Chickens this year arrive as day old chicks the week of April 3rd. The heirloom breed and trusty farm bird, the White Plymouth Rock, will be our meat chicken this year and also our new flock of hens. In 1874 Oscar Frost of Maine developed the first White Plymouth Rocks. Light Brahma’s and White Dorking’s were the foundation breeds for the Plymouth Rock, and the Whites were recognized as a breed by the American Poultry Association in 1888. The White Rock is the female contributor to the Cornish-Rock crosses of industrial/grocery store fare. Unlike their industrial off-spring, they are fine browsers, well-fleshed at any age, and hardy brown egg-layers for our northern climate. Again this year we encourage folks to take advantage of Nelson-Shine processing (frozen, vacuum packed) at the fair price of $2/bird. We will do on-farm processing for the same price, but you must pick up your birds fresh, unwrapped, immediately after harvest in accord with state regulations. Organic feeds, no antibiotics, no pesticides, day-ranged in the sunshine full-flavored real chicken.

The Orpington Hens are slowing down in their old age of 18 months, but still manage a tasty egg or two. Please be patient as our new White Rock hens start laying this fall.

Pigs arrived  on February 12th, 8 weeks old, and about 40 pounds a piece to continue their almost year long journey to your freezer. They are Duroc, Yorkshire, Landrace hardy crosses and all look to be good bacon pigs this year. We’ll raise them on pasture with an organic 17% protein ration to a weight of 260-300 pounds. That will give you a nice sized pork-chop! Until then, they’ll enjoy their freedom to find the tastiest morsels in the pasture and be happy.

Beef raised on 100% green and growing forage has the highest levels of health promoting conjugated linoleic acid and omega 3 fatty acid. Our beef will be getting about 5 pounds of organic corn/head/day. However, over 85% of their dry matter intake will be green and growing forage. This year’s market beef will be Angus-Hereford crosses and our goal will be 1.5-1.7 pounds of gain/day which will give you a reasonably tender, but still healthy steak. Our first crop of Hereford-Galloway babies are due in June and July this year. The market steers from this group will be raised on 100% pasture/forage. They will take longer to get to market weight, however, we’ll then be offering the healthiest beef for your plate.

The White Tail RidgeLine

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