Polyface Farm Tour ~ Day 3

"Hi, I'm Travis. I'm from Texas, and I want to learn everything I can about farming!"

Our friends from Texas planned their Virginia visit specifically to coincide with a talk being given at a local college by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm.

We visited his farm one morning and just happened to show up on chicken processing day! Talk about perfect timing for our visitors!

Here's a photo of everyone watching part of the processing; Joel is in the background working alongside his farm apprentices. Travis took lots of notes!

 

And here's another somewhat more gruesome picture showing chickens in the cones getting their necks slit. I had heard about this process but had never seen it done...now I have...gulp.

We also saw lots of piglets and some very healthy looking hogs...I guess farmers quickly get used to animal smells on a farm.

 
Here, we're taking time out for pictures of our group on the hay wagon.

Another section of the farm included fields where more chickens were housed.

After a very full morning of touring the farm, it was time to leave and head home. We stopped at the end of the driveway and piled out of the van to take a final picture by the Polyface sign.

That evening our friends traveled to Bridgewater to hear Mr. Salatin speak, and Travis brought one of Joel's books with him to have signed.

Speaking of hogs...I think Travis just may have been in hog heaven at the end of the day!

~Deb

Next: Day 4 ~ Hiking Humpback Rock, S'mores on the Parkway

Comments

[victoria]

We used to raise chickens but had a local farmer do the butchering for us. I'll never forget the time I took our first flock to be butchered. I was pregnant with morning sickness. The smell was awful, and I couldn't eat chicken for a month after that. Guess Travis won't ever have the same problem. :)

Victoria

[Courtney, Jer.33:3]

My family has had chickens since Easter and they really enjoy this "step" into country life. :)