Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Cuban Longtails]

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I'm of a like mind, and I would also like to know why folks tend to quote the ALBC as the law ofthe land. They are one organization among many, all with the same goals - preservation of various breeds of animals.

To me, the term "heritage" has become commercialized, nothing more than a money making scheme.

 

[OSUman]

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Agreed the term has become just like "Free Range" and alot of other lableing schemes to raise the price of a product.

 

[kathyinmo]

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Agreed the term has become just like "Free Range" and alot of other lableing schemes to raise the price of a product.

Maybe to some. Not to all. I do not want to be lumped into that category ..... Money making scheme? I dunno, but I haven't really seen anyone get rich selling "heritage" chickens or eggs. Seems to me the money makers would be the new imported ones, like Greenfire Farms has, rather than the old breeds. I dunno .... just seems that way to me.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I agree the term "Heritage" is very overused, very ill defined and confusing to most people. However I am really trying to get into preserving some of the old breeds and varieties and breed them to the standard of perfection and it is INTIRELY due to the word heritage catching my eye in a article I read. I started reserching everything I could get my hands on, going to forums like this and asking questions, talking to the few breeders I know, doing all I can to LEARN. I still have a lifetime of learnig to go, but it started with one word.

I have had production and hatchery quality birds for 40+ years, I never knew there was anything else. I'm glad someone used a word that got my attention. And BTW, I'm not knocking production birds. I still have them and always will. They have their place also.

I don't ever plan on making much more than "feed money" off any of my chickens, the "Heritage" breeds or my production birds. But I do plan on learning, growing and enjoying every minute of it. My payday comes when I sit in the yard and enjoy watching my birds and I know it will only be better knowing also that in some small tiny way I am also helping to preserve something that is part of this country's heritage.

Just my opinion

 

[Junior]

Bob,
i agree 100% with you.

it does seem the new catch phrase "heritage" has helped raise interest in some of the old breeds.i'm just not sure about ALBC's list.they have the RIR & Plymouth Rocks listed as recovering.what they dont say is they figure in hatchery birds into the mix.and what would the hatchery birds score at an APA show? i know there has been alot of arguing about hatchery vs. breeder stock but,i am a firm believer in the people that put the breeds into the standard knew what a RIR or Barred Rock should look like and they had good reason to set the standards as such.

i may never show but i want to breed to the standard.

along with the great old breeds you mentioned what about Dark Cornish? when i first decided to get into chickens i wanted to find some of them.i had no luck with that.i then read your post on another web site about your old Mohawk line.i am going to get some in the spring from Greg and i hope to get some Barred Rocks & New Hampshires too.i would also like to get a few Leghorns just not sure which ones.for sentimental reasons my great grandfather kept white leghorns but i just dont care for a white chicken.

well i probably have rambled on long enough but,i do feel you need a big thank you for all that you are doing by trying to help as many people save some of these old breeds.

thanks,
Junior

 

[Junior]

Kathy,
i dont think anybody on here would lump you into that catagory.i think everyone here knows what & why you do what you do

 

[kathyinmo]

I agree with Bob, also..... and Junior, and Terry. Heritage is a good word .... it has peeked an interest and that is good! Many of us here never knew the difference between commercial (hatchery) stock and good ol' Heritage stock until we researched the term heritage. I look at it as a good thing.

Of course there are always gonna be people who misuse and misrepresent. That's life. It is a buyer beware kinda world. Heck, I have seen auctions right here on BYC claiming to be selling heritage RIRs that are not. Sometimes only through ignorance, and other times as deceitfulness. It's gonna happen, yes. The people that do know the difference are the ones that should help to educate the ones that don't. We all know some will not be receptive to that education. All we can do is try....

 

[kathyinmo]

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Awww, thank you!

I do love the old breeds, as Bob talks about with a passion. He makes me feel passionate about it, too. I plan to share what I have. I am not made of money, but I certainly do not intend to make a living on selling eggs and chicks either. My focus and intent is to preserve these breeds. That's what it's all about to me.

 

[Junior]

yes Bob does have a talent for getting people "fired" up.at least it worked on me.i really respect him for what he is doing or trying to do.in my book you are in that catagory too.

there are alot of people on here that i have a great respect for that are trying to save some of the great old breeds.alot of them have posted on this thread

 

[halo]

I dont see the use of the word "Heritage" commercially. Just the nature of people nowadays, they want whats new and different and "rare". Essentially, the breeds that seem to comprise the "Heritage" list really dont fit into that catagory (well, rare maybe). I think its like anything else, old books, old movies, history; the interest in those things seem to be less and less, unless you are really a historian, or...ahem....a little older. I love old books, and have a library full of old horse racing books and magazines, some from the early 1900's, that are just priceless to me. But most people have no interest in that; the interest nowadays is in Iphones, Ipods, I-this and I-that, video games, crap like that, of which I have none of (well, I was just gifted an Ipod so I can listen to music at work). Point being, Im not so sure the "fast buck" people are into the true heritage breeds. First it was the marans, which are now as common as commercial barred rocks, and look whats happened to them. Next it seems to be Coronation Sussex, because its new and "rare", and probably that will lessen. Also the color "lavender" is a new buzzword, and Im seeing the breeding of lavender breeds starting to go into the toilet from people who dont know how to cultivate it.

So actually Im hoping using the word "Heritage" wont scare people away, but will interest people who are interested in how life used to be, and get more people interested in preserving these breeds, not just because we dont want to lose these breeds, but because they are actually great breeds for the home and farm.