm we were busy cutting brush off the fence lines and working on getting the fields into shape. The fields have been bush hogged which brings some bad news, we won’t have blackberries this year. But on the good side it is paving the way for us to be able to support more grazing.
This year we hope to add a couple of cows to start our grass fed beef program. We have made great strides in our rotational grazing program and are confident that we will have tall and delicious grass for our animals this summer.
Thanks to Kyle’s bit of luck winning an Internet contest we have some new fencing stakes to try out and we are looking at buying some new equipment to facilitate the progression. We were also blessed to get our first tractor over the winter – a 1949 Harry Ferguson. It seems like we’re always working on it but it will allow us to keep the fields in better shape.
We will be offering our pastured poultry again this year and we are taking orders now. Our chicken sales are on a pre-order only basis. Whole birds are $3.75 a pound. Cut-up chickens are $4.50 a pound. Our birds average 4-4.5 pounds each.
The Cornish Cross chicks arrive as little more than little yellow balls of chirping fuzz when they arrived at the farm. Our brooder keeps them warm and safe but still gives them access to sunshine and fresh air.
At three weeks old, the birds are moved out into the pasture and placed in a “chicken tractor” that gives them room to scratch and peck and express their “chickenness” while keeping predators away and providing shade and weather protection.
Early every morning the chicken tractor is moved by hand to a new fresh patch of pasture. Thirty percent of the birds diet can be grasses and bugs with this method. The birds are checked for water and given more grain at least twice a day.
When the poultry reach maturity, at about eight weeks, the birds are carefully and respectfully butchered, cleaned and bagged by us here on the farm.
This year our garden will be all GMO free and mostly heritage seeds and of course no pesticides – just plenty of manual labor. As usual we plan the garden for the family needs but look to make a trip or two to the local farmers markets with any excess. We’re looking forward to continuing to provide great natural beyond-organic foods.
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