At San Francisco's Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Norman and Aimee Gunsell tend to sell out of their organic poultry quickly. They raise a new flock of 500 - 800 “ chickens every six weeks or so at their Mountain Ranch Farm in Calaveras County.
The Gunsells began raising small flocks of chickens several years ago using the standard meat-bird variety called the Cornish Cross, the breed most favored by commercial producers for its rapid growth and high meat to bone ratio. While the organic birds were popular, the couple were determined to find a chicken better suited for a free range, pasture environment.
So they took the recommendation of the AWA (Animal Welfare Association,) and ordered “Freedom Ranger” chicks delivered to their farm. Both hatcheries and processors had both assured them that the new flock would be more more plucky and adventury than their Cornish Cross cousins. But the couple were disappointed.
“They were lazy!” complained Aimee, “I had to chase them outside!”
The problem seemed to apply to all the popular meat varieties. According to Norman, “Birds bred for meat are lazy, so they don’t burn off all the calories they eat. And they grow really fast. Which to us seems a little bit unnatural."
Finally, in the summer of 2010, the Gunsells decided to purchase of a new flock of heirloom chickens called Lonkong, an old-world variety bird with a character closer to a wild chicken. Once the new chicks reached maturity the Gunsells noticed a huge difference in character. The birds were nearly desperate to get outside in the morning. They all ran madly to the door of their coop flapping their wings and running as fast as they could into the woods to look for food.
The flock's behavior also made theim more flavorful to eat. Because they were willing to forage for seeds, insects, even grass, they used their muscles more and as a result their flesh acquired a richer, deeper intensity of flavor.
The birds are also more expensive to produce. Longkongs take twice as long to raise and will therefore eat twice as much organic grain which is already twice as expensive as the conventional feed.
The Gunsells are doing their community a great service to risk raising these more expensive birds in a down economy. The motivating factor is simply their respect for the health and welfare of their family and community. The amount of pesticides and nitrogen applied on conventional grain is sickening to the environment and dangerous to those who eat conventional grain-fed animals.
“When you buy chicken," says Norman, "what you’re actually buying is grain that’s been concentrated by the animal. “We would not raise any animals for our friends, family, or customers if we did not have access to organic feed.”
Thinking of raising your own chickens? You could check out:
Living with Chickens: Everything You Need to Know
to Raise Your Own Backyard Flock
by Jay Rossier (Lyons Press, 2002)
Or, go find a copy of Novella Carpenter’s
witty and wise new book on urban farming called:
Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer
(Penguin Press, 2009)
