Learn to confidently process chickens at home.

Experience the satisfaction of producing your own food and master this traditional skill as you connect with other passionate homesteaders by joining us for a chicken processing masterclass on October 17th at Gardner Family Farm.

Receive one-on-one guidance in slaughtering and fully processing 5 chickens using small scale processing equipment and end the day with the resources and hands on experience you need to successfully raise food on your own farm.

You will learn to...

• Prep birds for slaughter and complete a humane kill

• Scald and pluck using both manual and mechanical methods

• Safely eviscerate, clean and chill fresh chickens

• Identify contamination and food safety issues

• Maintain a food safe processing environment

• Fully break down 5 chickens into their various parts (breast, legs, thighs, wings, carcass and organ meats)

• Source appropriately sized equipment and supplies for your own home processing setup

Each ticket also comes with lunch, your own boning knife and a resource packet.

The packet consolidates everything you will learn from the day into one convenient location so you can reference it at home - food safety details, processing techniques, sources for processing equipment and supplies and resources for raising and processing your own chickens.

Additionally, you'll be able to connect with other people who share your homesteading passion, explore print homesteading resources, and enjoy the beauty of fall on the MN Bluffs.

Spaces will be limited to 10 attendees in order to allow one-on-one attention for each participant so be sure to reserve your spot today!

Agenda

8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Slaughter and Evisceration demo and hands-on workshop

12:00 - 12:30 pm

Lunch

12:45 - 1:45 pm

Presentation: Food Safety and Troubleshooting

2:00 - 5:30 pm

Carcass breakdown and packaging hands-on workshop

Please Note:

*Must be 18 or older to attend

*Ticket price does not include chickens - If you would like to take your fully processed and packaged chickens home you can add them to your ticket price during checkout for $17/chicken.

About your teachers:

Ellen and Jim Gardner are the owners and operators of Gardner Family Farm where they professionally process and sell pasture-raised and farm-processed chicken, turkey and eggs direct to consumer on-farm, at farmers markets and through CSA. Both Jim and Ellen are passionate about sustainable agriculture and are excited to empower more people to process food for themselves.