Source for Organic BC Ducks

[Chef Metcalf]

Virginia from Polderside Farms just called me and says she has some fantastic pekin ducks available (they normally raise chickens but I guess they are still waiting on government approval, so ducks it is).

They are just being processed and she wanted to know if I knew of any companies/restaurants who might want to buy some.

I know many of the restaurants are often sourcing local organic products so I thought I would pass this info along.

I gave her HSG, Rare, West and C but I'm sure there's lots more of you out there who may be interested.

Polderside Farms

Virginia

604-823-7324

-fed all vegetable grains and sunflower seed

-ducks are 5-6lbs per

-she says the flavour is exceptional

-fairly lean as they are fed an all organic vegetarian diet

-quantity 1000

-being processed today

-located in Yarrow...close to Harrison I think.

chefm

[Badiane]

Actually closer to Abbotsford than Harrison...but in reality it's closest to Chilliwack. Very close to my place, really. Drive by it almost every day.

I will make the offer that if anyone wants some, I will pick them up and deliver them for a small fee...say some gingerbread pudding and a few kolaches or the equivalent

Polderside Farms

4843 Giesbrecht Road,

Chilliwack, BC V2R 4R1

Tel. : 604-823-7324

[chef jeff]

We are recieving a couple dozen of these birds on Friday. I will run them as a special over the weekend, and will report back as to how they are.

Jeff

[nwyles]

I look forward to hearing how you liked them Jeff.

[Matt R.]

Virginia from Polderside Farms just called me and says she has some fantastic pekin ducks available (they normally raise chickens but I guess they are still waiting on government approval, so ducks it is).

They are just being processed and she wanted to know if I knew of any companies/restaurants who might want to buy some.

I know many of the restaurants are often sourcing local organic products so I thought I would pass this info along.

I gave her HSG, Rare, West and C but I'm sure there's lots more of you out there who may be interested.

Polderside Farms

Virginia

604-823-7324

-fed all vegetable grains and sunflower seed

-ducks are 5-6lbs per

-she says the flavour is exceptional

-fairly lean as they are fed an all organic vegetarian diet

-quantity 1000

-being processed today

-located in Yarrow...close to Harrison I think.

chefm

←

Just Googled 'polderside farms' for a lark (nice to see what local producers are doing) and was surprised to find that the farm is/was in hot water with the provincial government for growing chicken without "permit or quota", and in fact had their flock seized in Dec 2004.

You can read the report(s) for yourself, they are a little confusing, but I was wondering if this farm is allowed to sell to restaurants, or are licensed for direct sales only?

Anyone have any more information?

-- Matt.

[chef jeff]

Virginia from Polderside Farms just called me and says she has some fantastic pekin ducks available (they normally raise chickens but I guess they are still waiting on government approval, so ducks it is).

They are just being processed and she wanted to know if I knew of any companies/restaurants who might want to buy some.

I know many of the restaurants are often sourcing local organic products so I thought I would pass this info along.

I gave her HSG, Rare, West and C but I'm sure there's lots more of you out there who may be interested.

Polderside Farms

Virginia

604-823-7324

-fed all vegetable grains and sunflower seed

-ducks are 5-6lbs per

-she says the flavour is exceptional

-fairly lean as they are fed an all organic vegetarian diet

-quantity 1000

-being processed today

-located in Yarrow...close to Harrison I think.

chefm

←

Just Googled 'polderside farms' for a lark (nice to see what local producers are doing) and was surprised to find that the farm is/was in hot water with the provincial government for growing chicken without "permit or quota", and in fact had their flock seized in Dec 2004.

You can read the report(s) for yourself, they are a little confusing, but I was wondering if this farm is allowed to sell to restaurants, or are licensed for direct sales only?

Anyone have any more information?

-- Matt.

←

I guess I'll be looking into that!

The unfortunate thing is that these small producers generally are all very ethical, clean etc. in the way that they raise their crops and livestock, but marketing boards and beurocracy prevent them from getting their superior products out to the public. Because of this, farmers get frustrated, sell or go back to conventional practices. As well the public forgets what these products are supposed to taste like because they have been weened on the teet of factory farms and corporate agri-business.

[nwyles]

Virginia from Polderside Farms just called me and says she has some fantastic pekin ducks available (they normally raise chickens but I guess they are still waiting on government approval, so ducks it is).

