Turtle Ledge Farm
| Rating |  |
| Company | Turtle Ledge Farm |
| Outdoor Access | Enhanced Outdoor Access |
| Market Area | CT |
| Location | Hampton, CT |
| Market Area Detail | Connecticut |
| Total Score | 2265 |
Most of our egg sales are to our list of customers with whom we communicate via email. Some are subscribers who pick up a dozen eggs each week at the farm on a specified day. Others order eggs for pickup sporadically, and take their chances on availability. When we have extra eggs, we sell them to the Willimantic Food Co-op, where they are made available to the public. We do not ship eggs to other locations. Our goal has always been to give our hens an environment that is as close to ideal as possible. They have a comfortable coop, with constant access to a large run, excellent organic feed and daily treats from our own farm. In addition, they receive about one hour of “recess” each evening, when they have access to organically maintained pasture and (especially important) wooded areas. The things they find to eat do wonders for the eggs. We could sell many more eggs than we do, but if we kept more hens it could become difficult to maintain the quality of their lives and the quality of the product, so we intentionally stay small. In fact, our entire farming operation is for the purpose of making people aware of the fact that food can and should be of a much higher quality than what they’ve become accustomed to, and to encourage changes in consumer expectations and, as a result, changes in agricultural practices. Thus our emphasis is on diversity, quality, and sustainability rather than on sales and profit. We like to work with customers who are committed to getting a substantial percentage of their food from local, responsible organic producers like us. We handle all communications via email and can be contacted at [email protected]
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2700) | 2265 | 5-Egg Rating | Top Rated |
Family farms and farmer cooperatives that market their own eggs receive the most points. Corporations that do not produce any eggs receive the fewest points.
Ownership Structure | 100 | family farm, produce 100% of eggs |
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Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 100 | under 500 birds |
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Single henhouses receive the most points.
Single or Double Henhouses | 100 | single |
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Animal Welfare Approved and Biodynamic certifications receive the most bonus points. Producers are not penalized for not having additional certifications beyond organic.
Other Certifications (bonus points) | ||
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 100 | Baystate Organic Certifiers |
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Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points.
Commitment to Organics | 100 | 100% organic |
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More than 1.8 square feet per bird receives the most points, less than 1.2 square feet receives the fewest.
Indoor Space per Bird | 100 | 3.4 sq ft/hen |
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Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments | 100 | perches, dust baths, scratching, and pasture access |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 100 | litter freshened every 3-4 weeks plus year-round pasture access |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 100 | Birds have ample access to the outdoors for natural light during all daylight hours |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 70 | 33 sq ft/hen |
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Farms that ensure birds are in mobile housing or 1 large door per 75 birds receive the most points.
Popholes/Exit to the Outdoors | 100 | more than one door per 75 birds |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 60 | shade |
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Farms that can ensure outdoor access year round or those that only confine birds during inclement weather receive the most points.
Outdoor Space Exemptions | 90 | outdoor access year-round Êexcept during inclement weather |
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Farms that use mobile housing rotated on pasture every 1-2 days or weekly receive the most points.
Outdoor Management System | 70 | fixed housing with rotated pasture |
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Farms that recycle chicken manure on the farm, using it for fertilizer, without causing nutrient pollution, receive the most points.
Manure Handling System | 100 | manure composted and used on farm |
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Farms that never force molting receive the most points. Forced Molting | 100 | no forced molting |
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Farms that never trim or tip beaks receive the most points.
Beak Trimming | 100 | no beak trimming |
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Farms where hens live an average of 3+ years or 1.6-3 years receive the most points.
Laying Hen Lifespan | 80 | avg 2.25 years |
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Farms where spent hens die a natural death, are sold for meat, or are processed and sold for human consumption, receive the most points.
Use of Spent Hens | 20 | composted on farm |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 80 | around 5% |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 80 | raise up from day old chicks |
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Farms that allow pullets access to the outdoors within the first 6 weeks of life, or within 6-10 weeks, receive the most points.
Pullet Access to Outdoors | 100 | 4-5 weeks old |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 75 | organic veggies produced on farm in addition to pasture |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 70 | actively work to secure US grown feed but can't be 100% certain |
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No points are given for this but the information may be useful to certain consumers looking to avoid soy. Soy in Feed | Yes | soy in feed ration |
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Farms that do not feed synthetic amino acids receive the most points. Synthetic Amino Acids | 70 | no more than 2 lbs per ton |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Disclosure Rate | 100 | full disclosure |
