Chickens have been out on pasture for a while, and turkeys went out last week. When these little bitties leave the brooder it's because they are really starting to grow. They are ready to scratch the ground for insects and peck at all the grass and bugs that they can find. Getting the birds on pasture as soon as they are ready is an important part of our system, as it provides them with as much time as possible to have a diverse and nutrient-dense diet. Additionally, they get to enjoy fresh air and sunshine. For us working the farm, we start to feel the pressure of the summer workload. All these birds on the pasture need to be tended to each day. They are moved to fresh grass daily and fed daily. Because they are never in the same place in the pasture on any given day, we also need to haul water to each pen daily. Needless to say, you can see how having so many birds on pasture increases the workload dramatically. The end result though is poultry with a taste, texture, and nutrient profile that's hard to match. That's the whole reason we're willing to push through these long summer days. When I say we, right now I'm primarily referring to myself, Julie, and the kids. I know I have sung their praises a lot lately, but they deserve it. If not for them we'd never get it all done. You may remember that I mentioned a few weeks ago that we parted ways with a long-time farm hand. We will eventually need to hire for that position, but for now, we are doing the work while I study the process. After I get the process as streamlined as possible and functioning efficiently, I'll be on the lookout for a good fit. Until then it's been a great pleasure to watch the kids mature in front of our eyes. They knew we needed them to be helpful and productive, and boy did they come through for us. Maybe chickens arent the only ones that need to be taken out of the brooder and put on the pasture where they can scratch around and peck at things.
