New chickens raised in an old-world way€¦ · New chickens raised in an old-world way Chickens at...

L A U R A R O B I N , O T T A W A C I T I Z E N

More from Laura Robin, Ottawa Citizen (HTTP://OTTAWACITIZEN.COM/AUTHOR/LAURAANNEROBIN)

Published on: August 9, 2016 | Last Updated: August 9, 2016 8:59 PM EDT

New chickens raised in an old-world way

Chickens at Ferme Rêveuse are free to wander inside and out of their airy coops, which are moved every day to fresh pasture. E R R O L

M C G I H O N / P O S T M E D I A

Sabrina Schneider, 4, and her little sister Marlena, 2,

beyond adorable in their brimmed straw hats, are eager to get

inside the pen where 500 three-week-old chickens are milling.

And why not? The enclosure, which was custom-made using a greenhouse frame, is clean, airy

and shaded from the sun. There’s not even any visible chicken poop, since the coop is moved

every day to fresh, thick grass so the chickens can graze.

“I want them to have space to move,” says Kornel Schneider. He’s referring to his chickens, not his

children, though the girls obviously love getting free range of the farm about an hour east of Ottawa.

Schneider is taking advantage of a new rule in Ontario that’s allowing some farmers to do things in

an old-world way.

“Our goal is to make connections with customers who care about healthy food, animal welfare and

who think that nature should be a part of food production,” says Schneider, who moved to the

Ottawa area from Switzerland when he was just 23, aware that his parents’ farm would not be big

enough to pass down to both him and his brother.

Schneider has operated his Ferme Rêveuse as a dairy farm since, and is proud that his cattle

eat mainly grass. But because of the supply-management system, he cannot market his milk as

grass-fed, nor deal directly with consumers.

of 11http://ottawacitizen.com/life/food/new-chickens-raised-in-an-old-world-way

“The milk truck backs in every second day and takes away our milk. We’re never told that it’s good,

we’re never told that we’re doing an awesome job.”

He and his wife Olga decided to add pasture-raised chickens to their operation.

“We thought, if we can’t sell our milk as pastured and natural, let’s do chickens.”

They were prepared to raise just 300 chickens a year, the maximum under the Family Food

program, but new regulations that took effect this year now allow about 100 “non-quota” Ontario

farmers to raise as many as 3,000 chickens a year under a new Artisanal Chicken program.

The Schneiders signed on, getting their first batch of 500 baby chicks on April 17, 10 days after the

birth of their twins, Rupert and Katrina.

Kornel and Olga Schneider have two little girls, Sabrina (standing) and Marlena, and newborn twins, Rupert and

Katrina. E R R O L M C G I H O N / P O S T M E D I A

Kornel’s parents flew over from Switzerland to lend a hand in May, but how did they cope in those

first weeks with two newborns, two little girls, a busy dairy farm, inventing and building three

moveable coops, and 500 newborn chicks?

“I don’t really remember,” says Schneider, laughing. It’s hard to imagine, however, that their tidy

farm, where Olga bakes fresh bread, makes elderflower cordial, and where they churn their own

grass-fed butter, could have been anything less than orderly.

After about nine weeks, Schneider started taking his first batch of eight- to 10-pound (about

4-kilogram) pasture-raised chickens around to Ottawa stores. While they eat mainly grass and bugs

as they get older, in their first days the chicks also have access to feed, but the Schneiders make

sure that it contains no hormones, no medications and no animal byproducts.

Jennifer Heagle, owner of the Red Apron, was so impressed, she created new home-delivery

menus to feature them (see recipe below).

“We are describing these chickens as ‘better than organic’ because it is a truly unique and

wonderful way to raise animals,” says Heagle, who hopes one day to organize a bus tour to show

customers the Schneiders’ wholesome farm, near Curran.

The 45 chickens Heagle bought cost more than the ones she used before, and she has had to hire

a butcher to break them into parts. She says that to her, it’s worth the expense and the effort since

the chickens are so superior to “the most ‘natural’ product we have been able to source to date.”


Marlena enjoys playing among the grazing chickens. E R R O L M C G I H O N / P O S T M E D I A

While average supermarket chickens are three to four pounds, the Schneiders’ have turned out to

be eight to 10 pounds by the time they’re nine weeks old.

“They’re bigger because the factory farm ones don’t get enough exercise,” says Schneider.

