Defend cellular security cameras bring simplicity to monitoring nearly any location, even when you aren’t there. Using a cellular connection instead of Wi-Fi, Defend cameras are made for large properties, remote locations, construction sites, boat and RV sites, or anywhere an extra set of eyes is needed. Battery powered operation means no outlets or wall-power are needed, making the Defend camera truly versatile.
Durability & Adaptability
Durable, built to handle extreme weather and outfitted with a powerful antenna, Defend uses a cellular signal to deliver images and video right to the Defend mobile and web apps, allowing you to see what’s happening, even in remote locations. With customizable app settings, you can dial-in multiple features to fit your security needs and help you monitor your property, day and night.
Product features include:
Auto Carrier Selection
Low-Glow IR
100ft Detection
Sub 1/2s Trigger Speed
Long Battery Life
IP66 Waterproof Certified
Predator Protection
Got poultry? Keep livestock? The Defend camera is a great tool for predator protection. It can be mounted indoors and outdoors whether it’s your equipment shed, your pole barn or even your chicken coop.
Defend’s technology keeps an eye on expansive farmlands, ensuring 24/7 surveillance of crops, livestock and equipment. Whether it’s monitoring pastures, feedlots or water troughs, Defend provides high-resolution imagery and video to keep you informed and ensure peace of mind.
When mounted outside, Defend can also serve as a visible deterrent for unwanted visitors allowing for peace of mind when you are away.
No Interruptions
With the solar panel and rechargeable battery add-ons, users can enjoy uninterrupted surveillance without the need to constantly replace or recharge batteries.
Affordability
Defend retails for $149.99 and subscription plans start at just $5 per month with no activation fees and discounts for multiple cameras. Your Defend camera does not have to be added to your phone’s cell plan. It delivers high-quality imagery and real-time updates directly to a mobile device.
Why Defend vs. Reveal?
If you have Tactacam’s Reveal camera, you may wonder what makes the Defend different. The Reveal cameras and app are optimized for hunting while the Defend is optimized for security and monitoring. This means the detection zone patterns, aiming adjustability and the app design differ between the two.
The cameras are available through the Tactacam website, Amazon and at Bass Pro Shops. The camera and its accessories can make a great gift for the holiday season for any loved ones or friends with farmland.
Healthy chickens can produce a seemingly never ending stream of eggs, but it doesn’t take much to disrupt the cycle. Any number of internal or external factors can impact egg production. Hens can suddenly feel threatened by a predator, the weather can change or illness can strike the flock. While factors such as breed or seasonal changes are beyond a chicken owner’s control, much can be done to help maximize egg laying and get the most benefit from chicken ownership.
A 6-pound hen will eat roughly 3 pounds of feed per week. HEATHER LUSK
Nutritional Factors
Once hens begin laying eggs, they should be consuming a layer chicken feed. This provides them with the nutrients needed to lay eggs and stay healthy. A layer feed should have a minimum of 16% protein and between 3% and 4% calcium. Most layer feeds will provide necessary nutrients, such as amino acids, vitamins, and phosphorus.
Though layer feeds usually include calcium, it’s not enough to meet most birds’ needs. Calcium becomes even more critical when egg-laying is in full swing. Hens use a lot of calcium to produce eggs, and it’s necessary to create thick shells.
Hens can self-regulate the amount of calcium they require, so rather than adding excess calcium to feed, provide hens with a separate bowl with oyster shells, crushed limestone or crushed eggshells from your own flock.
Molting
When the fall coop is covered with so many feathers that it looks like someone staged a giant pillow fight, it’s molting time. Most hens will completely stop laying during molting to allow their bodies to recover nutrients lost from the many months of producing eggs. Molting continues until new feathers have been regrown, which can be aided by extra protein. A layer feed with 18% protein can speed the regrowth of feathers, and it helps hens maintain body heat in cold months. Mealworms, high-protein fortified feed, peanuts, or fortified scratch are easy protein additions or give hens treats such as scraps of cheese, meat, fish, or even scrambled eggs.
Feeding scraps or treats to healthy chickens should be done with care. Only 10% of a hen’s diet should consist of additional food to avoid weight gain. Fat hens are poor layers, so regulate the quantity of extra foods hens receive.
A chicken fed a prepared feed balanced for vitamins, minerals and protein should produce healthy eggs. HEATHER LUSK
Happy Pens, Happy Hens
The best way to promote egg laying is to ensure that hens have a comfortable environment, feeling safe and secure with their interior and exterior living spaces.
Healthy chickens need plenty of room to stretch their wings, scratch the earth and take dust baths. They require easy access to food and water, a coop with a high spot for roosting at night, and a comfortable nest that feels protected for laying eggs.
Hens are social and curious creatures. Tapping into their curiosity can also keep them happy. A few times a year, I hang a cabbage in the chicken run just beyond my hens’ reach. It’s challenging for them — and entertaining for the humans — to figure out how high they must jump to get a bite.
Because of their ingrained curiosity, hens can benefit from free-range time when possible. My hens like to explore the yard and find insects, worms, and an occasional toad. Investigating new places and unearthing new discoveries in the yard is beneficial to their brains.
Let There Be Light
Maximizing egg production starts with understanding how eggs are created. Most chickens reproduce eggs every 24 to 27 hours. Ovulation is triggered by sunlight, so if an egg is laid at the end of the day, the trigger may not occur until the next morning. High-producing hens will lay five to six eggs each week. Shorter days leading into winter will naturally slow egg making.
Powerhouse Egg Boosters
Egg production isn’t only about quantity but also improving the quality of eggs. For eggs with firm shells and golden yolks, consider adding these supplements to your hens’ diet.
Calcium:Once hens begin laying eggs, calcium is critical. Crushed oyster shells are an easy and no-fuss way to offer needed calcium to egg layers. Toss a handful of oyster shells into the run each morning, or elect to leave a bowl of oyster shells in a spot protected from the elements.
When hens have access to calcium at all times of day, they can easily self-regulate their supplemental needs. For a low-cost alternative, crush eggshells from the flock. Make sure they’re well-washed with no residual egg white, and completely dry before crushing into small pieces rather than a fine powder.
Peppermint:Adding a small amount of peppermint extract to layer feed or mixing in dried peppermint leaves can help increase egg production in older hens by regulating metabolism. A 2023 study showed that peppermint helped older hens lay more eggs with improved egg quality. Some chickens are just as happy eating fresh peppermint leaves straight from the plant. Because of its hardiness, planting peppermint near a run can be a treat and may help deter pests.
