Scott and Pam Powers believe in supporting local agriculture, and in the process, they’re growing the best tasting broiler chickens and meat rabbits in Ozark County, Missouri. Their method is to use no additives or preservatives in raising their animals, and they do it all on their small acreage.
When Scott and Pam acquired land just north of Gainesville 12 years ago, they cleared their acreage by burning and by utilizing rotational grazing on the property. No tractors were used. They run between four and eight head of cattle and move them around on the property to keep the pasture grazed properly.
Scott said, “I’ll rotationally graze it all the way around, hay it in probably June and after that I’ll just let it grow.” He supplemented with hay this past winter, but his ultimate goal is not to have to do that in future years.
The Powers family includes two daughters, Abigail, age 9, and Elizabeth, age 7. The girls are actively involved in the raising of the animals on their farm. They have no problem with getting in the middle of the flock of their free-range Rhode Island Reds, or with taking care of their meat rabbits. Abigail and “Bess” also know how to help their mom and dad move what Scott calls his “chicken tractor.”
Developed over the past few years, Scott’s chicken tractors are cage-like structures 6’x6’x2’. Each tractor will hold 30 Cornish Cross chickens. Twice a day the family will go out and move the tractor approximately six feet forward to a new location and make sure the birds are fed and watered. Moving the tractor allows the chickens a fresh area of bugs and grass, and it fertilizes a new area. By the time the chickens are moved back around to their starting point, the grass is several inches high and ready to accommodate the birds again. Scott calls this “mob density grazing.”
Scott keeps the broilers in his chicken tractors for eight weeks. When it’s time to butcher them, the Powers have about 20 friends and family members who come over to help. They’ve got their system down to where they can butcher one bird a minute.
The Powers family is extremely proud of their product. In addition to raising all-natural, hormone and antibiotic-free animals, Scott also supplements with a custom grain mix added to Fertrell’s Poultry Nutribalancer to ensure proper trace minerals and optimal health.
Their rabbits are fed alfalfa pellets and supplemented with fresh cut grass or hay.
The Powers sell eggs, meat and produce to local customers and chefs, and are receiving inquiries from individuals around the state.
“Our customers come to us for our chickens, and we try to keep them at a price that even the average person can afford,” Scott said.
That’s their goal: Good meat at an affordable price, even on small acreage.
