The American Bresse Chicken Adventure Continues… 2,946 Days Later

American Bresse Chicken Adventures…the Beginning

On a cold day in Central California, 12/12/12 to be exact… we began what we often refer to as our American Bresse Adventure.  It was the day we first procured hatching eggs from Greenfire Farms, and the first American Bresse chicken at Sunbird Farms would be hatched at the turn of the year, right here in our orchard.

Just 13 days later, on Christmas day, I would receive an email from Jon Henley at the Guardian newspaper in the UK (today we are supporting members), referring me to his wonderful article about his Bresse adventures…in France of course.  We have referenced this source many, many times over the years, incorporating it into our efforts and our writings.

The Adventure

Over time, Sunbird Farms would be recognized by the Wall Street Journal, pushing our exposure to new levels in 2015.  We would get inquiries from chefs all over the country.  We continue to receive those inquiries today, and we are thrilled to talk to chefs looking to push the boundaries of the poultry world.   Unfortunately, many are unprepared for the reality of farm-to-table, wanting 25 birds a week for prices that are unrealistic for the effort.

Recently, we spoke to a chef from the East Coast who was very excited about our birds.  However, after we explained the considerable time it took to raise these birds, that they could only be “harvested” two to three times a year, and would cost $10-15/lb, things changed.  Like all those before him, he balked.  “I can’t afford to put that on my menu,” was his reply.  When I noted that he sold a single filet for over $50, he laughed admittedly.

We had a very good conversation afterward about the true cost of premium poultry.  He said he wanted me to come speak at an event they held regularly with local chefs.  He said he understood and would like to explore more.  But like so many chefs I’ve talked to over the years… I’m still waiting for the invitation… maybe it got lost in the mail?

The Support

We have, however, found some amazing support for what we do.  Locally, we have had a great relationship with our friends at the renowned restaurant, The Vintage Press.  They have hosted amazing meals for us and have purchased our poultry for personal use time and time again.  We have supporters in Los Angeles and San Francisco, willing to purchase our poultry months in advance.  We are delighted to deliver our birds directly, making an adventure of the process and meeting new friends.  It has been amazing.

The Revival

We have had some amazing breeds here at Sunbird Farms.  Beginning with the American Bresse chicken, we’ve also enjoyed the Barbezieux, the Black Copper Marans, the Silver Grey Dorking, and the Ixworth, just to name a few.  A few of the breeds are still roaming Sunbird Farms, and their quaility is amazing.  But none has garnered so much admiration, so much inquiry as the American Bresse.  For the last few years, we stepped away from the breed, having had some concerns about issues we attributed to the limited genetics available in the US (to our knowledge, there is only one source of true Bresse genetics, and that is Greenfire Farms).

But recently Greenfire imported fresh lines from Europe.  So we are once again elated to step back into the American Bresse arena.  Just 1,902 days after our first Bresse hatching eggs, we have again acquired genuine Bresse genetics from Greenfire Farms.  Today, we are raising what we hope will be the base of a top-shelf source of American Bresse here at Sunbird Farms.  We have acquired both chicks and a couple of batches of hatching eggs directly from Greenfire, almost entirely made up of the new imports.  Additionally, we purchased a limited number of the earlier stock, allowing us to build some greater diversity into our efforts.

The Future (Or rather today…)

We continue to have our American Bresse Adventures.  Nearly 8 years on, the breed continues to survive and thrive on our farm.  We have looked for a better heritage meat bird- they do not exist.  We’ve looked for a better pasturing bird- there are none.  We’ve looked for a better dual-purpose bird- strike three.

There are prettier birds (there are uglier ones too).  There are more interesting egg colors.  There are a few birds that will lay deeper into winter, though only a few.  But in all our searches for a better all-around production bird… well, we found the best in 2003 and nothing has changed along the way.

Someone once claimed that the Dorking has few equals and “no superlatives;” whoever that was had never raised Bresse.  While we certainly have found wonderful birds that delight our fancy (Dorkings, Pita Pintas, Lamonas, Lyonnaise), they can’t match the total production package that is the Bresse.   To quote our friend Jon Henley from all those years ago:

“There are champagnes, they like to say ‘round the small town of Bourg-en-Bresse in south-east of France, and there is Dom Perignon. There are cars, and there is the Rolls-Royce. And there are chickens, and there is the poulet de Bresse.” -Jon Henley, 2008