They are just being processed and she wanted to know if I knew of any companies/restaurants who might want to buy some.

I know many of the restaurants are often sourcing local organic products so I thought I would pass this info along.

I gave her HSG, Rare, West and C but I'm sure there's lots more of you out there who may be interested.

Polderside Farms

Virginia

604-823-7324

-fed all vegetable grains and sunflower seed

-ducks are 5-6lbs per

-she says the flavour is exceptional

-fairly lean as they are fed an all organic vegetarian diet

-quantity 1000

-being processed today

-located in Yarrow...close to Harrison I think.

chefm

←

Just Googled 'polderside farms' for a lark (nice to see what local producers are doing) and was surprised to find that the farm is/was in hot water with the provincial government for growing chicken without "permit or quota", and in fact had their flock seized in Dec 2004.

You can read the report(s) for yourself, they are a little confusing, but I was wondering if this farm is allowed to sell to restaurants, or are licensed for direct sales only?

Anyone have any more information?

-- Matt.

←

I guess I'll be looking into that!

The unfortunate thing is that these small producers generally are all very ethical, clean etc. in the way that they raise their crops and livestock, but marketing boards and beurocracy prevent them from getting their superior products out to the public. Because of this, farmers get frustrated, sell or go back to conventional practices. As well the public forgets what these products are supposed to taste like because they have been weened on the teet of factory farms and corporate agri-business.

←

Yum, the teet of factory farms and corporate agri-business.

[Chef Metcalf]

I emailed Virginia your concerns Matt R, and she's going to respond shortly.

She's not a member now, but will email me a response and I'll post if for her until she's up and running with an account.

Things are not always as they appear.

[annanstee]

-I guess I'll be looking into that! 

The unfortunate thing is that these small producers generally are all very ethical, clean etc. in the way that they raise their crops and livestock, but marketing boards and beurocracy prevent them from getting their superior products out to the public.  Because of this, farmers get frustrated, sell or go back to conventional practices.  As well the public forgets what these products are supposed to taste like because they have been weened on the teet of factory farms and corporate agri-business.

←

Well said Chef Jeff. I remember well that after the Great Chicken Massacre of a couple of years ago the AgroBorgs were calling for a ban on all organic chickens-yeah because factory farming does not spread disease- ethical farming does.

[Chef Metcalf]

Here's Virginia's reply...

"Thank you for letting me read the responses from E-gullet.

I tried to join e-gullett, but they are not accepting applications

until March 12th. Meantime...fire any questions and I will respond directly

to you.

Yes, we are the farm that had our chicken flock seized December 8th 2004 by the BCCMB. If one wants to take the time and read the FIRB report....(it is actually like a court hearing, where both sides give testimony)...they will find that we actually won the case....but the BCCMB and all the marketing boards are very powerful and offer a lot of money to Governments in power.

We sold our big farm on Vancouver Island in order to continue growing and have our birds processed in a Federal processing plant because of new meat processing rules....and VI at that time did not have any facility. We asked the BCCMB for permission to move....they said "yes"......then after moving, and growing three flocks they swooped down one night before Christmas and seized the flock!! Just before Christmas....large 7-8 lbs birds, fed and all vegetable grain!!

(PS. Don Cayo, Vanc Sun Business Reporter did two articles on our situation Dec 9th and 16th 2005 and is doing a follow-up this month again)

The Provincial Gov't had just started what is called "a Specialty Review". The marketing Boards are not pleased about being "told" what to do and what to grow. We believe we were singled out in order to "make a point"!! The Marketing Boards believe that in a perfect world, all food should be grown in factory farms. However, factory farming is based on economies-of-scale.....and there is no incentive to grow quality, nutritious food. Most chicken is still fed with animal protein (that is so unnatural). If you look at the bones of the small fryers (say a Kentucky fried chicken) you will see the darkness inside the bones.....that shows how young the bird was when slaughtered....the haemoglobin has not yet changed into calcium.....and the bird has a very mild flavour....not the chicken flavour you remember from your Grandma's farm!!

We give our birds 3-4 sqft each to grow in..play and romp!! We used to "pasture" our birds.....letting them out on grassy lawns to supplement their food and give them fresh air and sunlight. We will not pasture our birds in the FV because of the magnitude of factory farming that is here and the potential for Avian 'flu. We give our birds flaked alfalfa, garlic and mustard seed instead and open the doors of the barn that have screens on them in order to give the birds fresh air and sunshine. We also grow the chickens for 8-9 weeks and the ducks for 10-12 weeks.

