Most locals know Rise and Shine Farms as a great CSA that provide produce and eggs, but they also raise poultry. They are the only local source I have been able to find that can regularly supply me with locally raised chickens that eat organic grain, native plants, and insects. Their birds actually move around in a large open space, hunting and pecking at bugs and local forage. (What a concept)!
I stopped buying organic chicken from Costco and even Whole Foods after I did a little research about it. I discovered that Petaluma Farms, which supplies organic chicken to Whole Foods, boasts that their chickens have one square foot to live in, instead of the industry standard of 3/4 square foot per bird. Seriously? It's right on their website. I was paying $14 for a chicken that was living in a space a little bigger than a piece of copy paper for it's entire life. It is widely known that even though birds in these environments have "outdoor access", most of them never actually get out there because they're crammed together inside.
I currently have a six-month chicken subscription with Rise and Shine that started in May. Every month, Mike, the owner, drives from Fallon to Reno and delivers three chickens to my door. I prepaid with Paypal, and I don't even have to leave my house. Last Fall, we preordered 25 birds and they were all delivered at once (they raise them specifically for you). We plan to do that again after our subscription ends.
Last year, we also ordered a turkey for Thanksgiving and a goose for Christmas. (That was really cool; we had never had goose before.)
Our family has completely gone local when it comes to buying meat, and we will never go back. All poultry comes from Rise and Shine and beef and lamb comes from Albaugh Farms. We're still looking for a local source for pork. Until then, we've essentially given it up.
I highly recommend Rise and Shine Farms without hesitation. read more
