Ben Starr

The Ultimate Food Geek

Animals are Meat: A Follow Up

It’s now been about 24 hours since I posted the photo on Facebook of a free-ranging rooster from a chicken farm near Dallas that I was about to dispatch to become part of the menu at FRANK this weekend.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined what a magical 24 hours it would be.

Many, many nerves were touched on both ends of the spectrum.  And while it was certainly stressful to moderate the conversation on Facebook and here on my site, I feel SO overwhelmed with joy that this debate was able to take place.  (And I certainly hope it continues.)

The comments kept (and keep) coming, but among the most striking are the comments from parents who said they brought up the subject over dinner with their children.  Childhood is most definitely the time to begin having this conversation.  Adults who were born in the city and were never exposed to the origins of food as children end up being the kind of person described here by a fan in a comment on yesterday’s blog:

I had the occasion to meet a guy once with whom I ended up ranting about how much I love growing my own vegetables/fruit and how much I wished I had more then a balcony’s worth of shaded growing area (that’s all I got right now as a college student). This was his response: “You want to grow your own food? Isn’t that dangerous? How do you know if you don’t mess up and end up poisoning yourself? Why on Earth would you grow your own food?!?” Part of the reason why I became such a huge fan of yours is because it’s amazing to know that other people who love growing their own food exist in the modern world.

Education neighborhood children about chickens, 1 year before the neighborhood pressured the city to take them from me

Those of us who grew up on farms naturally have that connection to our food’s source.  But you don’t have to have grown up on a farm to have it.  And you can help your kids have it by participating in community garden programs (which they even have in inner city Manhattan); taking your kids to state fairs and walking them through the animal barns and explaining to them that ALL the animals in those barns are loved pets of other kids their age, and will be turned into meat after the fair to nourish people’s bodies; encouraging your grade schoolers to participate in the 4-H program and your high schoolers to participate in the FFA program.  Even if your kids live in an apartment in the inner city, these programs will give them the opportunity to raise crops and even animals at an off-site location sponsored by their schools.

I am so thrilled that I’ve been given the voice to be able to reach more people than just the ones in my immediate circle of family and friends.  This conversation was so dynamic, and it’s obvious by the charged emotions on both ends that people were really thinking and struggling with the concept.  These are the kind of conversations that are incredibly positive and constructive, and really make people sit down and THINK for a moment.

I wanted to end with an email that was sent to me by a very dear friend after reading the Facebook threads and my blog post:

I heard through the grapevine that people were giving you a tough time about your chicken-killing rampage. I thought I would share my own story, considering the fact that the first time I ever saw a live chicken up close was when I lived with you and Christian during those four years in Dallas, and for one whole year we raised chickens from the egg right up to their departure (either by natural death, moving to a nearby farm, or being made into dinner).

From left: A Buff Orphington brown egg, an Araucana green egg, and a Rhode Island Red speckled brown egg

I also remember when we discovered that one of our sweet chickens, who we lovingly referred to as CP, was a rooster! As I recall, where we lived in Texas there was an ordinance against owning roosters because they are loud. So what do we do with him? Well, for me, what we did was we turned him into a learning experience. We decided to have him for dinner!

My mother tells me very interesting stories about how her grandmother would kill chickens by grabbing them by the neck and twirling them in the air until their heads pop off, and then their bodies would run around the yard until they fall over. I must admit, the thought was not appealing, still I knew that this was something that was important to see because of all the great points you brought up in your blog post.

So we did it. We all gathered very ceremoniously around CP (except for Christian, who wouldn’t have had the heart to actually let any of us go through with it… the big softy), and we chopped off his head. It was fast and he didn’t suffer. To be honest, I thought I would be mortified… but I wasn’t at all. I knew for a fact he had had a really great life eating in our organic garden, climbing trees, bossing the other lady chickens around. If he had been in a factory, he wouldn’t have lived nearly as long or as happily.

By the way, he was delicious.

His body was treated with absolute respect, and we even buried his poor little head so Christian would never find it… I believe it’s currently under concrete, so that’s definitely never going to happen.

What did I take away from this experience? I finally learned where my food came from, and that lesson sticks with me today. Even now, when I make food or go out to eat, if there is meat I eat every last bite of it. If I am too full, tough, I go ahead and at least power through the meat before I give up on the rest of the vegetables/noodles.