The problem is ordinary people are just not aware of what goes into their food today, how it is grown....and how it is affecting today's human physiology and health conditions. People are not aware that all the chickens being grown by "factory" farms in the FV raise very hybridized birds (that means that one rooster is the father of thousands of chicks....and also means that their auto-immune systems are compromised....so the need to inject antibiotics into their food and water), in tight growing conditions ( .65sqft....less then a foot) each for their entire lives which consists usually of 39-41 days.

I could write for days about this situation.....from the incredible nutrient (litter-poop-manure) that is being created by the factory farms in the FV that is polluting our aquifers.....to the increased ammonium in the air from concentrating all the factory growing in one region.....because it is economically viable from the Provincial gov'ts point of view!!! It is not lowering our Health care costs!! But.....you see.....there is another agenda....do we really care if people are fed well or just cheaply??

A link for all to read on the Avian 'flu is : http://www.grain.org/go/birdflu

We are hoping that the BCCMB will give us back our "permit-quota" to grow certified organic roasting chickens here in Yarrow. They had a Board meeting yesterday. The Board does not believe the public wants this "Specialty" product!!

Meanwhile, we want to grow in a conscientious manner....that is good for my body and yours as well. We are passionate on this subject and definitely transparent on everything we do....so any more questions??

Virginia "

____________________________________________________________

We'll look forward to you becoming a member Virginia.

I think you can add a great perspective from the organic farmers side of the things.

Keep following along and anything you'd like to post or respond to you can email to me and I'd be happy to put it on the forum for you.

cm

[mtigges]

To whom do we write to inform the board that there do exist people who want this "specialty" product?

[annanstee]

To whom do we write to inform the board that there do exist people who want this "specialty" product?

←

I just fired off an email to the BC Chicken Marketing Board to do exactly that!

Here is the URL for the contact page

http://www.bcchicken.ca/contact?PHPSESSID=...f585a25bdd3272e

Edited March 9, 2006 by annanstee (log)

[chef jeff]

Thanks to Virginia for the feedback. Pass on my thanks and support please Chef Metcalf. I look forward to serving her ducks this weekend as a special, and will contact her about her chickens.

Jeff

[chef jeff]

Thanks to Virginia for the feedback.  Pass on my thanks and support please Chef Metcalf.  I look forward to serving her ducks this weekend as a special, and will contact her about her chickens.

Jeff

←

We will also inform our clientelle and pass on the link to contact the marketing board

[*Deborah*]

Thanks for that, cm.

[Chef Metcalf]

Thanks to Virginia for the feedback.  Pass on my thanks and support please Chef Metcalf.  I look forward to serving her ducks this weekend as a special, and will contact her about her chickens.

Jeff

←

We will also inform our clientelle and pass on the link to contact the marketing board

←

I think Virginia will be very pleased to hear all this Jeff.

As I'm sure you know from talking to her, she's very passionate about the subject of raising organic poultry and farming.

cm

[annanstee]

Virginia,

Do you sell to the laiety as well? I am sure there will be interest among the Joe Publics among us

Edited March 9, 2006 by annanstee (log)

[Matt R.]

Thanks to Virginia for the feedback.  Pass on my thanks and support please Chef Metcalf.  I look forward to serving her ducks this weekend as a special, and will contact her about her chickens.

Jeff

←

Also, thanks for the feedback.

At work, we buy our chickens and ducks from Lyle Young and they are fabulous. So good, I buy them to cook at home, too! Not only do they taste better, but I feel better feeding my family an animal that I know was treated well during it's life. In fact, I broke down a 6lb bird and am marinating it for supper tonight.

I believe he has built the only CFIA licensed chicken slaughterhouse on the Island, and was rumoured to approach seven figures. Apparently the rules and regs are so stringent, that he was required to build a male and female washroom (one of each!) just for the inspectors, because you never knew which gender would show up to have a look around.

As an aside, are these types of poultry products not readily available on the lower mainland?

And what are you planning for the ducks, Chef?

-- Matt.

[James Kendal]

Cowichan Bay Farm has amazing Duck:

Whole Duck, fresh or frozen

4-6 pounds

$4.50/lb.

