Location: Brunty Farms
This month, Sunday Bites has hit the road! We traveled to Brunty Farms, located in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The farmers work with the Countryside Conservancy to help revive historic farms in the area. These farmers are dedicated to raising animals in humane and organic ways. We started with a tour of the farm and were very impressed!
They sell a variety of chickens and even supply a number of restaurants in the greater Cleveland and Akron area. All of their chickens have free range and access to open pastures.
These chickens were happily roosting in the dirt, under the shade of some bushes. They had a great spot- it was HOT outside!
A flock of ducks wanders the property. They lay eggs all over the place and we happened to find a rogue egg along our tour. It was still warm!
These hogs are helping to clear the plot of land on which they live so that crops can be planted on them in the future. The animals are only half of the size that they will eventually be!
The pigs were very friendly and the farmers compared their temperament to dogs. Many people jumped in the pen to pet them and the pigs couldn't get enough!
The baby chickens are kept in a heated chicken coop and we saw chicks at all stages of development. The farmers explained that the chicks in this picture have lost their "baby feathers" and are growing in their more permanent "adult" feathers, which is why they look so scruffy.
Brunty Farms has recently expanded their operations to include lamb. Right now, they are working on building their herd so that they may someday be able to offer lamb to customers.After our tour, we had a picnic lunch on the grounds. It was a fun change of pace from the usual Sunday Bites format and we learned so much about where our food comes from.
If you have the opportunity to tour a farm, Brunty or otherwise, go! It's a great experience and makes a deeper connection between what's on your plate and where it came from.
