Lessons Learned about the American Bresse…Two Years On

American Bresse

Approximately two years ago (2013), we began our journey of excitement, discovery and development with a breed of poultry that has enchanted gourmands of Europe for over half a century, the Poulet de Bresse.  Or perhaps we should say, the Gauloise, for in all reality there is arguably no “true” Bresse outside of the AOC, just as there is no “true” Champagne outside of Champagne.  Certainly we are confident in the lineage and genetics of our birds, having sourced the solely and directly from multiple Greenfire importations.  However, without the native terrior, our birds, indeed all “American Bresse,” are at once the same, and yet different, than those raised in the Bresse region of France.  But what we’ve learned about the Gauloise, the American Bresse, is that it doesn’t matter.

Terrior

That’s not to say that genetics and terrior don’t matter, they do, they matter a lot.  But just as France and the Bresse region has its specific climate, soil, minerals, vegetation…terrior, so do we.  We are delighted with the heritage of our poultry, and work very hard to maintain the quality of our birds, their food, and their way of life.  And just as with the wines of Bordeaux, there is no denying that California produces it’s own wines that rival those of the sacred Chateaux.  So we embrace our own unique mixture of these ingredients, that of sand and clay and loam, of hot summers and foggy winters, of chick weed and nettle, merced rye and buckwheat, apples and ashley walnuts.  While this recipe cannot mirror that of Eastern France, it provides it’s own distinctive, and no less remarkable, landscape of flavor.

Methods

We have also learned that we enjoy our method of raising these wonderful birds.  Getting them on pasture as soon as they can handle the exposure, they spend their entire lives on our farm, foraging and eating the bounty that nature offers.  We have embraced the idea of providing dairy in the finishing stages.  This often takes the form of raw milk added to their finisher supplement, creating a mash supplementing their diet of grass and grub.  We do not use the more restricted cages that are part of the traditional French finishing, choosing instead to restrict them to their tractor, but leaving them on pasture.  This embraces the spirit of the French method, while equally appealing to our own sense of appropriate husbandry… a palatable compromise.

Finally, through the gracious partnership of our sister (or actually, brother) operation, Valley Fog Farms, we are improving our selection methods.   Our aim is to develop an heirloom-quality meat bird.  In the end, these premium fowl have one, and only one, destination…the dinner table.  As such, we must be diligent in our efforts to select only those birds that are suited for free-ranging; a balance between frame and form, color and conformation.  Failure to refresh their genetics, to pull from a diverse enough pool, will certainly lead one down a dark path.  The result is more like a tall cornish-cross than a magnificent creature of the pasture.  If not managed and selected appropriately, the centuries of selection toward perfection can crash in a generation.  The breeder is left with a harrowing reminder of why commercial poultry is unsustainable.

An Update, Four Years On (2017)

The above really represents the launching point for Sunbird Farms.  What a wonderful time, what a wonderful trip.  After many years of working with this breed, we have learned a lot.  One thing we’ve learned is that the best Bresse are truly amazing.

We’ve also learned that at times our white Bresse would show signs of shallow genetics after a couple of generations.  This isn’t a dig, but a testament to the extreme selection that has gone into these birds over the years.  We believe that the white variety has been so carefully selected for specific qualities over the years, that it balances on a fine edge.  It can be the best table bird available, or a lazy, fast-growing, awkward franken-chicken just one step away from the Cornish-cross.  We know this may not be popular, but we want to be honest about our experience.

Admittedly, this variety has “made” Sunbird Farms what it is today, and we don’t regret working with them even for a minute.  However, they just weren’t working out for us.  We continue to be in pursuit of the ultimate dual-purpose breed, and we often measure our exploits against our Bresse adventures.  Many of the methods for feeding and finishing we have applied to other heritage breeds.  We built our tractor method around ranging our Bresse.  We haven’t lost our methods.  We’re happy to share more of our thoughts, and will gladly discuss the merits of the Bresse.

Update Spring, 2018

After years of working with the beloved American Bresse, we took some time away for all the reasons discussed above.  However, we are once again bringing the American Bresse back to Sunbird Farms.  We are excited by another round of imports from our friends at Greenfire Farms.   We are hopeful that we can add the depth of genetics needed, and still have all the amazing traits that the Bresse are known for.  To be honest… we can’t wait for this adventure to begin again!  Be sure to search our posts for more updates.