Attendees gathered around during the stop on the farm tour at the chicken pens. Photos by Cait Carr Photo.
TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL…. EGGS
Grateful Pastures Farm has left behind raising laying hens in favor of solely growing their Cornish hens for meat. Sabrina and Shaun found that since the demand for eggs at the farmers market is so variable, it’s hard to maintain their profitability. Also, as livestock farmers, managing the opposing needs to keep their meat frozen and eggs refrigerated proved to be a stress point. Ultimately, the Terrys determined that the diverse infrastructure needs of selling eggs added a layer of extra logistics to their system, so they decided to cut it out.
That being said, vegetable farmers who are considering adding eggs to their operation could, in fact, utilize the same post-harvest storage infrastructure they use for other crops – something to consider if you’re a vegetable grower who wants to diversify your farm products!
PASTURE MANAGEMENT
When asked about their pasture management, Shaun replied that they like to minimize their interference with what nature intends for the land. For Grateful Pastures, that means not tilling or applying fertilizers. While they don’t currently plant in the pasture, Shaun is considering seeding legumes to increase the forage quality where the chickens have knocked back the pasture. The National Organic Program standard 205.239 requires poultry to have outdoor access but does not specify the square footage or pasture access. However, pasture access provides poultry with a varied diet, fresh air, and humane care that helps enhance their immune system to protect them from viruses and diseases, and also produces more nutritious chicken for the consumer.
