Small scale farming is full of challenges. Living in western Washington, weather is a huge one. With dark days, barrels of rain, and a fair amount of cold sprinkled with some snow and ice, one can’t produce year round without a vast amount of effort.
Our small poultry farm sees that first hand via a large drop in eggs during fall and winter. Because this time of year many birds are molting, their energy goes into making new feathers, rather than producing eggs. And since we don’t use artificial light, even non-molting birds take a break until the days get longer and brighter. To make matters worse, some birds like ducks and geese are more apt to lay seasonally.
Muscovy ducks enjoying a brief appearance of sun. Chunks of ice still on the ground. No eggs in sight.
The last few years, this lack of product has translated to feelings of guilt. I hate to say no when someone asks for eggs. When we don’t have them, my anxiety shows up, suitcase in hand. Partly because I feel bad for disappointing folks and partly because I worry they’ll find eggs elsewhere and then when production ramps up, I’ll need to find new customers. Therefore, we rarely eat our own chicken or duck eggs during winter, since I save them all (excepting the super dirty or misshaped ones) for customers.
I know we aren’t alone in this slump. Last week I attended a fundraiser dinner for the Southwest Washington Food Hub. It provides my weekly winter CSA box that includes produce from farmers in Lewis County and other regional producers. During the event, there was a “fireside chat” among several growers, producers, and a restaurant owner. The latter shared how one of her challenges with a rotating menu that features local products is customers not understanding seasonality of product, even to the point of anger over missing favorites. She stated how restaurant owners such as herself and farmers are constantly trying to educate the public about why you can’t get certain foods locally at certain times of the year.
Amen to that! We sell eggs to Shona’s Food Company in downtown Chehalis. She offers our duck eggs as an add-on to her delicious salads, baps, and more. But when the ducks aren’t laying, she has to inform customers that getting local eggs year round is not guaranteed. One cannot force a bird to lay eggs on command. (Believe me, I’ve tried begging, bribery, threats, and more…to no avail.) Shona is one of our local food champions—exposing more people to local items like micro greens and quail eggs, which she recently used in her version of Scotch eggs for a Robert Burns dinner. The fact that she takes time to explain the seasonality of local products is such a gift to small farmers.
Farley out in the rain and a muddy section courtesy of the non-egg-laying ducks
A couple days ago, Bryon broached the idea of not keeping any—or hardly any—birds this time of year. The cold and the rain make bird chores so much harder, and with less eggs to sell, it’s even less profitable than normal. You still have to feed the birds whether they’re laying or not. Additionally, we can’t get away from the farm easily. Many people who live in this area escape to warmer climes like Arizona, Mexico, and Hawaii during the gloomy season. But with multiple flocks, we have a list of logistics to address before that’s even a possibility. So here we are, walking examples of Seasonal Affective Disorder. (It’s real, y’all!)
As much as Bryon’s idea appealed to me, and its promise of a mental health break…it also brought up that farmer’s guilt. I’d have to say no even more. And honestly, I’d miss the ducks and chickens and quail, and maybe even the geese. So we’re still thinking on the idea for next year. We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, we’ll just be waiting for the sun to shine again.