Products for 2010
Duck - Guinea - Chicken - Rabbit - Turkey - Goose - Pork
We grow our plants and animals this way because our family eats our plants and animals.
We care about healthy food.... and we care a lot about how it tastes.
Duck -
We love duck ! in fact we like duck so much that we usually don't like people who don't like duck .. but that's not cut in stone. We have raised Pekins in the past and they have been just fine... We have always thought of the Pekin as the "meat bird" of the duck world, but that's not really fair because they are healthy animals capable of taking care of themselves and from our considerable experience they are mighty tasty. None the less, they are very common (not that there is anything wrong with that) and this year we are going to raise Muscovys. There are a couple reasons for this .. first is that it will just be a nice change of pace, it's good to try something new. Second is that we really like the people and products that come out of JM hatchery and they have Muscovys.
Always fresh ... Always fed fantastic LTF feed ... Raised with Respect
Guinea Fowl -
We are going to try something different this year. We love Guinea Fowl, and we have learned the hard way about brooding and raising these flighty birds. But we are always reluctant to go against the Joy of Cooking which insists that Guinea fowl be raised and processed young, at around 2 lbs, so that is what we are going to do this year. We think that we will be able to pass on some lower feed costs and be able to produce a real culinary treat.
Chicken -
Sometimes you have to compromise, and chicken is one of those times. By now most of us know that ALL store bought chicken, whether it comes from the fanciest grocery store in West Hartford or the Big Y is all the same nasty breed of bird that is incapable of even reproducing on its own. On the other hand, we have personal, and considerable experience growing true heritage breed chickens, and they are SO far from what we have come to expect today with regard to breast size and cost, that they require entirely too much talking to sell. so. Here is the compromise... we have found a great breed of chicken, that grows quickly, looks great, forages well, and is a REAL chicken. (you could keep it for a pet if you wanted) It is not a heritage breed, it is a hybrid, but hey .. that's compromise. The Freedom range / Poulet Rouge is a great eater and we are sure you will love it.
Rabbit -
We have been really pleased with the rabbits that we have been raising for the past year. We are fairly new to Rabitts, both from a culinary and a husbandry point of view. We currently raise our rabbits eating mostly local hay, supplemented with a little organic goat feed from LTF and a small mineral block. We have had rave reviews and are really glad we have added them to the lineup. If you are unfamiliar with rabbit but you love food and love to cook you will not be disappointed.
Turkey -
We raise both Heritage Bourbon Reds and the good old monster Turkeys that have become the standard barer for American industrialized food.. yes ... drum roll please ... the Broad Breasted White. I think we all are allowed a little fun once in a while so we grow some monster Turkeys for the holidays. We tipped the scales at 36lbs this year.
Goose -
Fresh Christmas goose is a rarity and an essential part of the holiday season for many of our customers. In the past we have grown Embden geese, and this past year we had a mix of heavy breeds that included Buff and African. When Cooked properly, the Christmas Goose is a really special item, and I don't mind telling you that this year we hit the nail on the head ... Our Christmas Goose was just perfect .. I described it as 'pheasant meets roast beef". Thanks Joanne ! This year one thing is for sure, our Geese will come from Emily Johnson of Johnson Waterfowl in MN. Emily represents all that is good about producing quality food for yourself, your neighbors, and your customers.
Pork -
We are the proud owners of American Guinea Hogs. This traditional farmstead breed produces small, fatty carcasses, with exceptional flavor. An endangered breed, listed on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy (www.albc-usa.org) these pigs graze grass like a sheep and are almost entirely grass fed. This pork has produced “best pork I've ever had in my life” from some discriminating pork lovers. Then again, we've also heard, “too small .. too fatty” … go figure … I guess it takes all kinds. We love these pigs regardless, and we bet you will too.