Dirt Rich Returns!

Dirt Rich is back, kicking off our third season with pasture-raised chickens by one of our own!

When Jared and Valerie Luhmans’ customers started requesting soy- and corn-free chicken, they decided to try making some changes to the way they raised their flock on pasture in order to see how they might sustainably meet this demand at a larger scale.

Grants from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and SARE supported upgrading their chicken tractor, feeding and watering infrastructure, and studying various outcomes of corn- and soy-free birds with birds eating corn- and soy-based feed. As their final report comes together, the Luhmans share the results of the project: some nutritional analysis of the butchered birds, profitability, general observations of bird health and customer response, and more. For those considering adding this kind of enterprise to their farm, they have lots of recommendations for resources and considerations as you plan.

You can listen to this interview on Dirt Rich anywhere you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and on the SFA website. Do you have ideas for future episodes? Comments? Drop us a line.