So, let other people say what they will. I lived with you for four years and know how you treated every one of our ladies. In fact, I think you cuddled with them more than you actually spent time with the rest of us! Also, I don’t recall ever hearing of any other farmer giving their chickens bananas or other tasty treats on a regular basis. These are not things someone who disrespects animals would do.

Furthermore, I have never met another human being that cried so many times during the movie, March of the Penguins, so I’m not sure how anyone could possible fathom you as anything but an animal lover.

If there is one thing that you are, Ben Starr, you are consistent in what you say and what you believe about food, and I’m happy to say that my own cooking adventures (both living with you and in the years since) are peppered with your “teachings.”

Thank you, T.  That’s such an eloquent letter.  What he neglected to tell you is that my best friend’s 14-year-old sister felt strongly convicted that SHE needed to be the one to slaughter CP.  We sat down and had a long talk with her, and she said that, after meeting my chickens, she couldn’t in good conscience eat another bite of chicken unless she was willing to kill one herself.  She was incredibly nervous when the time came, but she did it.  And I turned CP into Chicken Parmigiana (his namesake) and she ate him.  The next night at dinner, she talked for 2 hours with her family about the experience, and it has stuck with her to this day.

Before MasterChef, I only had the opportunity to share this type of knowledge and experience with those in my immediate circle.  But thanks to MasterChef, I can now share it with thousands of amazing fans who can join in this incredible dialogue.  Cooking, for me, is about far more than the final plate, and whether or not it can please a master like Gordon Ramsay.  Since the day I was born, I was steeped in the story of food BEFORE it enters the kitchen.  And, to me, being a part of the entire journey of food from dirt to plate makes the experience endlessly rich.

I cannot look at this photo without crying. These were my ladies (with CP, the white rooster in the middle, who, soon after this photo, graced our dinner table.) I love them ALL to this day.

31 responses to “Animals are Meat: A Follow Up”

  1. Amber Grady Avatar
    Amber Grady

    You’re amazing!!

  2. Ricca Avatar
    Ricca

    I’m sorry that you had to defend yourself so adamantly but the resulting blog is really good. I have now had two conversations about us as a culture losing the connections with our food. Almost all of our grandparents were familiar with killing and gathering their own proteins and vegetables, but since the 70’s and microwave revolution we have become distanced from knowing our food. Grabbing a package of pink meat and not considering the process it took to get there is our new normal.
    I am not perfect but I am working to know better than to grab a big bag of breasts at Sam’s. Thank you for educating those of us who are trying to do better.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Ricca, thank you SO MUCH for this heartfelt comment. I can’t claim that I never buy the big bag of pink breasts at Sam’s either. Unfortunately, if we wanted to live “perfect” food lives, someone in our household would have to dedicate their entire life to that, without room for a career. But I want people to know that there ARE options beyond the supermarket to acquire meat…it just requires a little more work. I hope that people will at least occasionally try buying meat from a local farmer. It’s a step in the right direction!

  3. Kris Seaney Avatar
    Kris Seaney

    Ben, great follow up. I was born and raised in Mississippi. My grandmother who has passed now has a true chicken farm. man did it stink. I have both good and bad memories ( the bad one is of a rooster kicking my 7 year old butt after i chased him ) I live in atlanta now and they wont let us have chickens. I am seriously considering doing a stealth chicken coop for the eggs. it is a shame that communities will not allow us to have chickens. just add it to the misconceptions people have about food from the facebook peeps to the city councils.
    People like you CAN change the world, one person at a time.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Thanks again, Kris! Many cities are reconsidering the backyard poultry code. This year my city, Lewisville, just changed the code to permit us to have 4 hens in our backyard. So you might write a letter to the city council and tell them that cities around the country are moving progressively toward allowing backyard poultry. Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago all permit backyard poultry. If the big cities do it, the smaller cities DEFINITELY should!

