Welcome!
Jim and Catie King own and operate Fireside Farm, a pastured poultry operation nestled in Warm Springs, Virginia. In early 2020, Fireside added a small flock of Katahdin-Dorper hair sheep and begun breeding Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs. All animals are rotationally grazed throughout the farm, utilizing the pastures and woods alike.
Pastured poultry being the driving force of their pursuits in 2017, Jim and Catie steward the animals from chick to adulthood. With the help of their processing team, they ethically process, package and distribute poultry products within the Alleghany Highlands and neighboring counties. Counter to conventional poultry production, Fireside aims to operate transparently, humanely and at a sustainable scale directed at serving the local community. Fireside is thrilled to be expanding their business to grass-fed lamb products and pastured piglets for sale. Stay connected with the latest on the farm by following along on Instagram & Facebook!
Our Collaboration
At Oakley Farm
In early 2019, Fireside’s pastured poultry business joined forces with Troddenvale, and the two businesses developed a collaborative partnership at Oakley Farm. Heading south on 220 from Warm Springs, there are three acres of young orchard planted on the western-facing hillside. Nestled in between the tree rows, you may notice small mobile coops known as “chicken tractors”.
The orchard is a high-density planting of 2,000 semi-dwarfing apple trees, and an effort by Troddenvale to grow their own cider fruit sustainably. The tree rows were designed specifically with Fireside’s poultry operation in mind. Although the orchard is close to three acres in total, a fraction of that space is occupied by the trees themselves. The land in between rows, which would otherwise require routine maintenance, were widened to accommodate the mobile coops, and in turn, the chickens do the work. Within these protective structures, the birds are moved daily and feed on a variety of grasses, seeds, and insects, meanwhile fertilizing the soil.
The birds’ constant scratching helps aerate the soil. This allows for a variety of cover crops to flourish, further supplanting more nutrients back into the orchard’s root system. Their sharp eyes and keen appetite help reduce pest pressure, as they gorge on young insects found within the orchard floor. Moving the birds on a daily basis helps spread out their impact, allowing for the pasture to slowly rebound while ensuring the birds a fresh and healthy living environment. In our case, happy birds equal a happy orchard. All the while the costs of maintaining the orchard are lessened, its vitality and natural diversity are increased, and the poultry operation benefits from a flourishing pasture.
It comes to no surprise, the diet and health of the chickens are directly translated into the flavor and nutrients found in the products. Providing continued access to fresh pasture and sunshine eliminates the need for antibiotics and added hormones. This results in higher OMEGA-3 content as well as greater density of vitamins and minerals in the meat.
Once the birds are processed on the farm, their remains are broken down in a carbon rich mixture of wood chips and spent apple pomace. The finished result is a nutrient-dense compost that goes back to the orchard, completing the full circle. This sort of harmony amongst our two operations not only provides business advantages but equally as important, it ensures we both remain mutually invested in the bigger picture.
The goal is simple: finds ways to make use of excess, turning one’s presence and waste into another’s benefit, and reduce the over all cost of doing business.
