One of the objects featured in the Shoebox Lunch book is a chicken feather. It’s been a few months since we received our feathers, and we’d like take a moment to thank the chickens and the humans who sent them our way. The feathers were donated by Chicago residents Laura Foley and Carla McGarrah, as well as The Prairie Crossing Learning Farm in Grayslake, Illinois. Laura and Carla both keep chickens at their homes, while Prairie Crossing is a working organic farm that does hands-on education promoting conservation and healthy ecosystems. They have all kinds of classes and workshops and tours for the public; it’s definitely worth a field trip to learn more about this fantastic project.
Our contact at Prairie Crossing, Erin Cummisford, tells us that their feathers came from multiple breeds: Black Australorps, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, and Buff Orpingtons. She was kind enough to send a photo of the chickens, which you see above. Some of them were adopted to new homes last fall, others were butchered for food.
GARLIC & GREENS would not be possible without the support of the people and animals who have contributed to this project. Next time you are out, listen closely for the sounds of birds, insects, and other creatures who make their home in our gardens and farms, and thank them for their service! To get a chicken feather for yourself, order a copy of the book by contacting us at soulfoodstories -at- gmail -dot- com.
This is a close-up from the envelope made for each feather featured in the live version of “Shoebox Lunch”.