Sunday, April 28, 2013

2013 Chicken Prices

Whole Pastured Chicken: $4.29/lb
              50#-99.99# (whole birds only) $3.79/lb 
              100# or more (whole birds only) $3.49/lb

Half Pastured Chicken: $4.49/lb
              Halves are not eligible for the quantity discount.

Backs/necks: $1.49/lb

Special processing day price: $3.29/lb for any quantity.  Our absolute best price on pastured chicken is available to customers who make an appointment to come to the farm on processing day to pick up their birds from the chill tank.  Birds are unpackaged.  Customers take their chickens whole and cook or cut up as they desire before freezing.  We recommend using or freezing within 5 days.  See Processing Day Policies.
                                               
To reserve birds, email us at zackandjen2004@yahoo.com or come to the Murphy farmers market to sign up in person.

Processing Day Policies

                *Birds must be reserved.  A 7-week broiler will range in size from 3.5-5.5 pounds.  At 8 weeks, chickens range between 4.5-6.5 pounds.  If you want a smaller bird, arrange for the Week 7 processing pick up.
                *We may process Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, depending on the weather forecast.  You will receive an email and/or phone call the Monday of the week of processing to confirm the date. 
                *You must bring your own cooler and ice.  We will take the birds from the chill tank, weigh them, and place them in your cooler.  There will be a sanitizing station available for customers to clean their coolers.  We will NOT place chickens into a dirty cooler or into any un-insulated container.  Always bring more coolers than you think you’ll need.
                *If you do not pick up your reserved birds on processing day, we will contact you about whether or not you still want them.  Regular pricing will apply to any chicken not released to customer from the chill tank.  


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Spring Is Here!

And that means it's time to mow the grass. LOTS of grass.  I both love and hate mowing.  It takes about 8 hours to do ALL the mowing here, and that's when things aren't overgrown.  Mowing is good exercise. Another benefit to mowing with a push mower is that you get to really observe the condition of the sod.  What grasses and weeds are growing?  Where does that boggy spot begin and end? 

Last year, when we were grazing two heifers, the grass was allowed to get LONG and lush.  Now that the cows are gone, we graze with an internal combustion engine on four tiny wheels.  Then there's the bush hog on the tractor, which we use to mow the pasture ahead of the chickens.  After two years of rotational grazing with chickens (and one year with cows) I must say that our grass is looking mighty fine. 

I must admit that although mowing every 10-14 days is no picnic in the summer heat, I do love how my place looks when it is freshly mowed.  There's a PEACEFUL feeling I get from gazing on a neat carpet o'green. 

And my neighbor actually said that the house "looks nice."  Wonders never cease!