Starbright Farm

08/03/2023

Our first flock of ducks that we've had since a few days old. They grow so much faster than chickens! From two days to six weeks old. So excited for these bug catchers and lawn mowers with the bonus of eggs and helping preserve a heritage breed, Silver Appleyard, as well. 🦆

08/02/2023

Pullets growing nicely. Looking forward to winter eggs ❤️

12/17/2022

It's only in the pristine, crisp, first snow, that the fluffy white animals don't seem so white anymore.

10/03/2022

Chicken math is real, please respect the breeder!

I come across so many posts and ads daily of breeders and sellers being shamed and slammed for the price they are asking for eggs, pullets and hens. Heck, even people offering cockerels and roosters for a small fee are being ridiculed.

This needs to stop!

🐥If you’ve never done the “real” chicken math, I am going to do it for you, but this is only one part of chicken math.

*Please note that there are still variables I am leaving out here. Cost of hatching and raising a chick to point of lay. Not to mention the difference between heritage breeds and production breeds.*

🐥Seller is offering a $20.00 one year old hen: Buyer gasps and says, how dare you?! That’s just a chicken and a chicken should never cost that much!

*A seller should never have to justify what they charge a customer. Also, a seller should never be belittled for the work they have put into the product and the value they have placed upon it.

As a buyer you’re allowed to walk away while keeping your mouth shut and take your purchase elsewhere.

🐥One $20.00 one year old Brahma hen will produce on an average 200 eggs per year. That is roughly 16 dozen eggs per year.

🐥Average U.S. price per dozen eggs purchased from the shelf of a grocery right now is $3.50 per dozen. Mind you.... those hens are not raised in a healthy manner, nor fed the way they should be to produce a nutritiously prime egg.

*If you’d like to see the difference, crack open a store bought “organic egg” and compare the yolk to your local farmer or breeders egg.

🐥A hen consumes .25 pounds of feed daily. Right now in my valley a bag of lay mash is $21.99 per 50 pounds. Which means one hen costs .10 cents per day to feed.

🐥 One, one year old hen cost for one year-
Purchase price-$20.00
Feed for 365 days-$36.50
16 dozen eggs provided @$3.50 per dozen-
+$56.00

*Yes, my darlings that is a break even. Absolutely zero profit with one hen and that does not even include time, passion and labor. However, to the average chicken tender who houses only a few hens a year to enjoy their company and to be able to have a semblance of sustainability; along with a far superior nutritional content.... Now that is awesome!!!

🐥One single year old hen on her second year- Completely paid for herself, her first year! Depending on the breed you invest in, will determine a hens laying longevity. A production breed can come to a halt after 2 years of age. A heritage breed can continue to productively lay for 3-5 years.

Look at that!!!
The $20 hen you complained about purchasing from a breeder has done nothing but give you $56.00 worth of eggs for several
years.

🐥I am wildly aware that there still are so many variables that can be put into this one scenario. One part I left out is the cost it took for a seller to raise that bird to the point of lay or to be able offer it at a year old.

However, if you go back to my chicken math... it still costs $36.50 per year, per bird.

So the next time someone is offering a hen for $20.00 and you don’t like it.... may all your eggs tumble from your basket. ✌🏻❤️

~photo is of a Blue Partridge Brahma Pullet

09/16/2022

Birthdays are made better by nature and those we love. My sweet big boy giving me all the attention. ❤️

09/08/2022

This 🙌

Before you complain about someone’s prices, you should buy a cow.

Before you tell someone their milk, meat, soap, cheese, produce, etc. is over-priced, you should buy land.

Buy land. Pay for infrastructure. Buy a cow. Train the cow. Pay to Feed the cow. Care for the cow. Learn to milk the cow. Actually milk the cow. Cry over milk the cow kicked and spilled everywhere. Cry over your sick cow while you sit up all night with the vet. Stay up all night with your cow.

Before you complain about someone’s prices, show up. Show up every day. Even when it’s 106*. Even when there’s a hurricane. Even when it’s hailing. Even when it’s freezing and your hands don’t work right. Even when you only got one hour of scattered sleep the night before.

This post is not to complain, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. But it’s important that everyday people understand what they are paying for. Small farms like ours don’t get government subsidies. We pay for everything out of pocket. Before you make a comment about prices think this through. I genuinely believe people make these comments out of ignorance, not to be ugly or rude.

Farmers pay for their products with their lives. Time, blood, energy, emotion, no days off. Most of us don’t break even, much less make a profit. We do this because we believe there is a better way.

When you buy local, you pay for more than the soap or milk or produce in your hands.

Before you complain. Buy a cow. Or goats. or grow a large garden.

Just be mindful.

08/19/2022

My boy Moose. He doesn't do kisses but he likes to boop me with his nose 🥰

07/27/2022

133 days 🥰

07/15/2022

I'm Moose and I'm halfway to a Dire Wolf. 😂

06/28/2022

View from my front door. Rotational grazing. It's how we "mow". Good for the bees by allowing early plants to flower and provide much needed food in early spring. Doesn't use fossil fuels. Free feed for the animals. Win win win.

06/26/2022

Many people in our community and across the country have reached out in support of Naomi, her signs, and the student activists at China Middle School.
I'm happy to say we reached out to the supplier and you can have your own sign!
Email Beth ([email protected]) with the subject "Naomi's signs". Let her know which or both and at what Staples location across the country you'd like to pick up.
They currently have a 25% off of $75 order of signs, if you'd like to order with someone in your area to save.
And let's use the hashtag when you post your support pictures so all the kids that made these signs can see how far their support goes!
I'll make this shareable if you'd like to share the post.
Thank you so much to everyone who supports our family, the students in our community, and students across the country ❤️
-The Harwaths