From Pasture to Plate

I am thankful for our land and space. I am thankful for living a true cycle of life with our flock of Freedom Ranger chickens. I am thankful for Organic farmers, healthy birds, and all who contribute to my families meals. We began eating meat as a family just about a year ago. As major as the transition we felt good about our decision. To buy local, farm raised, grass fed, pastured animals. We always feel good about supporting our local farmers market. We attempt to garden through the weeds that take over our veggies as well. We enjoy gathering fresh eggs daily and truly becoming one with our food. My kids love to farm. They love there animals, garden and  other farms we support. We decided after years of wondering  if we could process our own meat. Could we truly become one with our food. Would the raising of an animal create pets and not meals! Could we one day hunt as well?

And so it began. We ordered 50 Freedom Ranger chicks. They were shipped from a farm in Pennsylvania and the kids were in love. There soft little bodies only 2 days old. There little peeping sounds and waddling legs. We had a new family to care for! And if done correctly we'd be feasting all fall on these wonderful birds.

The chicks stayed warm in the coop. They survived under heat lamps for 4 weeks until they were ready for the Chicken Tractor. Our friends the Bailey's had hoped to be apart of these chickens lives, helping by making the tractor and in the end processing the chickens. By the time we headed to the tractor we had 47 chickens as a few didn't make it through the first couple days.

Our job got greater at this time. We were now protecting our chickens in a tractor from predators including our non-farm dog Nesta! They lived in the fresh pasture space. They were moved to another part of the yard daily to peck on fresh grasses and bugs. They all seemed quite happy. We learned quickly that quite possibly they were most at risk while we rolled the tractor to the new fresh spot constantly dealing with caught chicken legs. Other animals included the midnight resuce where Jody saved them from a Great Horned Owl,  We saved another from being pecked by her chicken friends..it ended up when we threw feed in was a job. If the feed landed on another chicken they would peck her for the feed and eventually kill her. Chickens are not smart was a repeated phrase around here for months. Nesta assisted in a few deaths on an evening we weren't home. A few others heat got to them..we lived and learned throughout those 8 weeks. We were ready to process by Sept 1st about 11 weeks from birth. Jody watched a bazillion YouTubes, the Bailey's helped gather supplies and on Labor Day we began the processing.

The kids seemed excited to help. To give thanks to these beautiful chickens for their wonderful meat. They did so, and wandered up the yard with the first 2 chickens. We took a moment to thank them, the boys turned and ran and the families began a long day of work. It truly was a smooth time. Our stations set-up, the chickens went from cones, draining blood, de-feathering, gutting to cooling baths and bagging. In all we successfully processed 37 chickens. We worked, feasted, worked again and feasted on 2 birds that evening.

With all said and done. A freezer full of plump, large, organic chickens I can definitely say I could do it all again. I am so thankful for this process and friends along the way who saved chickens, feed chickens, and helped us process them all!

Empty plates. Chicken gone!