- Jun 15, 2013
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Is that so horrible? I think lots of people are looking to have more input into HOW their food is raised, without giving up vacations, tons of money, and doing hours of farm chores a day. This gets more off topic from OP, so I will keep it short. We free range (tractors are just used to coop at night), we have a 300 year old family connection to our local organic feed mill (amazing rations!), and we raised 200 **** happy chickens this summer. AND took several vacations. I call that a win win.
I am a huge advocate for more small poultry farms. Hundreds of thousands more! My family has farmed in America for 7+ generations, I have no clue how many before that in Europe. So many family farms around us are lost to debt to the big "name brand" chicken companies. We need to take back our food, our farms, and our interest in how it is all produced. More people should start with just a couple bucks and a couple chicks and not feel like it's all or nothing (i.e.: you don't have to raise your own corn and breed your own birds to do an amazing thing.)
Yes, it is not true self sufficiency if you are preparing for the apocalypse and need food security.
I think it is awesome how many people in this forum breed and keep records and improve lines over time! Y'all are doing a great thing, I hope you don't think my posts have put down what you do at all! So maybe, don't call me an outdoor feedlot although I probably am, my feedlot chickens are way better/healthier/happier than what comes from the grocery store!
Nope, not so horrible at all.
Well stated!
For our family, I'm trying to write down our successes & failures as we get the hang of this thing. On my (& my husband's side of family, too!) we missed a generation. Both of our grandparents were earthy & self sufficient & grew lots of their own foods. Our parents, however, did not, and so we are grasping to regain these lost skills. Being a part of the movement of resurgent younger farmers takes a lot of learning.