05/14/2026
THIS is what farm fresh chicken looks like!
Yesterday was processing day for our pasture-raised meat birds, and seeing all that chicken in the freezers felt like a huge accomplishment here at WK Family Farms.
What many people don’t see is everything that goes into getting nutritious, pasture-raised chicken from our farm to your table.
The day before processing, the birds are moved twice so they always have fresh grass. Their feed is pulled that afternoon, then they’re moved again that evening onto clean pasture one last time.
Processing day starts around 4 a.m.
It’s me, Dad, and Wayne out in the pasture, in the dark, with chicken crates, a trailer, and headlights loading birds before sunrise. Once everything is loaded, we clean up, grab breakfast Mom has ready for us, and head to the processor about an hour and a half away.
After check-in, unloading, and discussing how the birds will be processed, we head back home to prepare for pickup later that day. That means organizing freezers, cleaning ice chests, gathering ice packs, and making room for hundreds of pounds of fresh refrigerated chicken that still has to be frozen properly once we get home.
That afternoon, we make the trip all over again. Loading coolers full of freshly processed chicken and carefully checking that everything is accounted for before heading back home.
Then comes the final step: getting every package arranged in the freezers so it freezes evenly and safely within 24 - 48 hours. No tossing boxes in a pile and calling it done around here.
It’s a long day. It’s hard work. But it’s worth it.
We’re thankful for every customer who supports local farms and chooses food raised with care, intention, and a whole lot of early mornings.
