|
Friday, 01 August 2008 08:16 |
Bame Farms, Andy and Megan Bame
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, 1585 Patterson Road, Salisbury
704-798-4244
We are committed to production methods that minimize the need for pesticides and chemical inputs. For example, we seasonally add organic matter to the soil through composted plant material and yard waste. We practice integrated pest management (IPM), which relies on scouting for pests and accepting some amount of loss to the pests. If an insect pest population gets out of hand, natural or organic-approved chemicals will be our first line of defense. We feel very fortunate; in the past several years we have not had any significant pest problems. We would not use broad spectrum chemicals which might also kill the beneficial insects that are an important part of the garden. We apply mulch and irrigate with well water using drip lines that direct the water only around the base of the plant (a water-wise practice).
Bame Farms has been supplying eggs for the Bread Riot “Front Porch Egg Program” for nearly 2 years. We have grown our flock of hens to nearly 50 birds of various breeds that provide a rainbow of egg colors. While Andy tends to most feeding chores, Megan gathers, washes and delivers the eggs. They work together to move the pens around the pasture or barnyard as needed.
Generally speaking we have three colors of eggs: white, brown and blue. The white eggs are produced by a chicken breed know as Leghorn. The brown eggs are mostly from our Golden Comet hens and the blue eggs are produced by a chicken breed called Aracauna. Eggs that are some variation of these colors are from hens that have been cross-bred.
A friend of Andy’s introduced us to the Aracaunas and the blue eggs have become a hallmark of our “Easter egg” dozen. From personal observation, the brown eggs have the most golden yolk and the blue eggs typically have a pale yellow yolk. While we’ve heard that diet is supposed to be a factor in yolk color, we can attest that all of our chickens have basically the same diet (some may scrounge up more grubs than others, perhaps).
The color of the egg shell is in no way a determining factor in the nutritional value of the egg, nor an indicator of how the chicken is raised (commercial vs. free range/organic). The only factor that determines egg shell color is the breed of hen.
Our chickens are classified as free range, which means they have free access to the outdoors. Our chickens are provided shelter in rolling pens (sometimes called “chicken tractors”) which also house nesting boxes where they lay their eggs. They are kept within the boundaries of an 80’ x 80’ netted electric fence, primarily for their own protection from predators and to keep them out of the road. The fence, shelter and chickens are moved frequently to fresh ground to allow the grass to recover and flourish after the chickens have deposited some natural fertilizer.
We do not use added growth hormones or preventative anti-biotics on our animals. We hatch and raise our own chicks adding to the variety of egg characteristics from our flock.
Eggs are available through the Bread Riot every weekend from the front porch of Maggie Blackwell at 422 Mitchell Avenue in Salisbury. The cost is $3.50 per dozen of which $0.50 per dozen supports the Bread Riot’s organizational costs.
|
|
Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 09:24 |
