A Passion for Poultry

by Bill Holleran

 

Sandy Corlett didn’t grow up on a farm. She dreamed of having a piece of land while living in Louisville. Now she’s living that dream on her 56-acre farm in Shelby County where she raises chickens for both meat and eggs that she sells to restaurants and farmers’ markets across Kentucky. Faith, hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn turned Corlett’s passion into reality.

 

While attending Lawrence University Corlett was inspired by one of her instructors who practiced self sufficient living. “Professor Ribbons practiced sustainable agriculture, and I developed a rather romanticized view of farming,” said Corlett. “I bought a book called ‘Farming for Self-Sufficiency on 10 Acres’ and carried it around for 10 years before buying a farm.” In just three years Corlett’s Earth’s Promise has become popular with farmers’ market customers and chefs alike.

 

Corlett rotationally grazes her chickens in small paddocks with moveable pens on pasture. The birds have daily exposure to sunlight, pasture, and organic feed and benefit from the natural environment. Corlett takes 300 chickens to S&S Enterprises in Bowling Green every two weeks during peak season to be processed. S&S is currently the only licensed USDAinspected poultry processor available for independent growers.

 

Whole fryers typically bring $5.02 per pound retail or $6.52 per pound for breast meat. Her broiler chickens are harvested at eight weeks of age and weigh around 3 1/2 pounds per carcass. She also raises turkeys for the Thanksgiving market. These birds are supplemented with an organic feed and managed outside in moveable pens. Her laying hens are also managed in moveable pens on pasture. The certified organic eggs are sold for $4 per dozen.

 

Last season Corlett obtained a farmers’ market temporary food service establishment permit that allows her to serve ready-to-eat meals at registered farmers’markets. “My idea was to have an outdoor café with tables, real silverware, and cloth napkins where people could sample our products before buying them.” This permit was new in 2007 as a cooperative effort between Community Farm Alliance, Kentucky Department for Public Health and KDA. She started with four tables and 16 chairs and has had tremendous response from market patrons. It takes four people to manage the market booth and the food business. She sells omelettes and chicken from 8 a.m. till noon at several markets. Her café concept has been so well-received she’s even considered opening a restaurant.

 

Corlett is interested in environmental stewardship and made a commitment to organic farming from the start. “It’s more of a mission to me than anything else,” said Corlett. Her farm is certified with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s “Certified Organic” program, which inspects and certifies organic farms throughout Kentucky. She and her husband, Jason Tucker, also raise organic vegetable crops that they sell at farmers’ markets. Corlett’s advice to other new farmers is to do a lot of research and do your homework: “Try to think of potential problems before you start doing anything, and work out how you would solve them before they happen.” Corlett demonstrates that you don’t need an agriculture background to support agriculture and make an impact in your community. “Kentucky has an amazing opportunity right now with the tobacco settlement funds helping farmers diversify into new areas. Kentucky can set the standard of the interior of the country in the buy local food movement, and the best thing is the demand is already there—it’s consumer-driven,” Corlett said. Corlett is also a member of KDA’s Kentucky Proud Program. Earth’s Promise farm has a listing on the “Local Harvest” Web site at www. localharvest.org. She also may be reached by calling (502) 647-8929. Anyone interested in food service, meat, and egg regulations for farmers’ markets should visit the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Market Web page at www.kyagr.com/ marketing/farmmarket/index.htm.