What's the big fuss about pasture poultry? What breed is best suited for pasture? What type of feed is best for a flock? Why are birds dying so late in the growing season? Answers to those questions and many others will be provided in a Sunworks Farm, no charge Pasture Poultry Workshop 2000 at Camrose Arts Society, April 14. "It' going to be an opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of other pasture poultry producers," said Ron Hamilton, owner of Sunworks Farm, near Armena. "One thing to remember is that something might work well on one farm but may need to be adjusted for another." Featured speakers for the 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. session include Al Keshwani, Rochester Hatcheries; Miles Bell and Gwen Brown, Banner Feeds; and Jeff Mattocks, The Fertrell Company, Pennsylvania. Keshwani will be addressing poultry breeds, vaccinating chicks and brooding techniques, while Bell and Brown plan to discuss organic and natural feed rations. Mattocks will share his knowledge on bird nutrition and the vitamin/mineral requirements of birds on pasture. Concluding the day will be a producer panel featuring four farm families who have been pasturing chickens, turkeys, ducks and eggs for a few years. Hamilton and his family believe strongly in the ethics of pasture poultry. "The birds are handled in a low stress way and are, after three weeks of age, always in the fresh air. They are not subjected to living on and pecking at their own droppings and have fresh, green-growing grass available to them at all times.       Reason for being organic is not wanting to consume the medications and byproducts that a conventional bird receives, and not wanting to eat the herbicides and pesticides that are sprayed on conventional grains. "We want people to have a choice when purchasing their food and feel that we are giving them a healthy alternative, " stated Hamilton. Birds raised by the Hamiltons are generally placed on pasture in mid-May or later, depending on the weather and how many sessions of birds are planned for the summer. They advise having the last flock off the pasture by mid-September because of the cold fall nights, although they have had chickens into mid-October. Birds remain on pasture for five weeks before being gently placed on the shipping crates and taken to the slaughter facility. The Hamiltons note that when doing a smaller number of birds, it is reasonable to expect to do all of the labour during the brooder to pasture transfer and the loading for shipping to slaughter facility yourself. "If your production numbers increase dramatically it is a good idea to hire some of the local youth to help in the catching of the birds." The Hamiltons firmly believe they are stewards of God's land and should leave it in a better state than it was received. "God is letting us use His land. We want to raise our children in a healthy mental and physical environment. We want to grow good healthy food for people and beleieve that animals should be treated kindly, humanely and ethically. We don't believe in closed confinement production methods for any type of animal. Healthy land, healthy animals, healthy people."