Heagle has used the large breasts for two sets of meals, and plans to use the thighs for another.

“We’ll use the leg meat for pies, the bones for stock, the livers for pâté, and we’re saving the

wings to do something special. Every part will be used. One of these chickens could feed a family

of four for a week.” (Find her week’s worth of recipes, complete with a shopping list, below).

Schneider recalls taking five of his chickens for the first time to Adam’s Sausages, on Michael

Street near St. Laurent Boulevard and the Queensway.

“The owner told me they were too expensive.” (They average $27 for a half chicken and $40 to $44

for whole ones.)

“I started explaining the difference, how they were grass-pastured. By the time I finished explaining,

a customer said he wanted to buy all five chickens and the owner told me to go get five more for the

store.

“We have not tried to be cheaper than somebody, but we’ve tried to be better.”

The Artisanal Chicken program started this year at about 100 farms spread fairly evenly

across Ontario, says Chicken Farmers of Ontario spokesman Michael Edmonds. Applications are

open now to allow 80 more farmers to join.

“The goal is to help address gaps in the existing consumer marketplace for locally-grown chicken.”

While the new program allows for smaller farms to sell chickens, it doesn’t stipulate how they are

raised.

In order to allow his chickens to be free range and pastured, Schneider took four weeks to build

open-air coops, with outside access, and attached not only electric wires to keep out predators, but

heavy chains to attach them to a tractor to pull them to fresh grass every 24 hours. The fact that his

fields were already equipped with water lines, for the cattle, made keeping the chickens hydrated

easier, though the baby chicks didn’t drink enough until he tied down the water lines to stop them

from swinging in the breeze.

“I had to learn things. That’s part of our job, to be here and observe. I think this is probably unique

in Ontario, but I don’t know for sure.”


So far, he has raised just White Rock hens, but would like to try heritage breeds in the future.

Already, he has found that the chicken poop has fed the grass, improving the pasture not only for

his chickens, but also his cattle.

“That’s the way farms used to be, balanced,” he says. “We’re proud to raise chickens that had a life,

could run, see the sun and go outside.”

Schneider says he named his Ferme Rêveuse after the first calf he was given, as a teenager. “It

means ‘Dream Farm.’ “

Sisters Marlena, left, and Sabrina at their Ferme Rêveuse in Curran. E R R O L M C G I H O N / P O S T M E D I A

Ferme-Rêveuse Pastured Chicken

What: New pasture-raised chickens from a farm about an hour east of Ottawa.

How much: About $40 to $44 for an 8- to 10-lb (about 4-kg) chicken.

Who’s serving it: The Red Apron will feature Ferme-Rêveuse chicken on its home-delivery menus

throughout the year. The breasts will be served with a lemon garlic sauce on the dinners Aug. 18

(order by Aug. 17 at noon); the thighs will be braised in white wine and tomatoes on the Aug. 25

menu. Restaurants such as Clover on Bank Street, Vert Fourchette in Vankleek Hill and the new

Andaz Hotel, which is to open in the ByWard Market later this month, have also ordered these

premium chickens.

Where to buy it: Adam’s Sausages, 1437 Michael St. You can also order directly from the farm,

with delivery in Ottawa (“No order is too small,” says farmer Kornel Schneider), or through Savour

Ottawa Online, with pick-up at the Parkdale Market.

More: ferme-reveuse.ca


The Red Apron featured the new chicken in this succulent recipe. E R R O L M C G I H O N / P O S T M E D I A

Roast Breast of Chicken with Eggplant, Olive and Caper Tapenade

The Red Apron featured Ferme Rêveuse chicken in its home-delivery meals for the first time on

July 27, using this recipe. “We’re trying to use these chickens in dishes where the sauces and

seasonings are on the side,” says owner Jennifer Heagle. “We want people to be able to taste the

chicken and appreciate the difference.”

Heagle says that if you’re using regular chicken breasts, you’ll need four to feed four people. “But if

you are using Ferme Rêveuse ones, you could probably feed a family of four with just one or two

breasts.”

She says that because the meat from the Ferme Rêveuse chickens is more dense, the chickens

would be especially tasty if brined before roasting.

