Chickens and more

Jim Woster
Jul 28, 2023
Jul 28, 2023

Jim Woster
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Although the Woster Brothers raised, fed out and ate the beef from a nice herd of Hereford cattle, I still rank our first meal of “spring fryers” each summer as my favorite.

kAmqJ E96 H2J[ H6 2=D@ 3FE496C65 2 A:8 @C EH@ 6249 J62C[ 2DDF>:?8 H6 4@F=5 =@42E6 E96> H96? E96 E:>6 42>6] p82:?[ 9@H6G6C[ H96? >@E96C D6E 5:??6C WE96 ?@@? >62=X @? E96 E23=6 2?5 E96 762EFC6 H2D 7C:65 49:4<6?[ H:E9 >2D965 A@E2E@6D[ H9:E6 8C2GJ[ 82C56? A62D 2?5 9@>6 >2<6 C@==D[ E96 E6C> “A:8 @FE” 5:5?’E 4@G6C :E]k^Am

kAm!6C92AD @?6 @7 E96 C62D@?D H6 D@ 2AAC64:2E65 E92E 4F:D:?6 H2D E96 724E E92E :E H2D ?@E 2 J62C\C@F?5 DE2A=6] $64@?5=J H2D E96 724E E92E 7C@> E96 E:>6 E9@D6 323J 49:4<D 2CC:G65[ E96J C6BF:C65 >@C6 E92? 2 =:EE=6 42C6 2?5 2EE6?E:@?] uC@> 962E =2>AD[ E@ 2 DA64:2= 5:6E[ E@ 6?@F89 76?46 E@ <66A @FE E96 72>:=J 5@8[ 2?5 @? 2?5 @?]k^Am

kAmx’> ?@E 46CE2:? 2D E@ E96 @C:8:? @7 @FC 49:4<D[ 3FE :E D66>D E92E (}p) H2D E96 G69:4=6 E9C@F89 H9:49 |@E96C @A6C2E65] x7 >6>@CJ D6CG6D[ E96 49:4<D 2CC:G65 3J C2:=[ 3FE 282:?[ >6>@CJ >2J @C >2J ?@E D6CG6 2AAC@AC:2E6=J] x 5@ <?@H E9:D[ E96 E6C> “323J 49:4<D” H2D 7:EE:?8]k^Am

kAm#682C5=6DD[ “DAC:?8 7CJ6C” E:>6 H2D DA64:2= 2?5 3J E96 H2J[ x ?68=64E65 E@ >6?E:@? E@AA:?8 @77 E96 >62= H:E9 |2C:6’D 56D6CE DA64:2=[ 2AA=6 A:6]k^Am

kAm(9J :D E96 ~=5 $E@4<J2C5D vFJ[ H9@ DA6?E 9:D 6?E:C6 =:76 :? E96 42EE=6 3FD:?6DD[ D:?8:?8 E96 AC2:D6 @7 =:EE=6 49:4<Dn x 8F6DD :E 92D E@ 5@ H:E9 2? 2CE:4=6 x D2H C682C5:?8 EH@ r2=:7@C?:2 49:4<6? 4@>A2?:6D C646:G:?8 2AAC@G2= 7C@> E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 E@ D6== =23\8C@H? 49:4<6?[ H:E9 E96 6?5 AC@5F4E 36:?8 49:4<6? ?F886ED 2?5 7:==6ED]k^Am

kAmq642FD6 x H2D ?@E >F49 8@@5 :? 2?J @7 >J 4@FCD6D C6BF:C:?8 2 H66<=J 6I6C4:D6 :? E96 =23[ x H@?’E 368:? E@ 8@ :?E@ 56E2:=] (92E x H:== D2J :D[ 2D x C625 E96 2CE:4=6[ E96C6 H2D ?@E 2 >6?E:@? @7 “49:4<6? 49@C6D]”k^Am

kAmx >62?[ 9@H 42? 2?J A6CD@? @C 4@>A2?J ECF=J AC2:D6 2 7:?2= 7:==6E H96? E96 49@C6D H6C6 2 D:>A=6 >2EE6C @7 E6DE EF36D[ qF?D6? 3FC?6CD 2?5 A:A6EE6Dn x >62?[ 4@>6 @?P }@ 962E :?56I @C 3=:KK2C5D @C 62C=J >@C?:?8 3FE496C:?8n }@ D:3=:?8 2C8F>6?ED C682C5:?8 H9@D6 EFC? :E >2J 36 E@ 42CCJ E96 H2E6C 7C@> E96 2CE6D:2? H6== E@ E96 E9:CDEJ 49:4<Dnk^Am

kAm*@F <?@H H92E[ 2E E96 @?D6E x 25>:EE65 >J =24< @7 =23 <?@H=6586[ 2?5 C:89E ?@H x >2J 36 AFEE:?8 E92E @? ECF6 5:DA=2J 3J FD:?8 E6C>D DF49 2D A:A6EE6] ~9[ H6==]k^Am

