| Here’s a midweek update from Kelly with Watson Farms, keeping you connected with your farm. |
Hi friend, |
| If you’ve followed our farm for a while, you might know that our journey didn’t start on open green pastures. For 24 years, our family was in the commercial confinement turkey business. We lived that industrial farming model day in and day out, and we know the system inside and out. Looking back at those days compared to how we raise our pastured chickens today feels like night and day. |
| The Old Way: Commercial Confinement In the industrial poultry world, the entire model is built around isolation and density. Tens of thousands of birds spend their lives inside massive, enclosed barns on manure covered floors. The Environment: The birds live on stationary litter that accumulates over months. Even with big ventilation fans running, the air inside is heavy with dust and ammonia. The Routine: The birds never see direct sunlight, never feel a natural breeze, and never set foot on a blade of grass. The Inputs: Because high-density indoor environments breed stress and disease pressure, industrial systems rely heavily on strict chemical biosecurity and antibiotics just to keep flocks standing.We managed those barns with care, but we always felt there had to be a better way—for the animals, the soil, and our own family.  The New Way: Life on Fresh PastureToday, raising our pastured broilers is a completely different world. Every single morning, we hook up the tractor to move our mobile hoop shelters forward onto fresh, untouched green grass. The birds immediately flutter forward, eagerly scratching in the soil and foraging for clover, tender greens, and grasshoppers. Fresh Ground Every 24 Hours: Our chickens never live on accumulated waste. Moving daily breaks parasite cycles naturally without needing routine antibiotics or artificial chemicals. True Sunshine and Fresh Air: Clean breezes and open daylight keep the flock active, healthy, and stress-free. Regenerating the Soil: Instead of manure becoming a toxic waste problem in a barn, the birds deposit rich natural fertility directly onto the pasture, revitalizing our fields for our cattle to graze later. Superior Nutrition & Flavor: Chickens that forage on live greens develop firmer, cleaner meat with higher levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids. You can taste the difference in every bite—tender, rich, and never watered down.  Our Honest Harvest Chicken Sale is still going on (just a couple of weeks left)! Get your chicken ordered now and stock up! Place the order online or come see us in the farm store! |
| Honest Harvest Sale |
| Kelly’s Farm Kitchen: Crispy Sheet Pan Herb-Roasted Chicken Because pasture-raised chicken has such rich, natural flavor, you don’t need a complicated marinade. This simple sheet pan meal gets dinner on the table in under an hour with almost zero cleanup. Ingredients: 4 Watson Farms bone-in chicken leg quarters 1.5 lbs baby potatoes, halved 1 lb baby carrots or green beans 3 tbsp olive oil (or melted butter) 1 tsp garlic powder .1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp sweet paprika. 1 tsp dried rosemary or Italian seasoning 1.5 tsp sea salt & 1/2 tsp black pepper Instructions: Prep the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Season the Veggies: Toss the halved potatoes and carrots with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Spread them around the edges of the baking sheet. Season the Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel (the secret to crispy skin!). Rub with the remaining olive oil and coat generously with the herb and spice mix. Roast: Place the chicken skin-side up in the center of the baking sheet nestled between the vegetables. Roast for 35–45 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (175°F for leg quarters). Rest & Serve: Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle back into the meat. |
| We hope to see you soon! |
| (A quick reminder: If you’re local, stop by the Farm Store to pick out your cuts in person, or place your online order by Sunday night to ensure it’s in the shipping queue for next week!) |
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| Kelly WatsonThe Farmer’s Wife |