Garlic:Whether it’s in powder form mixed with feed or a crushed clove added to water, multiple studies indicate that garlic may slightly lower the amount of cholesterol in eggs. Garlic has also been known to increase egg production.
Garlic should only be added once or twice a week, and water should be changed frequently, altering fresh with garlicky water. Some hens may not like the taste, so be sure that plain water is available for finicky birds.
Greens: Including fresh greens with a hen’s diet creates the deep yellow yolks that are healthier and more appealing than pale watery ones. In the summer, hens can get nutrients from green grass. In the winter consider supplementing with leafy greens such as kelp, kale or broccoli leaves.
Marigolds:While adding marigolds can artificially boost the color of egg yolks, it provides health benefits for chickens with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Feeding chickens carrots or sweet potatoes can also artificially deepen the yellow yolk while simultaneously adding nutrients to your hens’ diet.
Dried marigolds can be crushed and added to feed, or plant the flowers around the edges of the run. My chickens devour marigolds, so I make sure they can only reach the tops of the plants and the roots are beyond their reach.
Most hens prefer not to lay eggs when temperatures are extremely hot or cold, so the onset of winter usually means fewer eggs. For most chicken owners, sunlight and temperature are factors beyond their control, but others aren’t so easily deterred.
In the summer, a fan in the coop can keep hens cool enough to be comfortable and keep the eggs coming. Adding a heater and lights to a coop in the winter can also boost production but may be risky to hens. With the amount of pine shavings, dust and feathers in a coop, heat lamps can be deadly. Chickens may peck at exposed wires, causing damage to themselves or the coop.
Hens are biologically suited for cold weather, so their body temperature can’t properly regulate if the interior is too warm. Rather than adding heat, consider properly insulating the coop to provide protection from the wind and keep chickens as warm as possible.
Some chicken owners add artificial lights to the coop set to a timer, triggering ovulation in winter. For those who don’t intend to keep their layers past a few years, adding light can be a practical method to restart egg production after molting, yet it can have downfalls.
Winter months are important for a hen’s health to replenish nutrients and recover from egg laying during the warmer months. Robbing them of this healing time may impact their ability to continue laying in their older years.
Chickens are omnivores. They eat grains, fruits, vegetables and insects. HEATHER LUSK
Ruffling Feathers
One of the quickest ways to stop healthy chickens from laying is stress. If new chickens are introduced into the flock, if the food and water supply is disrupted or if a predator is stalking the coop, egg production may decrease or stop completely. When a hawk attacked and killed one of my hens, the survivors didn’t resume laying for more than a week. Even then, egg output was sporadic. I made the hens feel safe by ensuring they had fresh food, water, and plenty of treats every day, and eventually, egg laying was back on track.
Introducing pullets into a flock of healthy chickens can also lead to stress for the old-timers. Their primal instinct surfaces and hens feel stressed by the potential lack of resources. Though my hens always have food and water in the coop, I place an additional container of each in the run to minimize their anxiety. Once all the hens have integrated and egg laying is on track, I remove the additional resources.
If hens are happy, have plenty of space to roam, are well-fed and feel safe and secure, then egg laying often naturally follow.
A Breed Apart
The first two to three years are generally the most productive in a laying hen’s life, yet not all breeds are the same. Some can lay as many as 300 eggs for the first several years before production decreases, while others are less-abundant producers but more likely to lay when they’re older. Some chicken owners may opt to replace hens when production starts to diminish; alternatively, owners may prefer to encourage hens to continue laying past their prime.
Hybrid birds are cultivated to maximize egg production, but these breeds come with some disadvantages. They are often more prone to disease and have shorter life spans. Some of the most popular hybrid breeds for the most eggs are Rhode Rocks, ISA Browns and Black Stars, each laying more than 300 eggs a year.
Heritage breeds, on the other hand, have a strong genetic makeup that can be beneficial even if they don’t always produce the highest quantity of eggs. These breeds are hardier birds more likely to live longer, more resistant to illness, and often produce eggs until the age of four or five.
Leghorns are well-regarded as the best egg producers among the heritage breeds, churning out as many as 320 eggs each year. Rhode Island Reds are also very popular, laying anywhere from 200 to 300 eggs annually. Australorp, Calico Princess, and Welsummers are also good options for a reliable cache of eggs.
Other heritage breeds may not lay as many eggs but are more likely to continue laying past those initial prime years. A Plymouth Rock is a good choice, laying about 200 eggs a year. Some among this breed have been known to continue laying for ten years.
Black Stars (pictured), also known as Black Sex-Links, are excellent brown egglaying birds. It’s a hybrid “breed” which, at the time of hatch, can be sexed by its color. MUSHY/STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Other Factors
Sometimes healthy chickens stop laying for unexpected reasons. Hens who are broody will not lay, so catching a broody hen on the nest as quickly as possible will keep the egg production going.
If a hen is ill, egg laying is also disrupted. Keeping an eye on each bird’s health also ensures the health of the entire flock. A healthy flock means an abundance of eggs.
Any change in a healthy chickens’ environment can also trigger halted egg production. If all other factors seem to be normal, investigate whether strange noises, unseen predators or bullying within the flock could be happening. All of these could create enough stress to pause egg production.
What works for one chicken owner might not work for another. The best way to maximize egg production is to try different things and find the right combination for your own flock to be happy and healthy.
This story about healthy chickens and egg laying was written for Chickens magazine by Heather Lusk. Click here to subscribe.
Fresh chicken eggs are great, except when you end up with rotten chicken eggs. Various factors can impact whether an egg is edible, with the occasional complaint from a chicken producer that a hen laid an egg that was rotten on day one. Though rare, laying a rotten or soon-to-be rotten egg can occur under the right circumstances. As we crack open the mystery behind hens that lay rotten eggs, prepare to learn what contributes to the presence of eggs that have run afoul of conventional standards.
What is So Rotten
If you’ve ever cracked open an egg with a putrid smell, you’re likely already quite familiar with the concept of rotten eggs. As a poultry farmer, you may have even developed various tricks to catch rotten eggs before you crack them open to avoid the stench.
Richard A. Blatchford is an associate professor of extension for small to large-scale poultry in the Department of Animal Science of the Center for Animal Welfare at the University of California, Davis. “A rotten egg is one in which there was a mold or bacterial invasion,” he says. “This typically happens after the egg is laid, and the microbes invade the egg from the environment. The appearance and smell of the rotten egg can vary based on the organism that invaded the egg.”
