Whole regions in which poultry operations surrounded huge vertically integrated chicken factories began to smell. Once beautiful byways became littered with feathers, and dangerously high levels of nutrients began to show up in streams and ground water. Farmers no longer controlled the birds they grew and lost touch with local markets. Meanwhile, consumers understandably lost track of those who grew their food, since on average, it had changed hands six times and traveled eighteen hundred miles getting to them.
Along the way, chicken became a commodity that lost not only its identity but also its quality and flavor. We pastured poultry growers do not wish to contribute to the local fox population, so our small flocks are moved daily in large bottomless shelters to graze fresh growing pasture.
The shelters protect chickens from predators, while allowing all the advantages of exercise, small groupings, fresh air and green forage. What are the benefits of pastured poultry? Small natural sized groupings, constant access to fresh, green growing pasture and fresh air and sunshine reduce stress on chickens allowing them to mature naturally.
No residue from pesticides, drugs or other chemicals is possible since none are needed or ever used. All this, coupled with exercise and greens in the diet, substantially increase the nutritional value of pasture poultry, particularly in Omega-3 Fatty Acids and in Vitamin A, with a significant reduction of total fat content. Best of all, these chickens have excellent texture and taste. What is the difference between pastured chicken and factory birds? It takes extra time, extra labor and extra feed to produce meat on pasture, but the resulting better nutrition and delicious flavor are well worth the cost.
No longer so you have to worry about arsenic in your chicken yes I really mean it or other antibiotics. Small flock sizes allow us to prevent disease rather than control it through routine antibiotic use. They are allowed fresh air from outside, no ammonia filled living quarters. As an omnivore just like humans, they need variety in their diet and this is provided through nature where good grass and yummy bugs can be found to supplement their grain ration.
By closely mimicking nature, by paying careful attention to the source and quality of our feed and by keeping small flocks moving outside on grass, we produce chicken far superior in flavor, texture and healthfulness to birds with fancier names. We have yet to certify our farm though we may move in that direction as we grow.
We do offer our pastured chicken fed certified organic grains and we also offer the chicken fed natural grains which are specially mixed to avoid the bad stuff but do contain conventional non GMO grains at a cost savings. You are allowed to know and choose what is best for your family without wondering what you are getting. Please ask if you have any questions! Why is fresh pastured chicken only available seasonally? We are blessed to have four good seasons.
In the northern hemisphere the shortest days of the year occur late in December. During January, chickens raised outside react to lengthening daylight by starting up their reproductive cycles in anticipation of the season to come.
Stress and high cholesterol go hand in hand, and while most stress is emotional and spiritual, it does affect us physically. Our goal is to provide you with not only the best-tasting chicken available anywhere, but more importantly, chicken that packs the most nutrition per pound and per bite. Skip to content Many folks are puzzled when we say we place more emphasis on chicken being raised outdoors than we do on organic certification.
Meat birds are often moved daily. Layers, turkeys, and other poultry are commonly rotated on a 3, 5, or 7-day cycle. The actual frequency is best judged by the farmer in response to stocking density, pasture quality, and observed impact on the soil. Understand: Regardless of species, the constant movement brings the pastured poultry model to life. It enables the farmer to raise healthy birds without antibiotics; it increases the amount of green forage and small animal proteins the birds consume, which contributes to the health, taste, and nutrition of the final product.
Movement improves the soil health and prevents denuded and diseased pastures, which are often visible from continuous grazing, especially in systems that only provide access to the same pasture every day. Pastured poultry regenerates pasture and builds soil. Expect: Chickens are not vegetarians. They are omnivores, and they require prepared feed in addition to the supplemental forage of greens, insects, and small animals found in the grass.
You want to ensure the chickens are eating a nutritionally balanced ration, which in turn contributes to the health of the poultry and helps ensure a pleasant eating experience. You will likely be disappointed with the quality of the meat, and the bird was not raised in a humane way. It is difficult for even a very small flock of a few dozen birds to adequately forage for all its food. If a farmer claims not to use any prepared feed ingredients corn, soy, wheat, oats, etc , you need to find out what else the farm is using for feed.
Understand: Common feed ingredients include corn, soybean, fishmeal, alfalfa, wheat; An overwhelming majority of pastured poultry farmers feed a certified organic ration or a non-gmo not certified organic ration. You can also find farmers who avoid common ingredients, such as soy or corn, if needed. Understand that if you seek chickens with specialty diets, those birds have a higher cost to produce than the typical corn and soy feed rations. Expect: You want to see birds on pasture in movable houses with vegetated pastures.
0コメント