LAKE COUNTY >> Lake Co-op will begin offering organic raised whole chicken fryers from Red Neck Chickens beginning Sunday, according to Robyn Bera, operations manager.
The fryers will be available through Lake Co-op”s weekly online ordering website at www.lake.coop. Customers who order the chickens can either pick them up at the co-op”s pop-up store on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 307 N. Main St. in Lakeport, or have them delivered directly to their home through the co-op”s regular Thursday delivery route. Lake Co-op is also offering free-of-charge home/office delivery on orders more than $50 for the month of July to help encourage the purchasing of the ancient heritage birds, according to JoAnn Saccato, of Lake Co-op.
Red Neck Chickens of Kelseyville is offering the Transylvania Naked Neck breed chicken that is known for its “superior meat texture and very thin skin, which crisps to perfection when roasted, smoked or barbecued,” owner/farmer Ken Bouche stated. “The lineage is over 2,000 years old and is resistant to common disease, lays an extra large brown egg, has a calm disposition and the bird”s naked neck can tolerate heat and cold comfortably,” he added.
According to Bouche, his chickens are raised with the highest nutritional feed (GMO free, certified organic feed, locally sourced sprouted grains, cover crops, medicinal herbs and pro-biotics). The flock is pastured on an open rotational pattern under certified organic walnut trees (which helps add fertility to the soil for the trees).
“We grow as much of the poultry”s food at our farm as possible,” Bouche stated.
“Before slaughtering, the flock undergoes a 14-day rest period where they consume locally-grown organic grain and goat milk whey from Yerba Santa Dairy to produce an exquisite texture, nutritional density and superior flavor. The Naked Necks will provide you with the highest quality, ecologically raised chicken you can buy,” Bouche added.
Lake Co-op customers will be able to purchase the organic Lake County raised and processed chickens during the normal order cycle beginning Sunday, Saccato stated. Lake Co-op ordering happens weekly from Sunday at 12:01 a.m. through Tuesday at 12:30 p.m., with pick up and delivery on Thursdays at varying times throughout the county.
“We look forward to offering more options for receiving the chickens in the near future, but are starting with Lakeport and home delivery to ensure the smoothest and safest process for our customers,” Bera stated.
The chickens will be frozen for delivery.
Customers who order more than $50 on an order throughout the month of July are eligible to receive a $5 account credit, which is the cost of home/office delivery.
Lake Co-op has 12 accessible pick-up points around Lake County, offers home/office delivery for a fee and also has a pop-up store with overage and other local items in downtown Lakeport at the Lake Made store next to Watershed Books.
Lake Co-op also offers its customers online or telephone ordering and owner discounts.
“It”s never been easier to get locally-grown and produced organic products. We”re expanding our product line all the time,” Bera stated. “Our model supports everyone — our producers, customers and owners. And it keeps our dollars more local.”
While shopping with Lake Co-op is open to the public, owners of the co-op receive a discount on their purchases. First-time customers can now have the owner discount (though are not afforded the one vote per membership that is a hallmark of cooperative ownership) for their first 30 days through registering as a trial-owner with the co-op.
For information and to sign up with Lake Co-op, visit www.lake.coop or call 513-5226.