Blatchford specializes in the husbandry, behavior and welfare of poultry. He works with broilers, layers and backyard flocks as an extension specialist. One of his primary roles is to provide the latest scientific information to stakeholders in poultry and talk with producers about how to adopt housing or best manage behavioral issues in backyard flocks.
Collect eggs several times a day.
Is a Hen Laying Rotten Eggs?
Because this phenomenon is relatively rare, research isn’t plentiful. However, a study by the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Animal Science Unit, found two potential routes of infection of chicken eggs.
One route is vertical transmission, which might explain why a hen could lay a rotten egg or one that went bad right away. Basically, a bacterial infection within the hen’s reproductive organs, namely the ovaries or oviduct tissue, directly contaminates the yolk, the albumen (egg white) and/or the membranes before the egg is covered by the shell during the laying process.
Alternately, the eggshell could become contaminated when microorganisms penetrate the shell as the egg passes through a highly contaminated cloaca area while being laid. Eggshells in these situations may have excessive fecal matter on them.
Once the shell has been contaminated and the egg laid, the contents can contract if the ambient temperature is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the chicken’s normal body temperature of 105 to 107 degrees. When the egg content contracts, the negative pressure inside the egg moves the contaminant through the shell into the egg itself.
In the second scenario, the infection must exist as well as certain conditions also play a role. The result of either scenario could potentially be a rotten egg. However, depending on the contaminant, you could have a bigger problem. According to the same study, the most common containments in a poultry house are E. coli, salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus, which can all cause severe food poisoning.
“The bacteria most associated with eggs and food safety would be salmonella,” Blatchford says. “However, this bacteria doesn’t make the egg rot. Certain types of salmonella make a chicken sick but not people, and some types make people sick but not chickens. The type that makes people sick can be introduced to eggs in the formation process if the hen is infected (this type doesn’t make her sick) or through environmental contamination.”
So, while it’s possible for a hen to lay an egg that would rot quickly, Blatchford confirms that it’s uncommon.
“It’s very rare that a hen would lay a rotten egg,” he says. “For this to happen, the egg would have to be contaminated during egg formation. So, the hen would have to be infected for this to happen. Rotten eggs almost always happen after the egg is laid from environmental contamination.”
Nothing beats a farm-fresh egg except maybe a whisk.
Why Chicken Eggs Go Bad
More commonly, eggs go bad due to environmental issues. For example, eggs laid in damp nests could lead to bacterial infections and crusted yolks. Crusted eggs typically have watery whites that appear yellowish and yolks with a light-colored crust. These eggs emit a putrid odor you can’t miss.
“Typically, mold or bacteria get through the shell, especially if the shell is cracked, but it doesn’t have to be,” Blatchford says.
Using good flock management practices, the incidence of rotten eggs of any kind is generally low but sometimes rises slightly in the summer when temperatures are higher. Abrupt temperature changes and cracked shells can allow bacteria into an egg. Other factors that can impact egg quality include improper storage and age.
Diet shouldn’t cause chickens to lay rotten eggs, but certain foods can impact flavor.
Prevention Tips
Several things you can do throughout the egg-laying to consumption process can help prevent eggs from rotting before their time. Begin with the actual area you provide your hens for laying eggs.
Blatchford suggests that you “provide a clean place for her to lay eggs and provide some type of substrate in the nesting area such as wood shavings or straw so the egg has a soft surface to lie on and reduce the likelihood of cracking. Also, collect eggs on a regular basis to reduce the risk of breakage.”
Protect eggs during collection by placing them gently into a container instead of dropping them and allowing them to bang together. Allowing eggs to knock together could cause noticeable breaks or small hairline cracks you might miss.
Even the tiniest crack can allow bacteria to enter the egg and cause it to rot prematurely. Also, even if a crack leaves the membrane intact, you should cook the egg immediately after collection before it has a chance to go bad.
“Then, refrigerate the eggs,” Blatchford says. “If the egg is dirty, you can wash it right before use. Refrigeration will keep any microbes from growing enough to contaminate an egg before it’s consumed.”
Place fresh eggs in soft cardboard or foam containers if you’re transporting them. Avoid plastic trays that could have sharp edges and cause unnoticed hairline fractures on an egg’s surface, opening it to a bacterial infection leading to rot.
Amanda Ryan in Carthage, Missouri, keeps her unwashed eggs on the counter.
To Wash or Not to Wash
When and how to wash eggs seems to be a highly debated topic with differing opinions. While many producers and an article from PennState Extension recommend washing eggs immediately after collection, many chicken producers disagree — as does Blatchford. He recommends not washing eggs. “They can be dry cleaned with a paper towel if needed,” he says.
You can also try using a dry toothbrush or other small hard-bristled brush dedicated to just egg cleaning. If eggs are extremely dirty, especially with fecal matter, or cracked, they’re more likely to be contaminated and should be discarded.
Many people might hesitate to place an even slightly soiled egg in the refrigerator, thinking the dirt or other debris might cause the egg to go bad. However, washing an egg too soon could cause more damage, including premature rotting.
Eggshells have a natural coating called a cuticle. When you wash a chicken egg, you remove the protective cuticle, its first line of defense against microbes. Because shells are porous, without the cuticle, bacteria can enter the inside of the egg.
If you do decide to wash them, use warm running water. You don’t want to use cold water, causing the content to contract and potentially pull in any microbes that might be present. You also don’t want to place them in a pan of water to wash because the remaining eggs sit in the dirty water until it’s their turn.
Once washed and dried, you must refrigerate the clean eggs immediately. Unwashed, never refrigerated eggs may sit on the counter at room temperature for two to four weeks. Then, they can go to the fridge and remain there for two to three months more.
Catching Before Cracking
Rotten eggs often have a putrid smell that permeates the area in record time. No matter how quickly you dispose of the egg, the nasty smell often lingers much longer than you’d like. Luckily, a few tricks can help you catch at least some rotten eggs before cracking them open and allowing the scent to invade your space.
“Most rotten eggs have a pungent odor you can smell without breaking the egg open, but not always,” Blatchford says. “Best practice is to always crack eggs in a separate container, one at a time, so that if an egg is rotten, you can throw it out and not have contaminated whatever you were using the eggs for.”
Depending on the rot, the smell can vary. For example, white rot causes a fruity odor, green rot has more of a musty odor, while black rot results in the repulsive odor you expect. An egg can also experience mixed rot, with varying degrees of rot and odor occurring.
