Frequently Asked
Questions
We believe everyone deserves to be educated about where their food comes from and how it was raised. We're happy to answer your questions and share our farming practices!
What does #Regenerative mean?
As words like sustainable, regenerative, and conservation are used more than ever, it's easy to wonder what it all means!
Simply put, regenerative farming practices are those that regenerates soil health, increases biodiversity, and protects our natural resources.
Farming in a regenerative way can look different ways on different farms, but for us it currently looks like cover crops to reduce top-soil erosion in the off-season and reduced/strip tillage. Someday, we hope to incorporate our poultry into the row crop operation as a source of natural fertilizer.
Do "Free Range" and "Pastured" Mean the Same Thing?
You might think so...but the answer is actually no!
Free Range means the birds--for at least part of the day--have access to roam freely outside. Even if that outside looks like a 2x2 patch of cement, those chickens can be considered "Free Range."
When we say our chickens are "Pastured," that means they spend their lives moving through the pasture. They are contained in a shelter giving them adequate space, then each day are moved onto fresh grass, letting them forage and graze on the best grass. Every day they are exposed to grass that hasn't been foraged, giving them the best the pasture has to offer.
Where can I buy your chicken?
We're glad you asked! Right now the easiest place to buy our poultry products is The Belted Cow Orchard in rural Kirkwood, Illinois, and The Collective Food Hub, on Jefferson St, downtown Burlington. We are working towards having online orders available, but in the meantime, you can visit one of these two great stores to pick up your chicken!
What kind of chickens do you raise?
The most commonly raised chicken for meat is the Cornish Rock Cross, which is a hybrid bred to be very efficient. While they gain weight extremely well, they are not the most hardy birds and aren't known for being good foragers. Since our birds spend their adult lives outside on pasture, its important that they are able to be motivated to scratch the dirt, dig for worms, and forage in the grass.
We have experience raising Freedom Rangers, Freedom Ranger Color Yields, White Rangers, and Cornish Rock Cross. Each breed has its own unique advantages!
How are they processed?
As they say in the industry, "One Happy Life, One Bad Day." The process starts by withdrawing feed the day before so the chickens have a clean digestive system. They are caught and contained after dark to minimize stress. They are then transported to a USDA inspected facility where they are humanely processed, packaged, and frozen. We return to the processor with empty coolers and fill the freezers!
How are they raised?
The chickens arrive on our farm when they are less than a week old! We are notified by the hatchery when the day-old chicks ship in the mail, and the local post office calls us as soon as they arrive. On-farm, they spend their first 3-4 weeks in a brooder with a heat source until they grow enough feathers to stay warm. Once they are old enough, they go out on pasture to forage!
