Recently, The Lodge was gracious enough to feature us in their video series: A Minute Out In It. My favorite part of chatting with Faith, Josie, Stephan, and Chad wasn’t just the three-minute edited video you’ve seen on YouTube or Facebook. Though, we’re very impressed!
My favorite part of this video is the visits we had with the staff while filming B roll and the interview. Why? It’s wonderful to witness the undeniable connection everyone feels when they come to Graywhale Farms. Breaking myths about chickens and experiencing them connects you more to them and to one another. Connection to what really matters in life and in the farm life. This is why we have public hours to visit the farm: 7:00 AM to 3 PM.
Stephan completely nailed it at the end of the video:
“Come and pick up some chickens and feel this connection. Feels good.”
Stephan Reynolds FM 106.9 The Lodge
Bridget and Stephan Chat about Chickens & Connection
You’ll Love Spending Time In Your Backyard Again!
Like gray whales, Graywhale Farms is well-traveled and so are our chickens! Spending time in the backyard with family is so fulfilling, that you won’t notice the reduction in screen time.
From our hatchery to your backyard
Happy. Healthy.
Made in Door County.
Full Transcript “Minute Out In It! Chickens, Chickens, Chickens!”
Stephan Reynolds (00:08):
Cock-A-Doodle Doo fun seekers. How are ya? Yeah, we’re gonna talk chickens today. It’s time for another Minute Out In It. And for this one, we’re paying a visit to Graywhale Farms. It’s a new place in Sturgeon Bay where you can get chickens and all kinds of chicken accessories, and here to tell us more about it is one of the partners here at Graywhale Farms, this is Bridget. And Bridget’s got a buddy. Who’s this?
Bridget Willard (00:33):
This is an Indio Gigante. They come from Brazil and they grow to be three feet tall. Look at those long legs! They look a lot like velociraptors, but they’re super gentle. Oh yeah. And kind, and they’re sweet.
Stephan Reynolds (00:47):
And it looks like they’d like to get down on the ground. Yeah. So thank you for that. You can set ’em on down.
Bridget Willard (00:51):
He’s in the wrong pen.
Stephan Reynolds (00:52):
So there we go. Go put that one in the right pen, please. Does that, does that have a name yet or?
Bridget Willard (00:57):
No, we’re not naming them. Either they’re they’re gonna be part of our hatchery so that we can produce the Day-Old- Chicks for sale, or they’re going to be sold to wonderful folks in the Midwest to encourage people to use their backyards.
Bridget Willard (01:10):
So as part of the preservation of rare breed, species of chickens, uh, we partner with Greenfire Farms out of Jacksonville. And the thing is that a lot of our different breeds like the Deathlayers are endangered or, and protected in the country of origin. They’ve been legally imported here through the partnerships Greenfire Farms has. As of 2010, there were only 200 left. [Correction: “Each line was sourced directly from Germany where this once popular bird’s population has declined over the centuries. A recent census in Germany put the total registered population at about 1,500 birds.” Greenfire Farms] And so this is part of not just enjoying your backyard, but helping to preserve species of birds. It’s just a wonderful thing.
Stephan Reynolds (01:45):
Let me back up a moment and start with what’s in a name? Graywhale Farms? Whale? Chicken?
Bridget Willard (01:52):
Well, essentially gray whales are well-traveled and migratory and our birds have come from all over and we want them to also go all over.
Stephan Reynolds (01:59):
Beautiful. Yeah. And so you’re gonna have, ’em go all over Door County. You’re inviting people to own chickens, get chickens here and you’ll help them even with a chicken coop.
Bridget Willard (02:08):
Yeah. In the Midwest, we have packages and everything like that. You can see everything on our website.
Stephan Reynolds (02:14):
Yeah. And what is your background that you would end up in the chicken farm business?
Bridget Willard (02:19):
Well, You know, screen times the thing. <Laugh>
Stephan Reynolds (02:23):
You were actually in the tech business.
Bridget Willard (02:24):
Tech burnout. Yeah. Tech burnout.
Stephan Reynolds (02:26):
Beautiful place. And you,
Bridget Willard (02:27):
We get just we to make babies!
Stephan Reynolds (02:28):
got up and running in April.
Bridget Willard (02:30):
Yeah. We get to make babies. Uh, we have 13 and I have actually three of seven hatched of those Indios right now. And um, and we will be, we’re taking reservations for 2023 Day-old chicks.
Stephan Reynolds (02:43):
Cool. Get your reservations in now. It’s fun having chickens.
Bridget Willard (02:47):
Yeah. And there’s only pets that pay rent. <laugh>
Stephan Reynolds (02:49):
Come right on. You get some eggs out of the deal. So what’s the easiest way for people to hook up with you find you visit you?
Bridget Willard (02:57):
We’re Graywhale farms, everywhere. GraywhaleFarms.com, GraywhaleFarms: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook. I just want you to notice, Stephan, how quiet 700 birds are.
Stephan Reynolds (03:10):
Yeah. Wow. 700 huh? 700. My goodness. Well, thank you for this, uh, explanation of chicken farming and its Graywhale Farms, everybody in Sturgeon Bay. Come and pick up some chickens and feel this connection. Feels good.
Bridget Willard (03:26):
Yeah. Thanks for having us.