Consider candling if you want to check questionable eggs without cracking them first. Blatchford explained the process of candling can use any bright, focused light. It’s simply called candling because candles were the first things used for the process.
“If you shine a bright, focused light, you see the internal contents of the eggs,” he says. “If the egg is very dark and/or has an enlarged and moving yolk, the egg is likely rotten.”
While candling, look for any cracks in the shell. Also, if the egg appears solid without any defined shapes or all you can see is the air sac, it’s probably gone bad. You should clearly see the yolk and the egg white should look translucent.
You can also do a float test, where you place an egg in a bucket of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it’s likely fine, but its freshness is in doubt if it floats. However, this test isn’t 100% reliable.
A surprise chick hatched from a hidden stash of eggs from Amanda Ryan’s backyard flock in Carthage, Missouri.
Funny-Tasting Eggs
The way a rotten egg tastes should deter most people from eating it. Assuming you can get past the rancid taste, consuming a rotten egg causes various digestive issues, some more serious than others. However, chicken eggs can taste odd for various reasons that don’t necessarily mean they’re rotten or unsafe to eat.
Issues with egg flavor often stem from a hen’s diet. While you may have read somewhere that diet may cause rotten eggs, it’s not generally likely. Poor nutrition can cause egg deformities and impact quality, but Blatchford says it wouldn’t cause the eggs to rot since microbes cause this. However, some dietary issues could potentially produce eggs that taste off. For example, some producers have noticed that when hens consume too much of certain types of food, it can eventually cause unpleasant flavors in the eggs.
While debatable, onions and garlic may transfer their flavors to your eggs, but neither is good for chickens in large quantities anyway. Asparagus is noted for its strong taste and odor and might lead to stinky eggs if feeding excessive amounts to your chickens. Broccoli and Brussels sprouts could also potentially cause off-tasting eggs. Many producers agree that fish and fish meal-based commercial chicken feed can cause fishy flavors in your eggs, as can too much flax in some chickens.
Even if they’re safe, some funny-tasting chicken eggs may be unpalpable, and you might want to avoid whatever caused the unwanted flavor.
The investigation into chickens laying rotten eggs underscores the importance of vigilant poultry management. By understanding the health, dietary and environmental factors that can contribute to the production of subpar eggs, chicken farmers can implement proactive measures to ensure a healthier and more consistent egg supply.
This article about rotten chicken eggs was written for Chickens magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Soil science is good to know when raising backyard livestock such as chickens, goats and sheep. The ability to integrate these livestock with backyard environments such as vegetable gardens, fruit trees and other types of land, such as pasture, is a truly fascinating opportunity and challenge.
Aside from providing food and companionship, backyard livestock also produce animal manure which, if used properly, can be a free resource with respect to soil regeneration, soil quality, and fruit and vegetable production. However, as we all intuitively know, mismanagement of livestock manure can contribute to food safety risks and nitrogen and phosphorus contamination of ground and surface water.
Here is some basic soil science and management information for how backyard livestock affects soil and some of the basic dos and don’ts of how best to manage backyard livestock on your property with respect to manure management.
Soil Science: A Little History
When you consider the fact that humans have farmed crops and animals on the same plots of land for approximately the past 5,000 to 10,000 years (depending on where they settled after the last ice age), we have learned a decent amount on how best to utilize animal dung for increased food production. Animal manure is a truly amazing resource that has helped humans increase crop production and crop variety wherever they have settled. However, mismanagement has led to disease, overproduction and water contamination.
Knowing a little about the chemistry and microbiology of animal manure and soil and how they interface with each other is important at a historic, global and, of course, an individual level. Believe it or not, not all livestock poop is created equally. While many similarities exist with respect to chicken, goat and sheep (and other livestock) manure, some important differences occur, too. Big picture, none of them can be directly applied to crops as animal feces is full of harmful bacteria such as virulent forms of various bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter. These bacteria can thrive in livestock guts, be shed in feces and contaminate our backyard fruits and vegetables.
In some cases, they can get inside plant cells as opposed to just being on the surface of your fruits and vegetables. This scenario makes washing ineffective at preventing ingestion and human infection. This is especially true on what are referred to as “touch crops” such as spinach and other leafy greens which literally touch the ground. Raw animal manure can easily contaminate these types of crops which are often eaten raw creating a significant food-safety risk.
Chicken, sheep, and goat manure share commonalities as valuable organic fertilizers, yet their compositions and characteristics exhibit notable differences which include:
Sheep and goat manure tend to have higher nitrogen content compared to chicken manure. In contrast, chicken manure has relatively higher phosphorus.
The carbon-to-nitrogen ratios differ among these manures, affecting microbial activity during decomposition. Chicken manure, with a lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, decomposes faster, while sheep and goat manures, with higher ratios, contribute to longer-lasting soil improvements.
The texture and consistency of the manures vary. For example, chicken manure tends to be higher in moisture content, while sheep and goat manures are drier. From a practical perspective, this influences the rate of decomposition and the potential for nutrient leaching.
Understanding these similarities and differences and your soil’s chemistry with respect to potential imbalances in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous and other elements can allow gardeners to tailor their manure applications to specific crop needs, optimizing the benefits while mitigating potential challenges associated with nutrient imbalances or overuse. In a perfect world, it’s ideal to have your soil tested to see what it is lacking in before applying raw material. Ultimately, the judicious utilization of chicken, sheep and goat manures contributes to sustainable soil management practices.
Note: If you apply raw manure to even inedible plants, you run the risk of applying too much phosphorus or nitrogen which can damage or even kill the plant. While applying raw manure is not recommended for backyard farmers, if for some reason you must apply raw manure, in a backyard setting you should not harvest anything for human consumption for at least 120 days after the application of the raw material. This 120-day rule isn’t an exact science, but it does give an easy-to-remember time. In addition, if excessive levels of raw manure are applied, leaching and contamination of surface or ground water can occur. In addition, never apply raw manure when it’s raining or to steep fields as this process is further exacerbated.
Composting
For a backyard gardener, the best approach to dealing with livestock manure is to compost the material and then apply it as a soil amendment. As the feces decompose naturally via the help of various microbes, a chemical transformation occurs which causes the release of organic matter which has several beneficial effects on the soil. This, in turn, creates an environment conducive to microbial activity, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and fungi. When you apply this material to your soil, the soil is transformed in the following ways
Increased Soil Organic Matter
This, in turn, creates an environment conducive to microbial activity, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and fungi.