  4. Jamie Gardner Avatar
    Jamie Gardner

    Ben, when I was very young, my grandfather raised chickens and pigeons and I clearly remember him doing just as your friend describes, twirling the chickens by the head till they popped off and their bodies ran around, auto-draining themselves of blood for him. I watched him sit and pluck out their feathers and I watched my grandmother fry them up. It never occurred to me to be squeamish, though I have been many times about other things. I also remember being scolded for laughing when I told my dad about them running around headless. I wasn’t laughing because they were dead, though. I was laughing because they didn’t seem to *care* that they were dead. They kept on dancing. As a child, I found that concept both funny and rather comforting. I think I still do. Possibly I found it to be so because another time when I was little, I trapped a moth under a cup, thinking to keep it as a pet. I left it overnight and in the morning found it had died. I was *heartbroken*, and I buried it outside in the yard like it really had been a pet, so seriously did I take my guilt over having taken the life even of an insect. I have had to kill a couple of animals since and unfortunately, I can vividly remember each time. It was necessary, I would do it again, but I did not enjoy it in the least. I am not a vegetarian. My body just doesn’t work well without ample protein and walnuts will never be beef. That said, I respect every animal that dies to feed me and anyone who treats those animals with respect. “I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we’ve got to do it right. We’ve got to give those animals a decent life and we’ve got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect.”
    ― Temple Grandin

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Jamie, this is SUCH an amazing response. I love your sentiment as a child about seeing the chickens “keep on dancing.” I think if all children were allowed to cultivate that sort of response and respect for animals, our food situation in this country would be very different. And I love the quote from Temple Grandin…she is such an amazing woman!

  5. Helga Loncosky Avatar
    Helga Loncosky

    I understand where you are coming from. I was raised on a dairy farm where we made our own butter, cheese, yogurt, etc, besides raising beef, lamb, goat, pork and assorted poultry besides also hunting venison, rabbit and squirrel besides game birds like pheasant with our bird dogs. We raised it all organically and they went down at our place so they never knew anything but a good life until the moment they were no more. I don’t mind butchering but confess as I have gotten older I know longer want to give the death kill. other than, I’m still good to go and will do it if needed. I have no guilt over animals raised well for a purpose and used with respect to the food and not being wasteful. We still raise a bit for ourselves, no longer commercial, and we butcher with a friend. He doesn’t mind killing and I don’t mind butchering once they are snuffed, LOL. We all get together to do a pig or cow or deer. People are so disconnected form their food sources now it is very easy for the GMO stuff and factory farming to take over and no one really is aware of the importance of what they are putting into their bodies. Good job for addressing this.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Helga, thank you so much for sharing. You’re so fortunate to have lived like you did! Your respect and connection to our food source is totally apparent in your writing, and ESPECIALLY on your blog, which I love. So glad to have been introduced to it!

  6. Amy Wood Avatar
    Amy Wood

    I grew up with a grandpa who owned a pig farm. He would take us out to feed the pigs and cows. Each had a name. On holidays he would tell us which we were eating. One of my sisters was not happy about this. I was so interested in knowing that the animal that I helped feed and rub down and love was now nourishing our family. Some people are ok with it and others aren’t. I still know people that refuse to believe that the animal they are eating used to be something other than a blob of matter bred only to feed them.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Amy, my parents did the same thing to me when I was very young. It was REALLY hard to understand. For a couple of years, I just stopped wanting to have anything to do with the sheep at all, because I didn’t want to get attached to them. But I got through this phase, and it helped me get to the place I’m at today in my understanding of our relationship to the animals we raise for meat. But I think everyone is better for having known a meat animal, even if it makes them uncomfortable, because they at least have the awareness that the meat they eat came from something living. I’m sad to discover more and more that very few people have this awareness.

  7. shanna lee (@SML_1) Avatar
    shanna lee (@SML_1)

    Bravo, Ben! Can’t wait to meet you tomorrow at FRANK and enjoy that chicken who had a lovely life.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Shanna, it was delightful meeting you, I’m so glad you came to FRANK! Hope to see you again soon!!!

