Locally Laid: How We Built A Plucky, Industry-Changing Egg Farm - From Scratch

How a Midwestern family with no agriculture experience went from a few backyard chickens to a full-fledged farm?and discovered why local chicks are better. When Lucie Amundsen had a rare night out with her husband, she never imagined what he?d tell her over dinner?that his dream was to quit his office job (with benefits!) and start a commercial-scale pasture-raised egg farm. His entire agricultural experience consisted of raising five backyard hens, none of whom had yet laid a single egg. To create this pastured poultry ranch, the couple scrambles to acquire nearly two thousand chickens?all named Lola. These hens, purchased commercially, arrive bereft of basic chicken-y instincts, such as the evening urge to roost. The newbie farmers also deal with their own shortcomings, making for a failed inspection and intense struggles to keep livestock alive (much less laying) during a brutal winter. But with a heavy dose of humor, they learn to negotiate the highly stressed no-man?s-land known as Middle Agriculture. Amundsen sees firsthand how these midsized farms, situated between small-scale operations and mammoth factory farms, are vital to rebuilding America?s local food system. With an unexpected passion for this dubious enterprise, Amundsen shares a messy, wry, and entirely educational story of the unforeseen payoffs (and frequent pitfalls) of one couple?s ag adventure?and many, many hours spent wrangling chickens.

Author: Lucie B. Amundsen

Publisher: Avery

Publication Date: Feb 28, 2017

Number of Pages: 336 pages

Language: English

Binding: Paperback/Social Science

ISBN-10: 0399185607

ISBN-13: 9780399185601