Butter for dinner
This morning we processed 8 roosters being raised for meat. And tonight we will eat the one Vicki named Butter. She was very excited to finally eat a leg that she had been watching grow since May.
Tag chicken
How to fully use a rabbit
We enjoy raising rabbits as a meat product. Unfortunately, it’s not very cheap to raise a rabbit. It actually costs about as much to raise a rabbit for meat as raising a chicken (and takes about as much time). However, because…
2012 review, 2013 plans
First, Thank You to everyone who supported Sawyer Family Farm in 2012! Last year was marked by significant growth and trying new things on the farm and we learned a lot. When we started our farm, it was with the…
Freedom Ranger wrap up
This morning, we harvested the remaining Freedom Rangers that we were raising for meat. Here is the summary: We started with 51 birds. None died from sickness. None suffered broken legs from excessive growth. We lost 6 due to predators…
Home grown chickens in the freezer
In April, our Freedom Ranger meat chickens arrived on the farm (read here). Saturday morning, the first group of 23 got processed. Of the original 51, none died due to disease, however, we did lose 6 to predators (probably a…
The Freedom Rangers have arrived!
Today our batch of meat chickens (Freedom Rangers) arrived at the post office and Anna picked them up. The 51 chicks are 2 days old. Since this is our first experience with an actual meat bird, we will be keeping…
Mobile chicken coop
I have completed another chicken coop for the farm. I used a farm wagon (purchased used for $100) under a shipping crate (free) for the coop. The shipping crate was laid on its side, making a 7’x7′ coop that is…
Chicken Tractor, Sawyer style
For those of you not into the grow your own meat movement, a chicken tractor is a moveable chicken pen. It is intended to be moved daily to allow the chickens access to grass and bugs while providing shelter at night…
Getting some broilers
Anna and I have debated many times the advantages and disadvantages of what to raise for a meat chicken. In the end, our primary concern is that we are raising a healthy chicken for our family to eat. We are…
Hard boiled eggs
So I think we’ve found the answer to having hard boiled eggs from our farm fresh eggs without sticking them in the back of the fridge for a week or two. Apparently steaming them instead of boiling and then immediately…