Texas Free range chickens

[fifi]

In the discussion on "free range chickens" in the General Food Topics forum, snowangel posted this bit of information. I had bemoaned that being deep in suburbia, my chances of finding a friendly neighborhood farmer were about slim and none. Then snowangel brought up the 4-H connection. That was one of those *strikes forehead with the heal of the hand* DUH! moments. My sister is on the Chicken Committee for the Houston Livestock Show so there may be a resource there. Through that connection last year I bought 2 "pens" of chickens ($50 for a pen of 6) but those are actually a pretty normal chicken put up by a packer on contract. The idea is that the money goes to the scholarship fund, not necessarily to provide utopian chickens. I could also call my local school districts (Clear Creek, Dickenson, Texas City). Has anyone here ever taken advantage of the 4-H clubs as a resource for truly excellent chickens? Other livestock? Does anyone know how that works?

Don't limit your replies to my immediate area. I am sure that any information for any part of Texas would be appreciated.

[sparrowgrass]

Fifi, I am not in Texas, but I am a 4-H youth specialist, working for Extension in Missouri.

Call your local extension office, usually located in the county seat. The agent/specialist who works with the 4-H kids works there, and she or he will be able to tell you if any kids have poultry projects.

Also, many extension offices have access to lists of organic farmers--you might be able to buy your chickens that way.

[fifi]

Great suggestion, sparrowgrass! That will work for anyone here. When I get a chance to make that call in the next few days, I will report what I find out.

[irodguy]

Willis, Texas (Larger Houston Area)

"Camille's Cattle Company"

Contact: Camille Bock

Address: 10216 Bilnoski Rd., Willis, TX 77378

Phone: 936-344-6450

Email: rosebock at flex.net

MapQuest

Camille's Cattle Company is located in Willis, Texas which is approximately 70 miles north of Houston. We direct market not only wonderful grassfed beef and lamb free of any chemicals, drugs or hormones but also have a great mixed flock of free range chickens that give us and our customers the freshest eggs available. Our birds do not get their beaks clipped are never confined in small cages or packed into large confinement houses. They are protected at night from predators but are released each morning to open pastures where they hunt for bugs and seeds. We feed them a commercial non-medicated layer formula, whole corn and fresh water.

[irodguy]

http://www.texasorganicgrowers.org/

[fifi]

http://www.texasorganicgrowers.org/

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That is a great site! Thanks for the link. The "Find Organic Food" button has a lot of information on the individual resources. Also, I am going to give Camille's a call and see if I can order up some chickens. I would probably make a day trip of it to go get them.

[irodguy]

You need to file a report after you go. I have been talking to a grower out by my uncle's ranch in east Texas. Evidently organic ranching and farming is becoming more popular. Ranchers are starting to see the economics in this. Even my uncle has gong out and purchased a small flock of Gunnies Hens to deal with the crickets rather than using poison.

[fifi]

I remember my grandmother using her ducks and geese to eat the bugs in the garden. She had to fence them out until the plants got up to a size that they wouldn't eat but when they were let in, they were efficient bug eaters. The ducks gave us eggs for omelets and those egg whites made the best meringue. For some reason, though, she never raised chickens. I don't recall ever eating duck or goose either. I think they were her pets.

[Richard Kilgore]

Anyone know any sources in the Dallas area?