  8. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    There are so many things about the delicate sensibilities of others that we don’t take into effect when we enter into an intense, polarizing debate. For example, although I’m known around these parts as a butcher, that’s not the sole reason for my advocacy for fresh meat and produce. I also grew up in 4-H and working from the age of ten at an amazing farmer’s market in Wisconsin. It’s difficult for me to hear that people use their own personal experience as the barometer for how others should live their life, but as I reflect on how I was raised and the environment in which my opinions about food were formed, I realize that not everyone holds the same stock in food that I do.
    There are those who do have the experience of treating their animals as members of the family, up until the time for killing must inevitably come. How is it, then, that we can question our own existence and mortality without recognizing what responsibility we carry, not just as diners, but as stewards for every morsel we put in our mouth? We are givers of life through birth to sons and daughters, and stewards of it through adoption of children and acquisition of pets, but the fact remains that we are also takers of BOTH plant and animal life. Although animals have some sentience, they are here, just as vegetables, to serve a purpose of nourishment and sustenance. This cannot be overstated, nor can it be forgotten. People who are animal lovers liken livestock to their treasured family pet, and they’re not wrong to do so. However, what that boils down to is simply this: For every life that we bring into the world or remove from it, we have responsibility to treat it with respect. If it is not of the flesh, but from the earth, it is our duty to show proper respect to the person from whose hands it was seeded, raised, and harvested. We waste so much food and resources as a culture. Looking in my trash can, the majority is chaff and packaging. Much, much more, I’m sure, could be utilized through any number of different avenues, and the most astonishing thing to me is that we eat mostly vegetarian at home. Meat doesn’t even come into play.
    When it does for me, I am encouraged to think and plan ahead. I have been saving shrimp shells, waiting to collect enough to make a fumet. Tomorrow, I will make a sweet corn and shrimp risotto, using onion with the rice, the root and corncobs for my stock along with the shells, and the shrimp and kernel corn in the body of the dish.
    I don’t venture to say that it plants a seed of guilt, seeing vegetable trimmings and bags in the trashbin, because we simply do not have the means to fabricate edibles out of every part of our animal or vegetable. Time, money, and often skills are things that we so often do not have. What we do have are brains, and the ability to think critically and make magic happen with what we are given. It is our duty to make sure that we find examples such as the one you set to help us come to the realization that the better we understand and utilize our food, the better people we can become.
    Thanks again, Ben.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      I can’t get enough of your writing, Tim. And I notice that the more I write on this subject, the more enlightened and articulate I become about it. Does the same thing happen for you? But I guess, that’s the point, and it’s the reason this conversation has been so stimulating for so many people. The more people express their feelings about the subject, the more clear it becomes for them, on BOTH sides of the issue. I like that.

      1. Tim Avatar
        Tim

        It does. Although a lot of my responses are long winded, I like to think that it comes about due to thinking about it, internalizing, and then putting my thoughts down. It’s probably not that. It’s just an open stream of consciousness grasping at a lot of the ideas running through my head. Occasionally, they become cohesive thought progressions, but really, it’s simply my answers to the questions that I pose in my mind, trying to make sense of either side of the coin. I second guess myself more than I should, and although certain beliefs I hold quite fervently, the winding monologues of thought that I type evolve even as I write them out and push them off into the internet ether.

  9. ghostwoodfarm Avatar
    ghostwoodfarm

    I gave up commercially-processed meat some time ago. I now raise my own chickens as an inexpensive protein source. They are raised on range and I slaughter and butcher them myself (details here, if you’re interested: http://ghostwoodfarm.com/2012/01/). It is emotionally exhausting but, I think, critical. I have two small children (2 and 4) and over the next few years they will be witnessing, then partaking, in the process.

    My real comment here though goes along with something Tim said. I cannot stand to see meat thrown out. Even when I was vegetarian, I would eat the last piece of bacon or a small slice of turkey to prevent its waste. It horrifies me to see people throw out old cold cuts they forgot about, for instance. My mind screams, “Something died for that, and something very probably had a horrifying life for that as well.”

    There is a callousness that comes from the decoupling of meat from the animal. I find that I am more and more bothered by casual references to meat in the media, whether it’s ham on sale at Kroger or it’s the Grinch carving the roast beast. So, SO many of the kids that read that don’t know what meat really means.

    Maybe I overreact, I tend to do that. I do think that there is an encouraging trend toward knowing one’s food and its source. I do my best to help that trend along and it’s in this area that the internet (blogs, Facebook, etc.) really shines–exposing people to new ideas, or OLD ideas with which they have never been acquainted. Tim does a good job of using his blog to promote this trend as well, and I think that these two posts of yours are excellently done. I thank you for that.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Wow, Ghostwood Farm looks SO amazing! I have to admit that I had a twinge of jealousy looking at your site and reading about the farm. You’re years ahead of me on a path that I desperately want to take. Your site is wonderful and I love the photos of your chickens, especially in the fog. That brought back such great childhood memories for me. (Also enjoyed seeing Tim’s blog post on your site!) I would be curious to know if you personally had reservations about me posting the photo of the rooster who was about to be slaughtered? I’ve had a few posts from farmers who were uncomfortable with it, and of course I understand why. I just feel like I’m in a unique position to educate folks who wouldn’t normally think about this issue, and for that, I believe it’s important to give meat a face.

