Field Tripping with Turkey Poults
My partner's family owns a beautiful place in Colombia County, NY. We love to spend weekends out there when we can - and have gotten to know Mike and Michele of Yundwell Pastured Poultry. Our son asks to visit them, their dog Mingus ("MINGA!) and their egg chickens ("BOKbokBOK!") each time we are out there. This past weekend they asked me to document them moving their turkey poults from the barn into field. Only a few weeks old, this was the first time they were big enough to move from the safety of the barn into the fields where they will be guarded by Nellie (full time flock/rafter protector and Maremma).
Spending time with Mike and Michele this summer has given us a deeper understanding of both farming and soil health. Their chickens are in a movable roost that is regularly rotated around the farm to distribute manure, replenish nutrients and bring biological life to the fields. By doing what they do, scratching seed and eating bugs, chickens (and now turkeys) contribute to keeping down weeds and pests. Less bugs is great in our book! Also Leonardo loves to watch Michele drive the tractor. She has let him sit in the seat. And it may have been the best moment of his life. See below for photographic evidence.
We get our eggs from their farm. And we've grill roasted their chickens. Interested in supporting them? You can visit their online store to purchase frozen whole birds, parts, and organs. It's a drive from Boston, of course, but if you are headed out to the Hudson Valley, Albany or Troy it's worth a side trip. Pick-up on the farm or local delivery is available.
Birds are so interesting to photograph! Such personality. Scroll through their field trip from barn to pasture in stills here. :) On Labor Day, these poults were ready to get to work on their pasture.