People are also reading…

Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
Wisconsin popular destination for turkeys
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Iowa pork producer grows with focus on efficiency
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Speaking for agriculture: College student finds her calling an ag advocacy
From the ground up: Jade Jandel builds his cattle herd on functionality, longevity
Rodeo legacy lives on in Wessington Springs Family
Long time coming: Cattle to Canada, rain on the ground and remodel progress
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Missouri legislature extends ag tax credits
Better days for beets

kAmpD x C6>:?:D465 23@FE E96 H@?56C @7 DAC:?8 7CJ6CD[ x H2D C6>:?565 E92E ~=D6?\uC2?<>2? 925 2 4FDE@>6C ?@CE9 @7 $:@FI r6?E6C[ x@H2[ H9@[ 2=@?8 H:E9 @E96C =:G6DE@4<[ C2:D65 E96 36DE 62E:?8 49:4<6?D 2?5 688D J@F H:== 6G6C E2DE6] s2G:5[ y:> 2?5 2== @7 E96 ~=D6? 4C6H H6C6 9F86 72?D @7 E96:C AC@5F4E 2?5 @7E6? E@@< 25G2?E286 @7 E96:C A@F=ECJ AC@5F4E:@? 6I46==6?46Pk^Am

kAmp== x 42? D2J 2D x 5@ >J 36DE E@ 5:8 @FE 7C@> F?56C >J ;2336C:?8[ :D E96 H@C=5 4@?E:?F6D E@ 492?86 2E 2? 6G6C\:?4C62D:?8 A246 2?5 x’> ?@E 46CE2:? E92E 2== @7 :E :D 7@C E96 36DE] %96C6 2C6 ?@E >2?J A@D:E:G6D E@ 28:?8 @E96C E92? E96 724E E92E E96 ~=5 $E@4<J2C5D vFJ H:== AC@323=J ?@E 36 2C@F?5 E@ H:E?6DD E96 7:?2= 6A:D@56D @7 =23 8C@H? >62ED]k^Am

kAmx DFDA64E E96 “DAC:?8 7CJ6C” E@A:4 H:== 36 :?4=F565 :? @?6 @7 @FC 4@7766 D6DD:@?D[ D@4:2= 9@FC @C DFAA6C 4@?G6CD2E:@?D E9:D H66<6?5 2D E96 (@DE6C 4=2? 82E96CD 2E %9F?56CDE:< {@586 7@C @FC 2??F2= 4=2>32<6] (6 >:DD65 @?6 J62C 5F6 E@ r~'xs[ 3FE C6EFC? H6 H:==] p82:? E9:D J62C[ H6 H:== 36 ;@:?65 @?6 6G6?:?8 3J D6G6C2= >6>36CD @7 E96 |4|2?FD 4=2?]k^Am

kAm!FEE:?8 E92E >2?J 72>:=J >6>36CD @7 xC:D9 56D46?E :? @?6 A=246 2E @?6 E:>6 42? D@>6E:>6D 36 2 82>3=6] w@H6G6C[ 286 92D 925 H2J @7[ D92== H6 D2J[ D=@H:?8 6G6CJ@?6 5@H? 2 ?@E49]k^Am

kAm%H@ @7 E96 (@DE6C 4=2? H9@ >2<6 E96 H66<6?5 DA64:2= 2C6 $4@EE (@DE6C 2?5 9:D DA@FD6[ {2#2J?6] (96E96C :E 36 AF==:?8 <:5D @? 2 >2DD:G6 EF36 369:?5 $4@EE’D 3@2E @C 6?;@J:?8 D@>6E9:?8 7C@> {2#2J?6’D <:E496? 2?5 96C 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ E9@D6 EH@ 2C6 D:>A=J E96 36DE]k^Am

kAm%96J H:== 36 2 3:E 3FD:6C E9:D J62C[ 9@H6G6C[ 3642FD6 E96J 92G6 ;FDE AF3=:D965 2 3@@< 23@FE {2#2J?6’D =:76 ;@FC?6J[ 2?5 7@=<D[ :E :D DA64:2=] “qC2G6 v:C=i p $E@CJ @? E96 (:?5[” :D D@ H6== HC:EE6?[ H9:49 @?6 H@F=5 6IA64E[ 2D $4@EE[ E96 2FE9@C[ :D %6CCJ (@DE6C’D D@?]k^Am

kAm%96 C62D@? $4@EE 2?5 {2#2J?6 H:== 36 6G6? 3FD:6C E9:D J62C :D E92E @? $2EFC52J[ yF=J ah[ 2E `_ib_ :? E96 >@C?:?8[ E96J H:== 36 2E E96 p<E2 {2<@E2 |FD6F> @? E96 42>AFD @7 $E] y@D6A9’D x?5:2? $49@@=[ =@42E65 :? E96 4:EJ @7 r92>36C=2:?] %96J H:== 36 E96C6 E@ D:8? 2?5 5:D4FDD E96 3@@<[ {2#2J?6’D =:76 2?5 E96:C d_ 4@>3:?65 J62CD 2E $E] y@D6A9’D D6CG:?8 2D 4@F?D6=@C[ E62496C[ 2?5 7C:6?5 @7 E96 E9@FD2?5D @7 J@F?8 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 2EE6?565 E9:D @?6\@7\2\<:?5 65F42E:@?2= 724:=:EJ]k^Am

kAm~FC 72>:=J @7E6? 4@>>6?ED 9@H 3=6DD65 H6 2C6 E92E {2#2J?6 :D A2CE @7 E96 (@DE6C 4=2?] %96 DE@CJ @7 96C =:76 H:== 46CE2:?=J DEC6?8E96? @FC 2AAC64:2E:@? 2?5 25>:C2E:@?]k^Am

kAmx 9@A6 J@F H6C6 2>@?8DE E9@D6 72C> 2?5 C2?49 72>:=:6D H9@ 42F89E 2 D9@H6C @C EH@ 2?5 5:5 D@ :? E:>6 E@ >2<6 2 3:E @7 5:776C6?46] {6E’D 2== C6>6>36C E@ :?4=F56 2 D9@CE E92?< J@F :? @FC 62C=J >@C?:?8 AC2J6C]k^Am

kAmq6 D276 :? J@FC DF>>6C =23@CD 2?5 E92?<D 7@C <66A:?8 FD 765]k^Am

Jim is associate editor of Tri-State Neighbor and also works with the SDSU Alumni Foundation.