Have you ever actually seen a large scale chicken farm?  Tens of thousands of birds are crammed into one shed with no access to the outside. They are bred to grow fast but their organs and bones can’t keep pace. The norm are under developed bones, heart and lungs causing crippling lameness or heart failure.

Factory farming began in the 1920s after it was discovered that if vitamins A and D were added to feed, animals no longer required exercise and sunlight to grow. This meant that large numbers of animals could be raised indoors year-round. The problem with raising animals indoors was the spread of disease. So antibiotics were added to the feed.

Chickens in a standard factory farm shed.

Compare a standard factory-farmed chicken and a free-range chicken: Here.

Whether it is free range, organic or farm raised, it will behoove you to know if you’re meat has been raised compassionately. Think it doesn’t matter? Consider how stress releases certain negative chemicals into a body’s system. Then think about biting into a nice chicken breast in which these chemicals, as well as pesticides (from food), antibiotics, hormones, and animal by-product meal are present.

Just knowing that makes me want to become a vegan. And yet,  I am a huge chicken fan. As a meat it’s as versatile as food comes. And since more small organic farms have made good, healthful produce and meats available, I’m eating a bit more meat and poultry than I have since I was a child, and who knows what was in that food. By the post-war years people were more concerned about convenience (cans, tv dinners) and ease than health and sustainability. My family though we had chickens (for eggs) and a large vegetable farm was no different.

When I know a chicken has been raised compassionately than I am more willing to eat it, now that its dead anyway. Could I kill it myself as Barbara Kingsolver learned to do on her farm and then wrote about in Animal Vegetable Miracle? If I lived that way, maybe. But I live in an area where we have a really good on-line farmer’s co-op, as well as two weekly farmers’ markets.

Naturally raised chickens on a farm in Idaho.

Citing shared goals for the present and the future, the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau announced today that its commitment to support and work in close cooperation with the newly formed Sun Valley Regional Area Marketing Board.

“Both organizations are dedicated to restoring the Sun Valley/Ketchum economy,” Chamber Board Chair Rob Santa said. “We also agree on the need for increased marketing to ensure a vibrant future for our community.”

The Chamber, with the support of the Marketing Board, was recently awarded a $201,000 grant from the Idaho Travel Council.

“We look forward to working with the CVB, especially as it relates to the development and funding of improved web-based marketing,” Marketing Board representative Jake Peters said. “Each organization realizes the benefit of good communication and coordination.”

Santa reiterated the Chamber’s commitment to continuity of important programs.

“As the Marketing Board has only recently been formed, the Sun Valley Chamber & Visitors Bureau pledges to help ensure critical continuity of events, website management, visitor services and ongoing projects,” he said.

The blushing bride

http://funnybin.tumblr.com/post/886399222/lisa-simpson-getting-married

the Back Alley Party will benefit the Senior Connection, located in Hailey.The bands scheduled to play are Good Ju-Ju, Hangar 17 and Straight Up. the show begins at 6 p.m. and includes raffles, beer and wine sales which help pay for the bands and donate money to the beneficiary.

Tomorrow:

Old Cutters and Coldwell Banker will present a free concert to benefit the new Hailey Y Kids Club, from 7– 9 p.m., Thursday, July 29. The music will be provided by the Spare Change Band at Old Cutters Park, east of Hailey past Buttercup Road.  Bring a picnic or enjoy food from Toni’s ice cream, Frank You Very Much hot dog stand and a bake sale will satisfy hungry bellies.  In addition, Miss Idaho will be present to help collect donations for the YMCA and to sign autographs.

A $5 donation is suggested and all proceeds from the concert will go to creating the YMCA’s new Kids Club in Hailey, .  located at a Hailey elementary school.

For more information on the concert, call Suzanne at (208) 928-6712.

Firday and Saturday:

The Fifth Annual Sawtooth Music Festival will be held in Stanley. For a list of bands and more information visit www.sawtoothmusicfestival.com.

Kiki, Alagna and Julie of Nourish Me

Sunday is full of liveliness here in the Wood River Valley (Idaho).

The Ketchum Arts Festival will be winding down –good deals, me thinks; a grand opening at the new health food store in Ketchum, Nourish Me will take place from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with raffles hourly for Kiki’s smoothies, samples of Kiki and Julie Foods, Zen Matcha Teas and select sales. Plus fun!

In the evening, from 6-8 p.m. take a picnic and head to Ketchum’s Rotary Park for some fabulous free jazz by the Wood River, just off the start of Warm Springs Rd. There is limited parking so wheel or walk yourself in.