“The cost of cage-free chickens” in the May 20 Recorder — please read it if you haven’t. I voted no on Question 3 in 2016 — Massachusetts minimum-size requirements for farm animals.
It astounds me that the public has no understanding of farming; they’d rather look at chickens in cages as abusive. Diemand Farm was founded by Al Diemand in 1936 in Wendell.
The question was misleading to voters, as Tessa White-Diemand pointed out, because their chickens already stand, move around, spread their wings and turn around. And with this law, it will cost them an undue amount and the price of a dozen eggs will increase.
Would you rather buy the supposed cage-free eggs that I have seen in Green Fields Market at $4.29 from Russell or a dozen locally (jumbo) for $3.29?
On a fixed budget, I try to support my local community. I have been a supporter of Diemand for many many years and will continue to be. They are the farm where I get my annual Thanksgiving Day turkey as well.
Since the law was put into place, Diemand cut its production of chickens. Where you could buy them at Big Y or Stop & Shop, they now have fewer places where they sell them. I purchase mine at Foster’s Supermarket and occasionally at Greenfield Farmers Co-Op Exchange.
Diemand Farm cares about their animals. The viciousness that was online was undue. Perhaps those should drive up the farm and ask for a tour and see how they care, protect and love their animals.
Barbara Carson
Greenfield