      1. ghostwoodfarm Avatar
        ghostwoodfarm

        Thanks for the kind words. I’m putting a tremendous amount of work into what we’re doing.

        I have mixed feelings about the photo. I don’t have a fundamental problem with the idea of showing the animal that is about to be killed. I guess my hesitation comes in only because of your big smile in the photo. It portrays, fairly or falsely, an irreverence (that I don’t believe for a second that you feel).

        Personally, I hunt, and I kill chickens for food. It’s very difficult for me to do both. On butchering day, the last thing I feel like doing is smiling. I know that people react to this situation differently, but for me…well, not a lot of smiling goes on that day. I can understand how a person that doesn’t personally know you could take the photo the wrong way.

        I agree with you that you are in a great position to enlighten people on the subject–as I said, I think Tim does a good job of that, and I think word is getting out and people are starting to understand once again that meat requires death. On balance, I think it was a positive post, even if only to start this lengthy and involved conversation.

        The question in my mind now is, how do we take this movement (for lack of a better term) and start to expose people on a larger scale to this knowledge? Because, you know, the farm and “foodie” communities are pretty easy to reach, and are more likely, perhaps, to be receptive to the message.

        My mother refuses to listen when I have discussed what commercially-produced chickens are forced to endure because she says she couldn’t eat it then. I think that’s a widespread attitude (and I think it’s cowardly as well). If one won’t listen because of what one MIGHT hear, then one already knows it’s wrong, in my opinion, regardless of whether they know the details.

        Thanks for asking. –Adam

        1. Ben Avatar
          Ben

          Adam, I SO appreciate your comments here. I think you’re fairly new to the whole benstarr thing…every photo I have, I am beaming in. In fact, I look like that all day unless I’m asleep. (And according to friends, sometimes I look like that when I’m asleep, too.) That’s a normal Ben Starr photo. But what I don’t think I’ve adequately conveyed in my blog posts is that YES…I think the food chain is a glorious thing. I don’t think it’s sad or bad when an animal who lived an amazing life, true to its nature, is harvested for human consumption. It’s a BEAUTIFUL thing. An amazing miracle. So if you saw any extra glow on my face holding the rooster, it wasn’t a “Look at me, I’m about to kill a rooster,” it was a “Look how gorgeous this rooster is! He lived a life the way roosters are supposed to. And now he is becoming MORE than rooster by taking his place on the food chain and giving life to others beyond his death.” I can’t imagine anything more beautiful or celebratory than that.

          As for your question about how to further this conversation to the masses…it’s obviously going to require someone who has massive exposure, the guts to address it, and have the support of people who also support the cause. And that’s going to be incredibly hard to find. I don’t think we’ll ever see a TV show specifically on this topic, at least not on a major network, because of the power of the industrial influence. No network is going to fly in the face of its sponsors to expose the horrors of the industry. Oprah tried to do it, and she’s probably one of the most powerful media magnates in the country. She succeeded and went all the way to court over it, but do we ever hear her talk about it again? She “learned her lesson” so to speak.

          So while I feel like the support of celebrities is probably the fastest route to the goal, I don’t think it’s going to happen that way. Grassroots is how it will happen, supported by people who have exposure and influence in the urban zones where the disconnected folks live. But we’ve also got to have a relatively convenient alternative to industrial meat, and that’s tricky, as well. Urban dwellers aren’t going to traipse outside the city on a regular basis to get their meat. We have to have legal reform to make it easier for small producers to directly sell their meat to the public. And that’s a whole other mess that needs to be fixed and will have powerful opposition.

          This is something I am supremely passionate about, Adam…the conversation isn’t going anywhere, and I will continue to fly this flag my whole life. If my career in TV ever launches, it’s something I will fight tooth and nail to be able to discuss on the air.

          1. ghostwoodfarm Avatar
            ghostwoodfarm

            Yes. Legal reform would be fantastic. I sell to friends who have to come out and help with the process–essentially buying live birds from me. But again, realistic? People have learned to fear their food to some extent. Convincing legislators that “our” way is safer…well, even if we could, the fact is we don’t contribute as much as agribusiness (certainly in Indiana!).

            Thanks. Keep on keepin on, and so will I.