Improved Soil Structure
This enhances water retention capacity. In addition, compost improves soil’s ability to hold nutrients and delivers much-needed nutrients. It improves nutrient retention by increasing the soil’s cation exchange capacity and delivers needed food for the plants in the form of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. As you can imagine, it’s only useful if the composted material can be integrated into the soil and not just applied to a hard dirt pad. To that point, it should also be noted how livestock manure can be misused and be damaging to soil chemistry and quality. The big picture is that applying livestock manure to cropland increases the amount of organic matter in the soil which improves the soil structure and can increase the soil’s ability to hold water.
The soil science behind composting, if done properly, inactivates most pathogens such as bacteria and even weed seeds that may be present in the material. The operative word is most. Harmful bacteria can persist in smaller amounts, so washing your hands in addition to washing any plants that you eventually consume is critical. This is especially true for “touch plants” described previously.
Compost Ingredients
All you really need is livestock poop, plant material (aka carbon), oxygen and water. Note: You can use discarded fruits, vegetables and even grass clippings and wood chips. However, the proportions of the ingredients are important. Too much or too little of these ingredients may produce bad smells or inhibit the beneficial bacteria from growing and transforming the material to compost.
The ratio of ingredients is key. You typically want a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of approximately 30:1 on a weight basis. In other words, for every 2 pounds of plant material, you would want about 1 ounce of livestock poop. This ratio plus some water will allow the “correct” bacteria to grow which are essential for transforming the uncomposted material to composted material.
As the good bacteria grow and displace the bad bacteria, heat is generated. The heat is key to helping the good bacteria grow and inactivating harmful viruses and bacteria. Getting to a temperature between roughly 141 to 155°F is very important because this is the temperature where pathogenic bacteria die and weed seeds are inactivated.
Reaching that temperature can be challenging in certain colder and wetter climates and can also be challenging if you compost pile is too small, which is a common issue for backyard chicken keepers. With respect to the weather, if you live in a cold and wet environment, consider composting when the temperature is warmer. In addition, while water is one of the key ingredients, you don’t want too much. You basically just want the material to be somewhat moist.
Make sure you have a dedicated raised secure container for composting (or an alternative method called “sheet” or “lasagna composting,” where you place the mixed material on cardboard or wet newspaper and then put a layer of carbon on top). Rodents, insects and birds will likely try to get into your black gold and eat some of the ingredients listed previously. Unfortunately, they often poop where they eat which can be a serious food safety issue if you take your compost and then spread it in your garden.
One advantage of the raised system is that the pile can be turned easily (especially if there is a crank to turn the compost container). The goal here is to introduce oxygen which helps the good bacteria grow.
Completed Compost
When the compost is done and ready to use is objective and subjective.
Objective:The internal temperature of your compost pile should reach a temperature of between 141 to 155°F. You can get a special thermometer for compost which is basically a metal probe with a thermometer at one end. This way you just need to poke the pile and measure the internal temperature as opposed to breaking open the pile and measuring the temperature.
Subjective: Compost should feel and smell like rich soil and not like poop. The transformation should be obvious, but there is no specific objective feel and smell. Like everything this comes from experience. However, when in doubt, compare it to store-bought compost.
Composting can be a little tricky for backyard livestock keepers. However, it can also be a very satisfying activity in that you are fully integrating your chickens and plants in a way that humans have done for thousands of years. Like everything, composting can be perfected with practice, and even if you live in a cold and wet environment, it can be done. Ultimately, you just need to figure out what soil science works best for your system. With a little experimentation, you can come up with an approach that works best for your specific situation.
This article about soil science was written for Chickens magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
Fall leaves can seem like a nuisance, but forests thrive on their own for several reasons, the primary being fallen leaves that amend soil and protect plants. The organic matter created in leaves is full of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. So instead of bagging up fallen leaves this autumn, follow these methods to capitalize on the free garden amendments lying around your yard.
Shred Fall Leaves for Mulch
Run piles of fall leaves through chippers, choppers and mulchers. It’s even possible to mow leaves to shred.
Pile the shredded leaves 2 to 4 inches deep around plants, avoiding crowns. The mulch will help plants retain and repel water, suppress weeds and decompose into nitrogen to feed the plant.
Make Leaf Mold for Soil Conditioning
Leaf mold results from piles of fall leaves decomposing over time. It can happen naturally where you bypass raking, but if you plan to keep your yard tidy through the fall and winter you will need to designate leaf mold areas. Leaf mold breaks down to act as a soil conditioner, helping the soil retain more water. Leaf molds are also attractive habitats to beneficial insects such as earthworms.
To create a leaf mold pile, simply pile fall leaves in a low-lying area that won’t allow the leaves to easily blow away. Add leaves to a trash bag with a few vent slits,or create a three-wall shelter like a compost bin to coral the leaves. Once piled, spray down the pile with water, thoroughly dampening the grouping. Make sure there is moisture in the pile at all times to speed up the decomposition, and add water when necessary.
No other matter will need to be added through the process. The fungal process will take effect and create its magic.
Leaf mold will take 10 to 24 months to prepare thoroughly. To speed up the process you can do the following.
Use a rake to turn it over every so often to allow air to circulate
Place a tarp on the pile to increase moisture and humidity
Break down the size of leaves before adding to the pile to begin the decomposing process
Once the leaf mold has reached effectiveness, you can add to your beds by tilling/turning into the top layer of soil or around plants as a mulch. Leaf mold is a great potting medium for container plants because it helps to retain water.
Add Fall Leaves to Your Compost Pile for Nutrient-Dense Compost
Leaf molds and compost piles are not the same things.
Compost piles require nitrogen-rich greens and carbon-rich browns to create life-giving nutrients for plants. Leaf molds produce soil conditioner, not compost. Leaves are a great source of the carbon-rich browns needed to create “gardeners’ gold”. If you have gardened for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard the benefits of compost.
Waste not and want not are shared beliefs among gardeners. Rather than pay a lot of money in the spring (when you’d really rather buy new plants), prepare your leaves to act as key ingredients to healthy soil and a successful garden. This will save you money and feed your plants and soil the way forests have been since the beginning of time.
This article about using fall leaves to feed your soil was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Fall garden plants can be sparse at this time of year, as gardens are entering a season of rest—for both the gardener and the land. However, even now in November, there are still a few easy plants you can put in to set your garden up for spring success.
