Farmer Theodore Carlat of Olympic Pastured Poultry (http://www.olympicpasturedpoultry.com/) spoke about the benefits of biodynamic farming to a crowd of about thirty-five people at the Silverdale Grange Hall on Tuesday, November 11.
 

Farmer Theodore raised about 4,000 "meat chickens" this year on land that he leases from Nash's Organic Farm (http://www.nashsorganicproduce.com/) near Sequim. He chose to raise a French breed of chickens, which he describes as a heartier variety which "grow a pretty decent chicken" in about 9 weeks. After the meeting, he had some of his frozen chickens available for purchase. Chickens vary in weight and size, but the average price is about $20 per bird. His chickens are available for his CSA members and for customers at the Pt. Townsend Farmer's Market, which runs through November 22nd. Local restaurants serving his meat include Mor Mor Bistro (http://www.mormorbistro.com/) and Molly Ward Gardens (http://www.mollywardgardens.com/) in Poulsbo.
 

After the meeting, many audience members shared their stories. After a host of farmers had introduced themselves, one man stood up and professed to being an "eater." Farmer Theodore passionately agreed that eating well and stewardship of the land go hand in hand. He said, "Agriculture is about nutrition." Conscientious eaters are an important contributor to any farming system.

Make the most of that good chicken. You can stretch it for several meal's worth by using it to eat, for stock, and then for soup. This recipe will get you started.

1 whole chicken, breast removed
1 onion, chopped in 1-inch pieces
2 leeks
4 large cloves of garlic
olive oil
6 quarts cold water
handful of parsley
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
 

1. Cut chicken into several large pieces. Roast in a 450F oven until brown, about one hour. While roasting, toss onions and garlic with olive oil. Add to pan with chicken after thirty minutes.

2. In a large pot over high heat, combine water, herbs, peppercorns, chicken, and vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours.

3. Strain into a large bowl. Let it sit for ten minutes and then remove any fat from the top.

Notes:
-A good way to preserve stock for later use is to freeze it in small portions. (Muffin tins work well!) -The chicken won't have much flavor, but it will make good soup, so remove what you would like to save.
-Unlike commercial chicken broths, this recipe has NO salt. You will need to adjust the seasonings before you cook with it.