Damn,

Should have noticed Matt's Post

[Chef Metcalf]

Virginia,

Do you sell to the laiety as well?  I am sure there will be interest among the Joe Publics among us

←

I went into 3P this afternoon to pick something up and she'd already dropped some ducks off, so try there if you're around North Van.

Not sure if they sell direct to the public or not.

3P Natural and Exotic Meats

103-233 Mountain Hwy

North Vancouver

604-986-5606

[Chef Metcalf]

Virginia replies...

"Hello,

Just returned home from the deliveries into the "big city"!! Delivered to

P-3, Aurora, then West Restaurant!!! Thank you for the connections!!! As

far as selling to the public....since we have made contact with P-3 Natural

and Exotic meats in North Vancouver, BC....this should be the outlet as far

as retail is concerned. If another retail outlet is interested...of course I

will sell. It is so far out..and so far in for just one or two birds....It

is better that I deliver several cases at a time and the general public can

buy one at a time?

Thank you all for your encouragement!! The man to voice your concerns about

getting better quality poultry is

Bill Vanderspek, GM of the BC Chicken

Marketing Board

....and then the Gov't agency protecting the Marketing Boards

is

FIRB ( Farm Industry Review Board) Jim Collins.

The public just has to

speak up, because what is being ordained right under their noses is

outrageous.

Lyle Young on Vancouver Island stepped up to the plate when no corporate

would....and has gone into debt $1.2M in order to accommodate Provincial

Inspection rules to process poultry on VI. The BCCMB must support the local

processors, but has decided to hand out just 5 New Entrant quotas to VI.

However they are to produce just "mainstream" product and must be sold to

Lyle Young for marketing board prices....presently at $1.19-1.39/kg. The

cost to grow poultry on VI is higher because of transportation costs for

feed, higher heating costs etc. The large quota holders are all selling

their quota into the Fraser Valley (more factory farms)....and why is that?

Because, even after owning the quota for years (probably paid for by now)

and producing product does not make them money!!! So how on earth does the

BCCMB expect to hand out little quotas....50,000kgs/annum live (35000 kgs

dressed) and expect the little farmer to survive?? What happened to the

"specialty"....who's growing the higher quality food....without stress,

animal protein and antibiotics?? Did you know that the quota is being sold

presently for $65/bird ( they now calculate this figure in kgs, but this is

the general cost). then one has to buy the land, build the barn and equip

it..break-even is around 20,000 birds. (65 X 20,000 = $1,300,000) .I

believe in supply -management, but the quota has become a commodity...and

has nothing to do with farming!!! Now do you see why no young families can

get into the business unless they have help, or family already in the

business. How is that helping our country??

Something is very wrong with our thinking in this province....but we have so

much abundance that it is not a top priority. If one stops to think that we

could have an environmental catastrophe any time....earthquake etc...the

best way to survive is to have your food produced within a few hundred miles

of the major centres. If factory farmed food is all one cares about....I

guess then maybe I am out to lunch....but I think we all need better then

what is being forced upon us these days!!! Do we stop and question the

ingredients in all these convenient articles on the grocery shelves?? We

should, as it is causing a lot of problems to human health....but I could go

on and on....must go feed my spring lamb babies....they are bouncing in the

field and calling my name!!! :-))

Thank you for all of this,

Virginia"

Edited March 10, 2006 by Chef Metcalf (log)

[chef jeff]

So it's Friday, 5:00 and I had a couple of free minutes to drop a quick post on this duck. I just cooked a breast up to try out. The verdict from myself and the rest of the staff is a resounding "Very, very tender, great texture with a subtle flavour." Personally, I would like a little more flavour, but overall it's very good duck.

We are serving the breasts roasted with a ambrosia apple, sweet potato and aged cheddar terrine and whiskey jus. Kurtis will suggest lighter wines to pair with it such as a BC Gamay Noir, or a nice Semillon, and especially the Joie Pinot Noir Rose

Cheers, Jeff

[Foodie in Vancouver]

I read of Virginia's plight and I am dumbstruck. How is that someone with the expertise, passion and commitment can be essentially regulated out of business? What don't I get? I will be another person voicing my opinion to the boards of this and that. Totally unfathomable.

I work in a regulated industry but at least the regulations make sense and clearly speak to public benefit and safety. Forcing farmers to only raise food stock in factory farms is just plain idiotic. (Just censored myself to save Arne the effort )