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Farm promotes benefits of raising chickens

By Mark Haranas The Gardner News, May 21, 2011

News Staff Reporter HUBBARDSTON — Raising backyard chickens is gaining popularity in the state, and the Northeast Organic Farming Association is sponsoring local farm programs to educate residents on the environmental sustainable benefits and tastier aspect of organic poultry.

Tom and Jassy Bratko of High Meadow Farm in Hubbardston conducted one of the workshops for honing skills in raising poultry on a backyard or small commercial scale, using organic, pasture-based systems. "Once you’ve eaten your home-raised eggs, you will never ever go back to store bought eggs," said Ms. Bratko, owner of the farm. "They just taste so much different and better, the same with the chicken’s meat."

The Bratkos gave hands-on lessons to curious newcomers on how raising chickens is proficient, sustainable and easy to tend in an backyard. "It’s a complete cycle," said Ms. Bratko. "The chickens will eat from the ground, they will produce eggs or meat ... In turn, they’re going to fertilize the grass area they’ve eaten with out waste or pollution," said Ms. Bratko. Poultry raising is less cost effective and healthier for the environment compared to buying eggs or meat from a store, according to Ms. Bratko.

Ben Grosscup, education events coordinator for the association, agrees with the Ms. Bratko. "If you buy a rotisserie chicken for $5 bucks at the supermarket, the chicken you are buying is cheap because the birds are in cages the size of a piece of paper stacked on top of each other for their entire life and fed a steady diet of unnatural genetically engineered corn," he said.

According to Mr. Grosscup, backyard poultry has been gaining popularity in Massachusetts, citing that chicken supply stores across the state report major spikes in business. "A lot of people are looking for higher quality eggs with much better nutrition, and frankly a much better taste in their meats," said Mr. Grosscup.

The Bratkos workshop taught the two ways to farm chickens — either for their eggs or meat. A person can either have a hen, which lays eggs for many years, or have a "meat bird," that you raise for around eight weeks. "Meat birds put on weight and grow very fast. You get them when they are a day-old chick until eight weeks old," said Ms. Bratko. "At the end, you then have a wonderful chicken dinner."

A mobile chicken coop, called a "chicken tractor," has made raising chickens less of a hassle. The tractor has no floors and enables chickens move to different grass areas while the previous area is able to regrow. Unlike a chicken coop, the tractor needs much less maintenance and fits nicely in a backyard, according to Ms. Bratko.

Dissimilar to some household pets, chickens can be left alone at home for days without needing assistance. "It needs a lot less taking care of compared to a dog," she said. "You can go away for a couple of days and they will be perfectly fine."

Greg Wolfus considers his chickens as lovable pets who help him with his garden. "The chickens waste products ends up being a nutrient supplement for my vegetables and plants," said Mr. Wolfus. "I don’t have to go out and buy any composts for my garden." Mr. Wolfus raises eight chickens in his one-third acre backyard in downtown Shrewsbury.

"If all you have is a 10-by-10-foot yard, you can raise a few chickens," he said. Mr. Wolfus does not eat his chickens, but uses them primarily for their fresh eggs. "There is nothing like putting your hand in a nest box and pulling out multicolored eggs and making an omelet," he said.

Mr. Wolfus will be conducting a workshop at his Shrewsbury home on June 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. There is also a workshop at Many Hands Organic Farm in Barre on July 16.

The association is a nonprofit community including farmers, gardeners, landscapers and consumers working to educate members and the general public about the benefits of local organic systems based on complete cycles, natural materials, and minimal waste for the health of individual beings, communities and the living planet.

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