Plant Shrubs & Trees
Fall is a wonderful time to plant shrubs and trees because it gives roots a good amount of time to establish a strong root system. Shrubs and trees fare much better in cool weather than hot. So the more time they have to “move into” their new location and before the threat of heat, the better.
If planted too close to a period of heat, they just don’t have the resources to survive. Getting the plants in the ground just before they become dormant is the safest way to ensure their survival.
Because of cooler temps in the fall, less watering is required, giving the gardener a break. Weeds are also less maintenance in the fall.
Although you won’t see much top growth during the fall or winter out of your shrubs or trees, they will be more prepared to flourish in the spring. Many shrubs and trees have proven to bloom two weeks earlier if they are planted in the fall.
Fall Garden Plants: Cover Crops
Garden beds are depleted at this point in the year from growing all spring and summer. If you planned for a fall garden, it is most likely still producing. However, if you have open beds, they need to start preparing for spring now.
Fall and winter weather can wreak havoc on garden beds. The wind will cause erosion and deplete nutrients from the soil. Bacteria and fungi can still be present and grow in soil during the winter. If garden beds are left empty in the winter, they can become host to pests, diseases and weeds.
Cover crops as fall garden plants will aid in suppressing all of that negative activity.
Cover crops fill the bed in a way that protects soil from erosion, keeping healthy nutrients and microbes flourishing and preventing weeds. When planted around November, many plants will even stay green throughout the winter, enhancing the aesthetic of your garden as well.
Different cover crops help garden soil in various ways, and you will want to research what is best for your area. At Porter Valley Ranch, we choose to plant crimson clover, because it is low maintenance and highly beneficial. Crimson clover is a legume and adds nitrogen to the soil for the spring.
It is a nutrient scavenger and brings nutrients up from deep in the soil, preferring sandy, loamy soil. In the spring, if there are not enough significant freezes, the clover can be terminated and added back into the soil via a weed eater. If it was a harsh winter, Crimson clover will simply winterkill.
Either way, the cover crop will have done its job and be easy to turn back into the soil in time to start planting for spring.
It may seem counterintuitive to add annuals to your landscape or beds right now. However, pansies complement all fall plants and can survive dropping temperatures.
They may take a break in the winter (depending on your weather) but rebloom early in the spring to also compliment spring flowers, giving you the most mileage out of all annual plantings. Some pansies can even be seen still blooming during snow!
They will gradually die out in later spring as temperatures surpass 65, but for an annual, they are well worth the investment. Aside from the practicality of the flower, they are absolutely beautiful, with a subtle fragrance. They are offered in a kaleidoscope of colors and produce billowy blooms.
Plant Bulbs
Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, irises, lilies and ranunculus are all spring favorites! These plants, along with several others, need to be planted now, in November, to show their blooms in spring.
Bulbs require a long period of cool temperatures to ignite the chemical process that causes them to flower. They need to be planted before it freezes and tucked in for the winter.
Most bulbs will come back year after year. Make sure to research what is best for your area for continual success. Also, pay attention to planting instructions. Living plants put in, in November will be developing and preparing all winter long and need to be positioned correctly to work best.
This story about fall garden plants was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
The Earthquake 60V Earth Auger with an 8-Inch High-Performance Bit (Model: 44977) is the first product available as part of the new 60V system. This earth auger combines the performance of gas-powered models with the convenience of electric operation, making it fit for professionals and DIY homeowners alike. It works whether you’re digging post holes, planting shrubs or installing irrigation. With the included 4Ah battery, this auger can drill up to 35 holes per charge, allowing users to complete outdoor projects without interruptions.
Key features include:
• Variable Speed Trigger: Customize your drilling experience to match various soil conditions
• Reverse: Clear holes with reverse mode.
• Quick Connect Coupler: Enjoy tool-less auger bit changes, for easier setup and adjustments
• High-Performance Bit: The included 8-inch diameter bit features carbide blades and a full 36-inch flight.
• Heavy-Duty Construction: The splined output shaft and robust transmission evenly distribute force, preventing damage from challenging soil conditions.
• Torque Reduction: The Earthquake 60V Earth Auger is compatible with all Earthquake Torque Reduction Accessories to improve efficiency on the job and reduce the wear on tear on the user.
With a 5-year limited tool warranty and a 3-year limited battery warranty, the Earthquake 60V Earth Auger is designed for longevity and reliability, ensuring it’ll be a valuable addition to your tool shed for years to come.
“We are excited to introduce the Earthquake 60V Earth Auger. This unit combined with our torque reduction accessories has changed the way we think about hole drilling tasks,” says Graham Ruppel, director of marketing for Earthquake.
Swedish egg coffee is a unique Scandinavian-American tradition from the days before Keurig coffee makers. It’s a concoction beloved by many ladies in church basements throughout the Midwest: a mixture of coffee grounds and a beaten egg—shell and all. It’s said that the egg and shell clarify the coffee and make it less bitter.
The website Talk About Coffee explains that the proteins in the egg bind with the acid in the coffee to neutralize it. It doesn’t change the flavor of the coffee, but it makes it super smooth and wonderful.
Eric Dregni, author of Vikings in the Attic: In Search of Nordic America (University of Minnesota Press, 2014), and an assistant professor of English at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn., wrote the following in a blog post for the University of Minnesota Press:
“Every morning, my grandmother made her Swedish egg coffee: a quarter cup of Folgers— that’s what Mrs. Olson recommended—mixed with an egg white and the shell thrown in for a little calcium. The egg clings to the grounds, so when her concoction was poured through a simple strainer, the result was a perfectly clear cup of coffee. Swedes like her further diluted it with thick cream, whereas Norwegians always wanted it black.”
According to Dregni, Scandinavians drink the most coffee of anyone in the world—at least 18 pounds per person per year.
Nicole Sipe
Ingredients
1 egg with the shell (Give the eggshell a good washing before using it.)
1 cup of ground coffee (medium to large grind, so as not to pass through mesh)
8 cups water, divided
Preparation
In a medium bowl, crack the egg and crush the shell; add coffee grounds and 1/3 cup water. Mix into a paste.
In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Carefully add the paste to boiling water. (It’ll foam a little bit, which is normal.) When the boil returns, turn off the heat and remove it from the stove.
As the hot water cooks the egg, the coffee grounds will clump and float. Let it sit for six to seven minutes—longer for stronger coffee. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large coffee pot. Discard the solids, and enjoy!
This article about Swedish egg coffee was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Raising turkeys for meat and eggs is a popular choice and has a loyal following among small-scale, sustainable farmers. With a little know-how, it’s possible to successfully add these feathered fowl to your farm.
