Why Choose Local Chicken?

Economic Impact

When you purchase fresh chicken from a local farmer, you are not only reducing the environmental impact of your food choices, you're also keeping money in the local economy.

Brand new baby chicks in the brooder.

According to the website www.foodmiles.com, the average chicken in the U.S. travels an average of 3254 miles before it reaches your plate. The chicken breasts, tenders, and more pack on some serious miles! From an ecological perspective, this equates to more fossil fuel consumption and emissions. The chicks must arrive from the hatchery to the farm for growing in the massive chicken barns. From there, they are shipped to the processing plant, then possibly on to cold storage, then to the grocery store, and finally to your home. That does not include another cog in the wheel which is a secondary facility for products that are seasoned, flavored, or combined in the form of pre-seasoned or breaded tenders, nuggets, etc. Here at Southern Songbird Farm, our chickens arrive from the hatchery in Iowa (799 miles) immediately upon hatching. On their processing date, they travel 50 miles to and from Rowan County. Add a few miles for our local deliveries, and it is still vastly less food miles than store-bought chicken. There is also less changing of hands-the post office, Doug, and our processor are the only people to handle our chickens before they make it to your plate. From a health perspective, the less changing of hands a product goes through means less chance for contamination.

Nutritional Impact of Local Chicken

When you buy local, pastured chicken from Southern Songbird or other sustainable farms, you can rest assured that chicken received a varied and quality diet. We use highly nutritious, locally milled feed which can lead to higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins compared to factory-farmed options. By using local mills, we are further reducing food miles.

Research indicates that pasture-raised chickens produce meat that is not only tastier but also higher in nutrients. Omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to heart health, while vitamins such as B6 and B12 support your immune system. We encourage our customers to look into the latest research regarding diet and grazing in poultry.

Chicks out to pasture

Supporting Local Economies

Purchasing fresh chicken from local farms has far-reaching effects on your community. When you buy from local producers, you help support local economies and keep money circulating within your community. This can lead to improved job security for farmers and other workers within the agricultural sector. As we stated earlier, we use local farm stores and local/regional mills to provide feed and supplies for our poultry and livestock.

In addition, these local farms often contribute to sustainable practices. They can focus more on eco-friendly farming techniques and are less likely to rely on more impactful techniques that factory farms may use. Because our chickens are raised on pasture, their waste returns to the soil and fertilizes our fields. We don't have to clean out huge barns full of chicken manure and food waste. Chickens also provide soil disturbance, which further builds the soil eliminating our need for chemicals. Raising chickens. on pasture at appropriate stocking densities reduces illness and stress on the animals. Our chickens NEVER receive antibiotics or other medications.

Building Relationships with Farmers

Buying fresh chicken from local farms often allows you the opportunity to develop a relationship with the farmers who raise your food. Knowing where your chicken comes from creates a sense of transparency and trust in the food supply chain. We welcome any and all questions about how we raise our chickens from feed to brooding to processing. Please check out our FAQ page where we outline the process of raising each category of livestock.

This relationship is beneficial for both parties. We appreciate consumer feedback and getting to personally know our customers, while you are the consumer gain invaluable knowledge about your food. These interactions can help encourage better farming practices and also support a sense of community within your local community.

Farmer Doug with chick

Final Thoughts

There are numerous advantages to buying fresh chicken from local farms, including better taste, nutritional benefits, and community support. It is not only our pleasure to get to know our customers and farm with more sustainable practices, it's literally our mission. Our mission statement reads, "To provide quality agricultural products and livestock while being responsible stewards of land and soil for the benefit of our customers and community." Thank you for choosing us to be your local farmer. We will continue to strive to bring you the highest quality, sustainable product we can!