The "Maternity Ward"

Hard to believe it is middle of May already!  The cold hung on for longer than we would have liked and now it seems like summer is already here, especially when storms roll across the fields with warm air and gorgeous cloud patterns.

As we prepare for our Market Season, I wanted to share some updates about the Farm...

Free Range Eggs
Our 300 heritage egg laying birds are full grown now and are anxiously awaiting their new coop to arrive.  We have purchased a spacious, comfortable, shaded home for them to sleep in.  It’s a 20x36’  mobile range coop, that is on 2” pipe skids so we can drag it around where we want them to be.  They really only sleep in it, since they spend the day foraging our pastures and following our main herd of cattle around our 40 acres.  And the egg laying has begun! This month we have started to see just small and medium sized eggs and only from the early birds.  That’s how chickens do it when they first start laying.  But by middle of June I expect we will have plenty of large and extra-large eggs every day.  For now, the birds are still hanging out at our “maternity ward”, the farm with our pregnant cows.  However, as more calves are born, the momma cows don’t seem as tolerant with the chickens.  But that’s just how mommas are...

Grass-Fed and Finished Beef
We have had quite an interesting season with the mommas, too many stories for this blog post.  Most of the ladies have waited for the cold weather to pass and had their calves these past two weeks. So far, we have 2 beautiful heifers and as of this morning, 4 energetic bull calves born this spring.  It’s an exciting time to be at that point on the farm when a calf could come at any time. We are still expecting 4 more...
 
Pastured Chicken
Unfortunately, our broiler season got off to a late start.  The slowest time of the year for us financially (late winter to early spring) coincides with the time of the year that we have the most costs.  We were unable to get the funds we needed to get broiler season going, until recently.  So, our pasture raised chicken won’t be ready until end of June at the earliest.

This year we will offer two different types of chicken.  The chicken that is raised for meat 99% of the time is called a Cornish Cross.  It’s an all-white bird, that reaches 4-6 lbs. at just 6-9 weeks old.  Americans are so used to this chicken, that we decided to raise them as well - but raised and fed with our natural, clean practices.

We will also offer a different breed of chicken; a red feathered bird named the Freedom Ranger.  In France, they offer a certification of sorts, for food that meets a different standard, such as a slower growing animal.  It is called Label Rouge and this bird meets the standard.  I have raised them before and notice the differences in body proportions.  The legs and wings are bigger, the breasts are more narrow, not quite as white, and a little smaller. 

Both birds will be amazing. We raise them all the same way.  They are in a brooder (controlled temperature environment) until they are about 3 weeks old.  Then they are moved to their movable range coop, where they live outside and get fresh pasture every day.  All our birds get a non-GMO feed that we buy from an Amish feed mill. The difference in a chicken that is raised outside, in the sunshine, eating pasture plants and bugs, is amazing!

Pigs
We spent some time this winter expanding pig haven.  We use semi-permanent steel hog panels around the perimeter of the area we set aside for the pigs and this spot is now over several acres.  Then we use electric fencing within this area, so we can move them to fresh pastures on a regular basis.  No, they aren’t cattle, but they absolutely do eat pasture plants.  There are videos of them on our website.  It completely changes the type of fat they put on their bodies.  When they eat green pasture plants, they add omega 3 fats.  We will be picking up our piglets soon, probably near end of May.  If you have any special requests, or want a roaster pig for this summer, now is the best time to let us know.