Nearly 20 years ago, the Hale family started with 100 chickens in the first year, and now they're projected to raise, process, and direct-market 70,000 broilers. In this producer profile, Grady Phelan talks with third generation farmer David Hale about the growth of Windy Meadows Farm.
What's the key to David's success? There are many, but at the center of the success is a clear division of labor that allows one person to focus on a specific area, such as production, hatching, processing, and marketing. The Hales make it a family affair, but it's a cooperative model that could be adopted by any group of producers, regardless of surname.
Featured Resources

Windy Meadows Farm website
Winy Meadows Farm on Facebook
APPPA Producer Plus Membership
Raising Pastured Poultry by Jody Padgham
Feeding Pasture-Raised Poultry by Jeff Mattocks


PPT009: David Hale Talks Large Scale Pastured Broiler Production in Texas

Mike Badger dives into the the production, the processing, the marketing, and the business of farming pasture-raised poultry.  Pastured Poultry Talk is THE podcast where raising chickens, turkeys, and poultry on grass meets real life opportunities, solutions, and farmers. The podcast helps you raise healthy, profitable birds for your family, your community, and your customers.

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I have a conversation with Chrislyn Wood, DVM, about the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and pasture raised flocks. Dr. Wood is a veterinarian with USDA APHIS and she is involved first hand with HPAI monitoring and response efforts.  We cover a lot of ground, including historical observations, risk assessment, disease identification, and prevention.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Pastured Poultry Flocks

I'm still here. Plus, I'd like to invite you to attend APPPA's Professional Pastured Poultry Conference (https://apppa.org/Conference) from January 16-18, 2022.  At this year's conference, I am teaming up with John Suscovich and Luke Groce to host a meetup for the listeners of our shows.  As a listener to Pastured Poultry Talk, you're invited to meetup, chat, and just connect. Stay tuned for day and time information.  

Pastured Poultry Talk Meetup

Greg Gunthorp joins the show to talk about his decision to step away from pasture raised chickens. Covid plays into the story, of course, but the challenges started long before this virus came to be front page news.  We also dig into some processing wisdom and reality. Greg talks consolidation and Bill Gates. We dig deep and cover a lot of interconnected ground.

The Days of Wholesale Pastured Chickens are Over for Greg Gunthorp

Cynthia Capers, Heniscity Farm in Tennessee, shares her 20+ year journey from hobby chicken keeper to poultry farmer. Twenty years ago, the sight of six Black Australorps brought tears to her eyes. Today, she's serving her community through egg sales, chick sales, pullet sales, and community education. She's incorporated poultry into their rural bed and breakfast and has become an integral resource in her community.  As a black farmer reconnecting to the land and rediscovering her ancestral roots, the journey isn't easy, but Cynthia is right where she needs to be inspiring those around her. She brings the power of chickens to life. In the show we cover:   Her exposure to animals in an urban environment Incorporating chickens into the B&B; Covid challenges Eggs as the answer to hunger Connecting to the land and honoring Mother Africa Importance of friends and support ...and more  Resources:  Heniscity Farm on Facebook Nashville Scene Article:  Black Farmers Feed Their Neighbors and Connect With Their Ancestors.

Turning a 20 year chicken hobby into a farm with Cynthia Capers

I answer a listener question, "How can I make my small laying hen flock more profitable?" With feedback from the community, insights from The Fighting Farmer, and personal experience, we dive deep into ways to prosper from your small flock of laying hens. The answer divides into three sections: management, pricing, and markets/marketing.  Ask your questions at https://pasturedpoultrytalk.com/contact.   

PPT009: David Hale Talks Large Scale Pastured Broiler Production in Texas

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