Makes: 4 serving

Preparation time: about 45 minutes

For the tapenade:

1 large eggplant, skin on, cut in half lengthwise

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

1 cup (250 mL) kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

¼ cup (60 mL) capers, drained and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp (30 mL) parsley, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

For the chicken:

¼ to ½ cup (60 to 125 mL) butter or olive oil

4 boneless breasts of chicken, skin on for better flavour

Juice from one half lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh or 2 tsp (10 mL) dried herbs, such as tarragon, rosemary, thyme, oregano

1. To make tapenade: Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Coat eggplant with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the olive oil.

Place eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until skin is blistered and brown. Set

aside; dice when cool enough to handle. Place diced eggplant, olives, capers, garlic and parsley in a

bowl; add the remaining olive oil and half the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust

seasonings.


2. To roast chicken: Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Oil an ovenproof baking dish. Pat the chicken dry

and rub with butter or olive oil. Squeeze the lemon juice over, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and

herbs.

3. Place the chicken in the pan and roast until the juices run clear, about 20 to 30 minutes. Let rest for five

to 10 minutes before serving, with tapenade.

The Red Apron’s Jennifer Heagle argues that while some say local and organic foods are expensive, if you plan wisely,

you can still eat economically. J U L I E O L I V E R / O T T A W A C I T I Z E N

Feed a family of 4 for a week with one chicken:

Here’s the Red Apron’s Jennifer Heagle’s blueprint for feeding a family, deliciously, for a whole

week, starting with just one chicken.

Shopping list:

7-8 pound pasture raised Ferme Rêveuse chicken

3 medium onions

3-4 red peppers

Small bag of baby spinach

2 medium sweet potatoes

3 medium potatoes (Yukon gold or russet)

1 large carrot

1 bunch of kale

1 whole leek

2 cups sweet peas

1 large Spanish onion

1 bunch green onions

2 ripe avocados

2 lemons

1 cup frozen corn kernels


2 heads garlic

1 knob fresh ginger

3 cups organic brown basmati

1 small package organic whole-wheat penne or ziti

250 ml whole cream (whipping cream)

½ cup grated Parmesan

4 cups grated cheddar

500 ml sour cream

8 soft corn tortillas (or soft wheat tortillas)

1 large (750 ml) can of diced tomatoes

1 large (750 ml)can organic white beans

1 small (450 ml) can organic black beans

1 large (750 ml) can of organic chickpeas

1 jar (500 ml) mild salsa

Herbs and spices including: cumin, chili powder, mild curry powder, fresh thyme, fresh cilantro,

fresh oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper

Sunday

Cook Chicken/Make Stock

Whole Local Chicken (7-8 lb) – Organic or Hormone & Antibiotic Free

1 onion, peeled & quartered

1 head of garlic, peeled

1 medium carrot, peeled, large dice

1 celery stalk

1 thyme branch

2 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cover the chicken cold water in a large stainless steel stockpot and bring to a boil. When the water

comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and skim off the gray foam that rises to the

surface. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, bay, and salt.

Cook gently for 1-1.5 hours until the chicken is cooked. Remove, and when cool enough to handle

remove all the meat & wings. Put the carcass and the wings back in the pot and continue to simmer

on low for another 2-3 hours until the broth tastes rich and is a light golden colour. Strain through a

fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth or fine sieve. Return the stock to pot and

simmer on high to reduce to 2-3 litres.

Allow the stock to cool completely; skim the fat and promptly refrigerate.

Cook 3 cups of basmati rice per instructions on bag.

Monday

Curried Sweet Potato & Chicken Stew


Oil (canola or olive)

2 medium onions, peeled and diced

1 red pepper, seeded and sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled & grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

½ can of diced tomatoes diced (reserve juice and remaining tomatoes for another recipe)

1 small can of coconut milk

1 cup of organic canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed

2 cups of chicken stock

1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 large or two medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed (1 inch cubes) and cooked until just tender

(sweet potatoes could be cooked in the chicken stock)

cooked meat from one chicken breast, cubed

½ bag of baby spinach leaves.

Salt, to taste

serve on rice

Prep all of the above ingredients

Sauté onions in a large saucepan on medium high heat until soft. Add Red Peppers, and cook until

peppers wilt. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes and coconut

milk and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add chickpeas, 1 cup of chicken stock, chicken and sweet

potatoes. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and more curry powder to taste.

If the stew is too thick, thin with remaining chicken stock. Before serving, toss in spinach leaves.

