Chicken
We use several different breeds of chicken and sell both whole chicken and parts at farmers markets, grocery stores, and restaurants. We do not have ever breed all the time, but usually have the Cornish Cross Breed, and then cycle in one of rare or heritage breeds as they’re available.
Cornish Cross Breed: this is the traditional meat bird you find in the grocery store. Usually between 3-5 pounds, the flavor of this breed intensifies when raised on pasture, but is the more mild of the chicken flavors
Red Broiler: This is a larger framed bird with less breast meat, but more balanced between the breast meat and the leg/thigh meat. This is also a 3-5 pound carcass on a stronger boned frame. The flavor is deeper than the Cornish Cross breed and sometimes yields a sweeter taste.
Silkie: This chicken is popular in diverse cultures around the world and prized for its black skin. A smaller bird with usually a 2-4 pound carcass, this bird is a magnificent bird for boiling and stock making.
Golden Ranger: This chicken offers a deeper, much more intense chicken flavor, and strong dark meat on the legs/thighs. Usually a 2.5-5 pound bird, we like to offer this breed during the winter months. Excellent for any recipe, it also makes excellent stock.
Over the last few months, we've seen an increase in the number of people wanting to jump into raising livestock and specifically raising chickens. We think this is a mostly good thing- with a few exceptions such as folks not really having any idea about basic animal care, food safety, etc. Additionally, maintaining a high quality of product in this nascent field is important to us.