“I enjoy the birds, their sounds and expressions,” says Lynn Gillespie of The Living Farm, in Paonia, Colo. Gillespie started raising heritage varieties, including Narragansetts, Bourbon Reds, Slates and Bronze, alongside Broad Breasted Whites eight years ago and believes that the birds are a profitable addition to her farm.
The biggest reason for raising turkeys for meat, especially heritage varieties, is for the holiday market, according to Don Schrider, author of Storey’s Guide to Raising Turkeys (3rd edition, 2013).
“There is a huge demand for turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas,” he says, “and it can be a very profitable market.”
But it’s also possible to create a market outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The birds produce eggs and meat that is popular for bacon, sausage and ground turkey.
Although raising turkeys for meat and eggs is low-maintenance and suitable for beginning farmers, they are not chickens.
“They might look similar,” Gillespie says, “but they need different care; if you raise your turkeys like chickens, there is a good chance that all your turkeys will die.”
Choose The Best Turkeys
Farmers can choose between commercial/industrial varieties and heritage varieties when raising turkeys for meat. Industrial varieties, such as the Broad Breasted White and the Broad Breasted Bronze, are fast-growing birds that produce meaty, moist breasts. It takes about 20 weeks to grow the birds; hens will grow up to 20 pounds and toms, up to 70 pounds. Industrial birds are often raised in poultry houses with limited light and access to the outdoors.
The rapid growth cycle of commercial varieties means the meat is cheaper to produce and sell, which can appeal to a broader consumer market. In contrast, heritage turkeys come in multiple varieties—the American Poultry Association recognizes seven distinct varieties including Black, Bourbon Red and Royal Palm—each with its own feather pattern and color. Heritage birds are raised outdoors and take up to 16 months to reach 12 pounds.
Although the market for heritage turkeys is smaller, the birds fetch a premium price.
“You have to choose between meat and flavor,” Schrider says. “The volume of meat on an industrial bird is greater but the flavor of a heritage bird is much more intense.”
Once you know which variety you want for raising turkeys for meat and eggs, locate a breeder. To ensure the birds come from disease-free stock, choose a hatchery that participated in the USDA’s National Poultry Improvement Plan; a reputable hatchery will be able to provide their NPIP number. Eggs and poults can be shipped via the U.S. Postal Service.
Raising Poults
Industrial varieties are often raised in confinement. Poults are started in a small section of the poultry house, and as they grow and need additional space, they are moved into the main part. It’s also possible to raise industrial varieties on pasture.
To keep poults safe, keep them in a brooder until they are at least 8 weeks old. Be sure to provide at least 1 square foot of floor space per poult to prevent cannibalism; after 6 weeks of age, increase it to a minimum of 2 square feet. Poults that are confined past 12 weeks of age need at least 3 square feet of floor space each. In a brooder, Gillespie favors keeping poults in groups of up to 15, but not more: Poults will potentially smother each other in larger numbers.
Once the birds are old enough, they can be released onto the pasture until harvest, either to free-range or be kept with electric fencing and a shelter. Be sure to keep turkeys and chickens separate, especially in areas where blackhead disease is a problem.
“Chickens will be immune, but they can be carriers and turkeys will get it,” Schrider explains.
To protect the flock, keep turkeys at least 200 feet from chicken pastures and use a barrier to keep them separate; both flocks should have their own pastures, housing, feed and watering equipment. If birds are being raised on pasture, it’s essential to provide shelter and roosts as well as fresh water and feed. Pastured turkeys eat a mix of formulated food mix and forage.
“Poults need more protein than chicks,” Gillespie says. “You need to feed them a turkey starter not chicken starter.”
Gillespie also feeds her turkeys weeds, salad trimmings and alfalfa hay. “They should have a fresh supply of greens every day,” she says.
On pasture, turkeys must be moved often. Electric net fencing is an inexpensive, easy-to-use system that allows for rotational grazing while keeping turkeys from wandering too far afield.
Cats, snakes, raccoons, foxes, hawks, owls, snakes and other predators prey on turkeys. A secure coop, electric fencing and galvanized wire pens are the best defense to keep your flock safe. Keep in mind that heritage varieties can fly. (The breasts of industrial birds are too heavy to allow them to take flight.) Schrider suggests clipping their wings to keep turkeys from escaping their fencing.
Marketing Turkey Eggs & Meat
When raising turkeys for meat, outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is still a small but profitable market for turkey products, such as bacon, sausage and ground turkey. With a goal of increasing demand, the National Turkey Federation launched a 20 by 2020 campaign to encourage people to consume 20 pounds per capita of lean turkey meat by 2020.
Of the 80 Broad Breasted Whites and 20 heritage varieties Gillespie raises on The Living Farm, most are destined for Thanksgiving tables. Some of the heritage turkeys are reserved for breed stock, but she is confident the farm could sell turkey most of the year. Gillespie also acknowledges the challenge of marketing heritage varieties during the holidays.
“Stores sell turkeys below the cost of producing a turkey,” she says. “You have to educate your customers as to why your turkeys cost more than the store.” Raising certified organic turkeys is one way to boost your return on investment.
To boost year-round demand, Schrider encourages farmers to educate shoppers about heritage varieties, including the best cooking techniques.
“You’ve got to use heritage cooking techniques, such as slow-roasting and basting, with heritage birds,” he says. Organizations such as Slow Food USA and Chefs Collaborative have recipes for preparing heritage varieties on their website.
Beyond meat, there is a niche market for turkey eggs. Hens start laying at 32 weeks—compared with 20 weeks for chickens—and lay up to 120 eggs during peak laying season, which extends from January through June.
Although Schrider calls turkey eggs “perfectly good eating eggs,” he notes that the proteins in their egg whites are thicker than in chicken eggs, making them unsuitable for light, fluffy foods. “They are good for pound cake but not angel food cake,” he says.
The Living Farm delivers turkey eggs to its farm-to-table café, The Living Café, in Paonia, Colo., and features them on the menu. The over-easy offerings are popular, according to Gillespie. “It gives people a chance to try something new,” she says.
Heritage Turkey Breeds
Yumiko Yumiko/Flickr
Slow Food USA, an international grassroots membership organization for good, clean and fair food for all, has identified eight heritage turkey varieties that are facing extinction and encourages farmers to preserve these varieties by raising them and encouraging consumers to add them to their plates.
