Poison ivy, Publicity, and Ostriches

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

"But it's a breeder's market right now;" Sue noted. And it is a rapidly growing alternative agricultural business in Canada and the United States.

In this country, more than three thousand ranchers are raising the ostrich foundation stock needed to move into meat production. Sue added, "There were ten in the British Columbia Ostrich Association when we started. Now there are one hundred and fifty. For someone who wants to live on a small acreage, and if you've got something to invest, I would recommend ostrich raising. The whole family can be involved and there are so many different options. You could just raise adult birds and not even deal with the eggs. Or you could sell the eggs, do custom hatching, or just board the birds. Its very flexible:"

While Lady spread and vibrated her wings on the other side of the fence, Sue summed it up: "Our goal is to make a living on our farm:' And the Olivers are off to a good start. Eleven of fifteen eggs from Lady proved fertile, and they are in an incubator in Vernon.

Joining the rest of the class for a wiener roast, we heard the male ostriches emit a sound reminiscent of owls hooting in the distance. I chuckled at the bizarre birds, who were just as curious as the flocks of people who came to visit them.

I reckoned that, all in all, the ostriches and I had our fair share of publicity. And I could only hope that those dancing girls with the long naked legs, which vanished into the feathers of their tutus, would never tango with a toxic plant.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print