Serve on steamed rice.

You could garnish this dish with chopped green onions, cilantro & avocado.

Tuesday

White Bean, Kale & Potato Soup

Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced

1 can organic white beans (rinsed & drained)

1 bunch of kale (rough chopped)

3 medium potatoes (peeled, cubed )

1 liter of chicken stock

diced meat from one chicken thigh

Juice from can of tomatoes

Fresh time & oregano (1 tablespoon each, chopped)


Sauté onions & garlic in soup pot in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add kale and cook until wilted. Remove

from pan. Put potatoes, chicken stock, tomato juice in the soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat

and simmer on low until potatoes are tender. Add white beans, chicken and herbs and simmer for

10-15 minutes. Add back kale & onion mixture and test for seasoning. Add salt to taste and serve.

This meal would be best served with crusty bread. The soup can be garnished with fresh chopped

parsley and grated cheese on top.

Wednesday

Pasta, Chicken, Pea & Leek Casserole

2 tablespoons butter

1 whole leek, cleaned and sliced thinly (white and light green parts only)

1 small package organic whole wheat penne or ziti, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained

250 ml whole cream (35%)

1 cup green sweet peas (frozen),

½ bag of baby spinach leaves

meat from one chicken breast (cubed),

½ cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated cheddar

salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan. Sauté the leeks until soft. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add peas,

season with salt & pepper. In a large bowl mix together cooked pasta, cream/leek mixture, peas,

chicken, cheddar cheese & spinach. Transfer to ovenproof casserole and top with parmesan.

(Everything up to this step could be done one to 2 days in advance.)

To serve: Cook at 375 until warmed through and top is golden brown.

Thursday

Layered Chicken Tacos

Olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled & sliced

1 large red pepper, seeded & sliced

½ can of diced tomatoes, rough chopped (reserve juice for another recipe)

meat from chicken leg and thigh (shredded)

2 green onions, diced

2 avocados

juice of 2 lemons

1 package of small corn tacos (fresh),

1 cup frozen corn kernels,

1 cup organic black beans drained & rinsed

cumin, chili powder

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

500 ml sour cream


1 jar of mild salsa

Heat oil in a sauté pan and sauté onions and peppers until caramelized. Add shredded chicken

meat and season with cumin, salt & pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat more oil in pan and sauté green onions, tomatoes, corn kernels and black beans. Season

with chili powder and lemon juice.

Layer ingredients in a 9×12 inch baking pan, starting with bean mixture, chicken, salsa, sour

cream, tacos – at least 2 layers, finishing with tacos, thin layer of salsa and cheddar cheese. Bake

at 350 for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.

Slice avocados and drizzle with lemon juice & oil. Season with salt. Serve with Tacos.

Ottawa Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/story.html?id=7195492) for more

information.

2 Comments Sort by

Dorothy Blitzer

as someone who owned large parrots, i know they shouldnt be resting on their food. birds are just a LOT of work. especially

farm animals are not bred to stay healthy into old age. for them, its all about keeping their feet off their food and clean water

and good air circulation with daily mild sun exposure. the tough thing too is that they dont often like each other if they are

happy. and they should be getting tons and tons of excercise all day to build their muscles. how do you feed something like

that? with very good, high energy food. so good, we should probably eating their food instead.

Like · Reply · 3 hrs

GogolinJoel · Madawaska Valley District High School

Our chickens go off tomorrow for their final road trip. Cant wait till they are back in the freezer and the oven. Its a lot of work

but nice knowing where my food comes from

Like · Reply · 1 · Aug 9, 2016 7:50pm

ConstantineauVivian · MVD High School

it's also important to know what they were fed?

Like · Reply · Aug 10, 2016 10:18am

Dorothy Blitzer

Vivian Constantineau they should be eating like pigs.

Like · Reply · 3 hrs

Facebook Comments Plugin

Top

Add a comment...


© 2016 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.

Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.

Powered by WordPress.com VIP (https://vip.wordpress.com/?utm_source=vip_powered_wpcom&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=VIP%20Footer%20Credit)

(HTTP://WWW.POSTMEDIA.COM)


New chickens raised in an old-world way€¦ · New chickens raised in an old-world way Chickens at...

Documents

Transcript of New chickens raised in an old-world way€¦ · New chickens raised in an old-world way Chickens at...