Not many grass-fed operations produce 4,000 pounds of meat worth about $12,000 per acre. That's what you'd call really intensive grazing.     As lucrative as it sounds, say Ron and Sheila Hamilton, the pasture poultry business is not all money in the bank. It demands a lot of detailed management, labot and on-going market development to run their operation near Camrose, Alta. They can clear $4 per bird after all production and fixed costs are accounted for. But that $4 still has to pay their labor and living expenses. And because pasture production is obviously seasonal, they still need off-farm income. That'll hopefully change as they continue to expand their product line of organically produced meats. This is what it's all about—Sheila Hamilton with the finished product. The Hamiltons launched the organically raised, pasture poultry business 4 years ago. It's now one of the largest such operations in Canada, having grown from 75 birds the first year to almost 10,000 now. The chickens are housed in small batches in open-bottomed pens. Water and a grain supplement are provided, but they are largely raised on grass. The Hamiltons move their pens daily to a fresh patch of alfalfa/grass forage over about 9 acres. Birds, processed at about 8 weeks, are sold through several meat markets across Alberta. By tageting the organic market, these producers get a price premium for their chickens, but also have to invest more in labor and mangement. They first produced organic, pasture-raised poultry for their own family but soon found "other people were asking for our chickens as well", Sheila recalls. The business has grown steadily from there. Production of more thatn 9.000 birds is still a part-time venture. Ron, a surveyor by trade, still seeks off-farm work during the winter. As sales grow, however, the Hamiltons hope a move into organic pork and beef production will make the farm a full-time business. They currently produce 3 batches (about 3,000 birds per batch) of poultry a year. The first goes out in mid-May, the second in early June and the third in mid-August. Quota is leased from another poultry producer. Day-old chicks are flown in from eastern Canada. The Hamiltons favor La Belle Rouge, a breed that orginated in France, and Giant Cornish. The chicks are housed in a brooder barn for about 3 weeks and fed a ration of wheat and soy meal, along with a mineral supplement. Ron Hamilton and daughter Shae share the morning chores of feeding birds and moving pens. Then they move to 11' x 11' pens on pasture. About a quarter of each steel-framed, open-bottomed pen is covered with a nylon mesh while the balance is covered with a vinyl tarp. Each pen holds about 75 chickens. That works out to about 28 pens per batch.       Pens are equiped with a waterer and dry mash feeder. As birds mature and eat more grass, "they literally mow dow everything in the pen," says Ron. Pens are advanced one length every day onto new grass. With the help of 2 hand dollies, and daugthers Shae and Erin, that job takes about an hour per day. Feed cart is easily moved around the pasture to deliver an organic grain ration. As a certified organic operation, the 320-acre farm must meet all organic criteria. Land, buildings and even farm books are checked annually by the certification inspector to make sure no chemicals are used in any aspect of production. Feed comes from a certified organic mill in Camrose, Alta. And the birds are packed and frozen in St. Paul, Alta., by Lakeland Processors, a poultry processor that also meets organic certification. "The certification process is quite thorough," notes Sheila. "There's a certain amount of trust involved, but the inspector checks the whole operation." No drugs can be used to promote growth or protect bird health. But diseases such as pneumonia, hepatitis and enteritis, as well as heart attacks are less common in the low-density, low-stress conditions of pasture production. Mortality rates of 8% to 9% are in the acceptable range. Processed birds are marketed through several outles. Some are sold at the farm gate and at farmers' markets in Edmonton and Calgary. Others go to health food stores and meat brokers. The organically raised, sharp-frozen birds, which ideally weigh from 3.5 pounds to 4 pounds dressed, reatil for between #3.25 to $3.50 per pound. That's roughly $1 more per pound than conventionally raised birds from high-volume production facilities. "Our birds are largely produced for the urban market," explains Ron. Urban consumers like the idea of organically grown, free-range chicken. They also like the taste. "Regardless of a consumer's production philosophy, everyone enjoys the taste of farm-raised chicken," says Ron. "There's no comparison." And for those looking for organic, free-range eggs, the Hamiltons also maintain a flock of pasture-raised laying hens. Along with whole frozen birds, they market a range of value-added processed products that includes chicken wieners, breaskfast sausage and 3 flavors of chicken wings. They see potential for growth in all aspects of their business. Birds are currently processed at a provincially inspected packing plant. More are needed in the system to warrant a federally inspected plant that would open up interprovincial sales opportunities. To encourage new producers, the Hamiltons helped Alberta Agriculture put together a fact sheet. They have also organized production workshops and are always eager to pass along what they've learned in their organic poultry career so far. For a copy of Alberta Agriculture's Raising Organic Pasture Poultry fact sheet # Agdex 450/20-2, contact the Publications Office, 7000-113 Street, Edmonton, Alta., T6H 5T6 or call 800.292.5697. You can also reach the Hamiltons at their Sunworks Farm toll-free at 877.393.3133 or by email at sunworks@telusplanet.net.