Silence Dogood here. Yesterday, my friend Huma and her wonderful 18-year-old twins, Rashu and Sasha, came down for a visit. We took our 5-month-old black German shepherd puppy, Shiloh, for a walk in the park, went to the Kutztown Farmers’ Market, and had lunch at a classic Kuztown restaurant, TC’s. TC’s has pine panelling, pine booths, and a general 1950s nostalgia feel. And it makes great sandwiches and fries.
I think it’s safe to say that growing 18-year-old boys have big appetites, and our lunch order reflected that: Two big buckets of fries and two orders of mozzarella sticks, in addition to burgers for the boys, quesadillas for Huma, and a Swiss cheese club for yours truly. The thing is, even Rashu and Sasha weren’t prepared for the massive amount of food TC’s serves up in a typical order. Never mind that they’re pushing 6’4″ and work out every day, they just couldn’t manage to finish that last mozzarella stick or bucket of fries.
No worries. Day-old fries might not be most people’s idea of a great time, but for the Hawk’s Haven chickens, they’re nirvana. Two big packages of fries, potato chips, the leftover mozzarella stick, and half my club sandwich (note to self: eyes bigger than stomach, please stop ordering this) came home with me for our girls’ delight. And I have a big bag of discard greens from our CSA and less-than-perfect tomatoes from our plants to add a healthy component to the feast.
Would I recommend feeding chickens French fries and chips on a daily basis? Hell no, no more than I’d recommend that anybody else eat them. But for a rare treat, I’d hate to deny any of us that pleasure. And I know the girls will enjoy their takeout experience. Chickens are omnivores, after all. They love what we love. I’m glad to be able to give them a treat today before it’s back to scratch grains, egglayer pellets, and greens tomorrow!
Plus, how nice not to waste uneaten food. And in exchange, Huma & co. went home with a dozen of our fabulous organic eggs, so everybody came out a winner.
‘Til next time,
Silence
