[Sstw] If you order chickens...

[Cheryl Baker]

If you order, PLEASE put STILLWATER in the subject line!!




Hi everyone-
This is a little complicated to explain, so please bear with me...
I'm sending this email in support of a new poultry processing operation near Tahlequah, OK; this facility will be available to small-scale, local farmers for poultry processing. Up til now, there have been no Oklahoma processors serving small-scale independent poultry producers. If we want to have local, sustainably produced food available for us to purchase, we have to support all of the services that farmers need to be successful. 
This effort all started with an e-mail that Harlan Hentges sent to the Oklahoma Sustainability Network list the first Friday in October, seeking help for this new poultry processing operation that was facing a cash flow crunch. In order to ease this crunch, they need to sell 4000 chickens. People in OKC and Tulsa have stepped up and have ordered a significant number of birds, but the goal has still not been met.
 
We have an opportunity to help out this operation by arranging for a Stillwater delivery.
 
Here's some more information (from Nancy Osborn) about the processor and the chickens:
 



The birds are dressed, frozen, and vacuum-packed whole chickens weighing 7-9 lbs each (roasters). No kidding, they are *big*. And no kidding, they are $5 each. The processor can do about 500 - 700 birds/day, and all of the processing and packaging is done under USDA on-site inspection. The birds are processed and packaged by hand, start to finish. Unlike industrial plants, no chlorine is used in the processing of the birds. No salt is added to the birds, either. They have applied to USDA to be able to label their birds as "all natural" and "open range." 
These birds are raised by the processor at a rural location a few miles from the plant. The birds are "loose housed" -- the processor receives chicks at one day of age, and raises them in conventional houses at about 60% of the density of the typical industrial operation. Once the chicks have feathered out, the doors to the houses are opened during the day, and the birds are free to range until nightfall, when they are closed up during the night. They are fed a vegetarian ration that is mixed locally, and are not given hormones (illegal to give to poultry) or antibiotics. I got the chance to visit the farm and plant a few weeks ago, and I saw well-cared for, relaxed, and healthy birds.
This processor is committed to supporting independent Oklahoma poultry farmers. They will process birds with no minimum for $1.50/bird. They will sell day-old chicks to producers for the same cost that they pay for them. They are also working to be certified to process turkeys. Any producer who wishes to set up a processing time or purchase chicks can call the plant at 918-207-0565.
This processor is unique in that they are a non-profit foundation. The DARP Foundation is a faith-based drug and alcohol recovery program, and they have built this plant to help support the work of the foundation and to support the recovery process for their participants. For payment at the pickup site, make checks payable to 'DARP Foundation' (cash works, too!).
 


Remember, we haven't had an inspected processor in Oklahoma that would work for small producers in more than a decade. The only processors in our state belong to Tyson or Simmons or another of the 'big boys'. Some Oklahoma farmers take their birds to Arkansas or Texas to be processed, but now, we truly have an opportunity to support an Oklahoma processor and eat some good Oklahoma birds :)

  
If you are interested, please submit your orders to Nancy Osborn at osborn.nancy at gmail.com no later than close of business Monday, Oct 19th.  
 
Please forward this information to anyone that might be interested! We need to get an order of at least a couple of hundred birds to make a Stillwater delivery worth their while. Please consider buying as many as you might have room in your freezer for.
 
Thanks for your help-
Cheryl


 







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