FINLEY – Along a stretch of rural country road on the outskirts of a small town in Lake County, California, sits a cheerful mom-and-pop farming operation called Barrett Farms.

Owned by Michael Barrett and Jacquelyne Byers, Barrett Farms produces organic walnuts from the farm’s orchard, as well as farm-fresh eggs from the hens that roam the farm, all of which are sold at local and regional farmers’ markets plus a few local retail and farm outlets.

Active members of the farming community and passionate about small farms and Lake County agricultural products, both Barrett and Byers work cheerfully and tirelessly – candling and packing eggs and harvesting and processing walnuts in between their weekly journeys to various farmers markets throughout the North Bay to sell their popular shelled walnuts and farm-fresh eggs.

This month, after more than two years of planning, construction and inspections, Barrett Farms is opening its new organic poultry processing facility on-site and adding an exciting new product to their farm’s offering – certified organic poultry under the brand name Clucky Plucky Poultry.

The new facility is licensed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and is CCOF-certified organic. Feed is certified organic. Chickens are raised on-site and certified organic.

The facility itself is state-of-the-art, with gleaming stainless-steel surfaces, quick-chill and vacuum-packing equipment for superior food-safety procedures, and a substantial walk-in freezer for poultry storage.

“The development and certification process for the facility was not easy, but we’re very pleased with the results,” Barrett said.

In fact, Byers said, “By next year, we hope to have the bulk of the plant operating on solar power.” Future plans for the operation also include a constructed wetland for pasture irrigation.

Beginning this summer, the facility will be in operation one day per week, which enables production of the 100 or so Clucky Plucky Poultry chickens to be sold each week at farmers’ markets in the North Bay.

All Clucky Plucky Poultry is raised on-site at Barrett Farms. Chickens have access to the fresh outdoors, are not factory-raised, and are not pumped with antibiotics.

This year, the Clucky Plucky Poultry brand will have young chickens for sale as individual whole chickens and half chickens. Next year, the Clucky Plucky brand will expand to sell whole pheasant and whole guinea fowl.

It’s not difficult to spot Barrett Farms at area farmers markets. Byers cheerfully sells walnuts, eggs – and now Clucky Plucky chicken – all while wearing an attention-grabbing chicken hat. Even the Clucky Plucky advertising is cheerful, including a memorable radio ad that features a catchy “clucking” jingle produced by Byers and her sister.

Clucky Plucky Poultry is available at the Marin Civic Center Farmers Market on Civic Center Drive in San Rafael on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round.

Barrett Farms is a member of the Lake County Farm Bureau and a member of Lake County Farmers’ Finest. Barrett and Byers both are licensed Poultry Meat Inspectors, licensed by CDFA, and on-duty at all times.

For more information about Barrett Farms and Clucky Plucky Poultry, visit www.barrettfarms.com.

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