  10. canarygirl Avatar
    canarygirl

    Love this post! We happen to live right in the heart of the city, on a very busy, noisy, traffic laden corner. Grass is a luxury in Las Palmas, and we have none…just a small rock patio….but we’ve been busy here this summer….We’ve planted green beans, snow peas, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet corn, artichokes, onions, garlic, peppers and herbs of all kinds. We also have a small lemon and a nectarine tree. All in containers. In a very small 2×3 meter area in the middle of the city. Growing your own food is an immensely rewarding experience, and the kids love it, too. My sons’ wax bean plants are just beginning to flower, and it thrills them to no end to check the progress. 🙂 We would love love love to have some terrain in the mountains to be able to have an actual garden and land for some animals, but for now, that remains a dream. We have to be content with our canaries, turtle, fish and dog. lol

    ps, Tim, I really enjoyed your post, as well. Thinking and planning is key.

  11. tigersue Avatar
    tigersue

    I’m definitely one that could not butcher my own animals. That being said I have great respect for those that do and the life of the creatures and plants we eat. Like you I will not waste meat if I can help it. (There are times it happens and I feel horribly guilty when it does) If I am out, I don’t force myself to eat if I’m full, but I will bring home the leftovers and eat them for lunch the next day. You experiences and frankness are a reminder to us all how precious our lives are, on all counts.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Thanks so much, Tigersue! Your blog is lovely and you have a very beautiful family. I have always had great respect for the LDS community for their strong families. I grew up in a very similar family…we gathered around the table every single night for dinner. Rather than TV time, our time was spent together playing games or working in the garden or with the animals. It’s great to see that there are still families like that!

  12. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    I was here the day Ben had to give up his chickens and it was a very sad day for him and for me. No one is more of an animal lover than he is. He is the reason I have my second dog Sasha so I KNOW he loves animals and never ever would disrespect them in any way. I grew up with parents who were hunters so I have seen deers, squirrels, racoons, and fish brought from nature to the table and we raised turkeys. I myself could never ever kill anything but I have respect for those who do and do it in a respectful manner. I have Ben Starr struck!!! and proud of it!!!

  13. Janet Avatar
    Janet

    You should watch Ramsay’s The F Word actually. He raised turkeys and pigs in order to teach his children about the lives of the animals and aligns with what you’re trying to do too.

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Janet, I love the F-Word, and it’s the only Ramsay show I watch devoutly. After spending 2 months with Gordon, I think it’s the only show of his that truly captures his personality.

  14. Kara Avatar
    Kara

    I found a farm about 90 minutes away that has free range chickens and cows. On their website they say the cows are butchered at 18-24 months and the chickens at 8 weeks. That sounds a bit young to me, especially for the chickens. What is the average lifespan of a cow? What is the average lifespan of a chicken?

    1. ghostwoodfarm Avatar
      ghostwoodfarm

      Chickens, if they’re cornish rock crosses, are big enough to be a decent fryer at 8 weeks. In fact, if you let them get much older, they start to develop health issues because of the fact that they’re bred to gain weight so quickly (heart and leg issues primarily, I believe). If they’re heritage breeds like we have, they have to go 12, 16, 20 weeks to get enough size to be a 3-4lb broiler when cleaned.

  15. Steve M Avatar
    Steve M

    About a year and a half ago, my wife finally let me get some chickens. I had wanted some just for egg production for a long time. We live in an urban area (where, thankfully, chickens ARE allowed), and enjoy spending time in the backyard with the chickens, watching them do their quirky chicken activities, and of course we love their eggs. My 3 daughters (ages 3,5, and 7) each have a pet chicken that they care for, and they enjoy feeding them sunflower seeds, mealworms (that we raise ourselves), and assorted kitchen scraps.
    While we don’t plan on eating these particular chickens, it has allowed my wife and I to have conversations with the girls about the source of our foods.
    We also purchase raw milk from a local farm which allows us to see another of our food sources.
    I think it’s wonderful that my children appreciate where their food comes from and that will hopefully allow them to make better decisions about their diet as they grow.

    I also think it’s great that you are using your position to help educate and inform! Keep up the good work.
    Thanks,
    Steve

    1. Ben Avatar
      Ben

      Steve, congrats on your hens! Chickens are the one farm animal that are perfectly adaptable as urban pets (provided you have a backyard)…not only are they endlessly fun to watch and interact with, they produce food for you each and every day. I really hope the backyard poultry movement takes off. I applaud you for getting your daughters involved in the source of their food!!!

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