American Bronze
Until the Broad Breasted Bronze was replaced with the Broad Breasted White in the 1960s, it was one of the most popular turkey varieties in the United States. The birds have copper feathers on a background of brown and black with white bars on the tail. Toms weigh up to 36 pounds; hens can reach 20 pounds. The Bronze is listed on The Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List in the Watch category, with less than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States and estimated global population less than 10,000.
Black
Known as Black Spanish in Spain and Norfolk Blacks in England, Black Turkeys originated in Europe and crossbred with wild turkeys after migrating to the United States with colonists. Although poults often have white or bronze feathers, the mature plumage is metallic black. The birds are small; toms weigh just 23 pounds while hens weigh in around 14 pounds. The Black is also listed in the Watch category.
Bourbon Red
Named for its birthplace of Bourbon County, Ky., this variety was developed from the Jersey Buff for improved meat production. Also known as Bourbon Butternut or Kentucky Red, the turkeys have brownish to dark-red plumage, heavy breasts and flavorful meat. Toms weigh up to 33 pounds, and hens tip the scales at 18 pounds. The Bourbon Red is also listed in the Watch category.
Jersey Buff
Also known as Buff, these turkeys were named for the color of their feathers. Toms weigh 21 pounds; hens, 12 pounds. The variety originated in the mid-Atlantic region and struggled to gain prominence despite its color providing advantages for processing. By 1915, it was nearly extinct. The variety is still available through small breeders and hatcheries. It is listed as Critical, with less than 200 annual registrations in the United States and estimated global population less than 2,000.
Midget White
A variety developed at the University of Massachusetts by crossing a commercial Broad Breasted White with a Royal Palm. The Midget White is a smaller bird with a broad breast. Toms weigh 13 pounds; hens average 8 pounds. Although it’s a flavorful meat bird, it was bred for improved egg production; hens lay up to 80 large eggs per year. It is also listed as Critical.
Narragansett
Named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, the variety is a cross between wild and domestic turkeys. The Narragansett has similar coloring to the Bronze breed but is smaller in size. Toms weigh 30 pounds; hens, 18. Hens are strong egg layers. It is currently a Threatened variety, with less than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and estimated global population less than 5,000.
Royal Palm
With white plumage and contrasting metallic black edging on its feathers, the Royal Palm is a small turkey variety with toms weighing
16 pounds and hens averaging 10 pounds. The Royal Palm is also listed in the Watch category.
Slate
This variety is also known as the Blue Slate, Blue or Lavender because of its solid to muddled blue plumage. Hens weigh about 14 pounds; toms average 23 pounds. Because there are fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States—landing the Slate in the Watch category—production potential is unknown.
Convincing farmers to raise turkeys is a little like convincing diners to try turkey eggs for the first time. Gillespie offers some encouragement. “You will need to practice with turkeys before you are proficient at raising them,” she says. “Once you get the hang of it, it’s worth it.”
This article about raising turkeys for meat and eggs was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Heritage Breed Narragansett Tom Turkey. Adobe Stock/Jared S. Davies
The taste of heritage turkeys fresh from the farm trumps supermarket turkeys every day. Hobby farmers and foodies know this, yet communicating it to the greater Thanksgiving-celebrating public isn’t as easy. Once customers replace the commercial Broad Breasted White turkey with the heritage Bourbon Red turkey raised on your farm, there’s a good chance they’ll be back for more. The challenge is getting your turkey on their plates to begin with.
“I started out with the impression of ‘raise them and they will come.’ That didn’t happen,” says turkey producer Ed Kramer of Fisher Farm in La Plata, Md.
As Kramer found, raising the turkeys is the easy part for a beginning producer—getting the word out is another story. However, all of the small-scale farmers who contributed to this article said that after their first year, once people knew about the quality and taste of their heritage turkeys, they never had a problem with marketing again.
“People want them like crazy. If I had more time to farm, I’d raise more turkeys for Thanksgiving,” says Susan Kliese, who owns Susie’s Climax Creations in Climax, N.Y., where she produces poults and meat birds. “The niche is growing faster now than it was when I started three or four years ago.”
Heritage turkeys are different than rapidly maturing commercial turkeys in several ways, according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s definition. Heritage turkeys are naturally mating with fertility rates of 70 to 80 percent; have a long, productive lifespan of five to seven years for hens and three to five years for toms; and have a slow growth rate, reaching a marketable weight in 26 to 28 weeks. Plus, most are hardy enough to pasture, which can save on feed costs. Heritage turkey varieties include Black, Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, Slate, Bourbon Red, Beltsville Small White, Royal Palm, Jersey Buff, White Midget and others.
When setting up your heritage turkey operation and starting your marketing efforts, ask yourself these questions:
1. Can I sell my turkeys retail, wholesale or out of state?
Before letting potential customers know about your heritage turkeys, learn about how and where you’re allowed to sell them, Kramer urges. Regulations vary for in-state meat sales, so check with your state’s department of agriculture. Sales across state lines are regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
2. Am I computer-savvy enough to build a website?
Even if you target customers only in your local area, you need an online presence so they can learn about you, your turkeys and your farming methods. If a full farm website is more complicated than you’d like, create a Facebook page for your farm, and encourage friends and customers to “like” it. Use these tools to stay in touch with past customers, as they’ll be the bulk of your business, according to Marianne Reimers, who raises rare-breed sheep and poultry at Black Walnut Woolens in Gaston, Ore. If computer work is out of your comfort zone, hire someone (a tech-savvy student, perhaps) to take care of these tasks for you.
3. What market websites are appropriate for my farm?
Everyone contacted for this article says their listing on organic- and local-food website LocalHarvest.org is one of their most valuable marketing efforts. Other similar websites, such as EatWild.com and EatWellGuide.org, also connect you with customers.
4. Do I want to sell turkeys fresh or frozen?
“We have the impression that customers have the impression that it’s fresh or bust,” Kramer says. After the Thanksgiving rush, he freezes the leftover Thanksgiving turkeys so he can have them on hand for the rest of the winter holidays.
And don’t forget about live turkeys. If you’re not already an ALBC member, you can join today and get listed on the heritage turkey producer list. You might find that you sell so many poults that you don’t even want to raise turkeys to sell as meat.
This article about marketing farm-fresh heritage turkeys was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
No Interruptions
With a 5-year limited tool warranty and a 3-year limited battery warranty, the Earthquake 60V Earth Auger is designed for longevity and reliability, ensuring it’ll be a valuable addition to your tool shed for years to come.
