All in Pastured Poultry

Homage to the Working Dogs

Homage to the Working Dogs

Shari Bryant
Pastured Poultry, Education

One of the things you ask me most often is how we are able to keep our pastured chickens safe from predators.

When folks think of getting a flock of their own, they have visions of happy hens frolicking and free-ranging around their garden.

But so frequently, people come to us to purchase our started pullets because their entire flock has just been wiped out.

Around here, we are blessed with flourishing wildlife, but that doesn't always translate to safe pastured chickens.

We have foxes, racoons, possums, skunks, weasels, hawks, owls, and coyotes, among other predators - everything likes chicken!

Yet we all know how exceptionally important it is to have our chickens on grass and receiving the benefit of the varied diet provided by the greenery and bugs, as well as the exercise and fresh air.

How to Turn One Whole Chicken Into 3 Meals

How to Turn One Whole Chicken Into 3 Meals

Shari Bryant
Pastured Poultry, How-To, Recipes

Once I finally overcame my mental roadblock around cooking a whole, ENTIRE chicken, a new world opened up to me - literally! I discovered the convenience of always having roasted chicken meat on-hand and available for any recipe I wanted to cook (it also lends itself to quick snacking with two boys in the house!)

After making my initial recipe (usually a simple, but DELICIOUS, 4-ingredient roast chicken), I pick the rest of the meat from the bones and have fresh, roasted chicken available for salads, sandwiches, or a casserole. I then put the carcass into my Insta-Pot and make bone broth or soup and feed our family for most of the week using ONE, single chicken. How amazing is that?!

Here is how I do it:

Pasture-Raised Food vs. Factory/Feed Lot

Pasture-Raised Food vs. Factory/Feed Lot

Shari Bryant
Education, Pastured Pork, Pastured Poultry

At this stage in my life, I sit at the intersection of self-transformation and environmental activism, and it occurs to me that the bridge is FOOD.

So many folks I know are on some spectrum of illness: on-going auto-immune issues, skin issues, mental health issues, cancer, IBS, reproductive issues, struggles with weight, resistance to antibiotics, super bugs, etc. When we look at these issues, the first response seems to always be pharmaceuticals. Take this drug to address this issue, and then take this one to combat the side effects of the first.

As we are getting sicker, this country is also losing small, family farms right and left. Between 2017 and 2022, the United States lost 140,000 farms. 140,000 farms lost in five years. Meanwhile, as your neighborhood farmer goes out of business and is forced to sell to yet another developer, just 4 companies in the U.S. produce over 60% of its chicken each year.

How to Combat the Doubling Cost of Groceries Over the Past 4 Years

How to Combat the Doubling Cost of Groceries Over the Past 4 Years

Shari Bryant
Education, How-To, Pastured Pork, Pastured Poultry

If you’re anything like me, you have felt the impact of inflation in recent years.

The cost of EVERYTHING has risen, but perhaps none more dramatically than the price of groceries.

While I knew this to be true, I was incredibly shocked to learn just how much grocery prices have risen upon seeing the following post on Facebook (note: this is not a political post, nor an endorsement of this creator or her platform, but simply a reference to the grocery experiment she discusses):

Chicken-Keeping 101

Chicken-Keeping 101

Shari Bryant
How-To, Pastured Poultry, Education

Have you thought about investing in a backyard flock of your own but ended up overwhelmed with all the conflicting advice on the internet?

It can get super confusing, huh?!

Some folks can make it seem intimidating or unattainable.

So, you just put off the flock you have been dreaming of until you feel more prepared.

And then you never end up feeling prepared.

But what if there is something you can do?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

How to Cut Up a Whole Chicken

Shari Bryant
How-To, Pastured Poultry

A lot of folks have asked what to make with a whole chicken, and while I am a big proponent of using the whole animal - and I have sent out many whole chicken recipes - I understand that for many recipes, you may only want certain cuts of chicken. However, it can be more economical to purchase a chicken whole, so it is always good to know how to cut one up to get the part that you wish to use and save the remaining parts for another time.

The two most crucial components to cutting up a whole chicken are a sharpened knife and a cut glove. A close third is your drink of choice - in my case, a vodka tonic! ha!

I always start with the wings, followed by the rear quarters, the breasts, and finally, the tenders. I know for many, cutting up a whole chicken can seem intimidating. It was for me initially, as well, but I am here to tell you if I can do it, so can you!

Our self-serve, on-farm store is fully stocked with both whole and parted broiler chickens, as well as whole, pastured turkey and eggs, so don’t forget to stop by and stock your freezer.

Pour yourself a beverage, grab your chicken, a cutting board, knife, and cut glove, and give it a go! Let me know if you tried this and how it turned out!