Chickens are in our opinion, are the most abused production animal in our food system. It seems like every other episode of shows like 20/20 or Dateline are showing the inhumane conditions in which chickens are raised. The chicken industry is well aware of the conditions which is why it is nearly impossible to find pictures inside a chicken factory unless somebody has gone in undercover. Common practice of factory raised chicken labeled "All Natural", includes raising all the chickens inside a dark warehouse where they never see the light of day. They cut half their beaks off so that they can't peck at each other which highly stressed chickens tend to do. The Cornish X chickens grow so fast (6 weeks from hatching to slaughter) that their organs and skeletal system can't keep up resulting in severe crippling of the legs and feet and high mortality rate from heart attacks. Chicken factories don't care if the chicken can no longer walk, as long as it can sit front of the feeder and gain weight, the factory owners/managers are happy. At processing, the factory farm injects the meat with "chicken broth" until it is 15% heavier which when you are paying for chicken by the pound, just added 15% to your price. They add the broth to boost their revenue and also to add some moisture to their unnaturally dry meat. Their chicken is so "All Natural" (which by the way has nothing to do with animal welfare) that the workers have to wear HazMat suits and respirators when they enter the buildings.
Contrast factory farmed chicken to our pasture raised heritage breed chickens. This year we are raising four kinds of chickens including the heritage breeds Plymouth Rock and Delaware that are both featured on the Slow Food Ark of Taste program. We will also be raising two breeds of chickens that have been bred from old European breeds along with old American breeds. These breeds are the Red Ranger and the Naked Neck. They are carefully bred to be raised on pasture similar to France's Poulet Rouge program. The Red Ranger will offer a superior flavor coupled with good growth rates. The Naked Neck is often regarded as the premier eating bird because of its superior meat texture and very thin skin which crisps to perfection when roasted. All four breeds are well suited for outdoor production. They have a much slower growth rate and can tolerate the weather and high altitude. (Altitude is one of the reasons you don't see large chicken facilities in the mountain states.) The slower growth rates add to the production cost but ensure that the chickens live a healthy, happy life. We feel that it is our ethical and moral obligation to provide humane conditions to all of our animals.
Our chickens are always out on fresh pasture with ample room to run around, chase bugs, take dirt baths and just be chickens. The chickens spend most of the day outdoors but can access shelter whenever they choose. We feed them a 100% vegetarian diet that is free of any antibiotics or chemicals. Our organic pastures benefit from the manure the chickens leave behind allowing us to restore the nutrients in the ground without the use of synthetic fertilizers. As consumers we benefit from healthier nutrient dense chicken that is full of flavor and actually tastes like chicken. The meat is firmer as a result of the chickens running around and never soft and mushy like the chickens raised in confinement. We have also found that the meat (including the breast) is more moist than store bought chicken.
In a society where we have grown accustomed to only buying boneless, skinless chicken breast, we have had a few people ask if we will be offering the breast only. The answer is no. We are not a Tyson factory and simply don't have the resources to be able to offer anything but whole chickens. In our house, we either roast the chicken like a turkey or we boil it. To boil, simply place the chicken in a pot of boiling water for 45 minutes to 1 hour. We like to throw in a chopped onion and the occasional herb. Drain the water and cool the chicken on a plate for 15-20 minutes. Then pull the meat off the chicken. We place about 1 lb of meat each into a Ziploc bag. We then refrigerate or freeze for meals later in the week.
We are confident that our pasture raised, humanely treated, truly all natural chicken will become a family favorite. To order, join our CSA or click on the "Order" tab above.