Yellow Bell Farm

Yellow Bell Farm�s principal farmer, Katie Bogdanffy, grew up on New York poultry farm, and now she�s the third generation to earn her livelihood by raising chickens. As her mother, Nancy Austin, says, �it�s in her genes.�

On a recent frigid February day, we called up Katie and asked her, �What�s it like to be a chicken in the winter?� With a laugh, she responded, �They are more comfortable than we are these days!�

She was referring to her flock of Cornish Cross chickens, nestled warm and toasty inside their coop. In the name of comfort, Katie has a point of comparison: every morning at 5am, all year around, she begins the day by checking on her birds. During winter�s dark mornings, all through to the bright glory of summer, she�s there.

Katie completes every step of her chickens� care by hand. There are no mechanics in the process, even in the inevitable, final step. In the mornings, she draws them fresh water and replenishes their feed, a custom seed blend, milled on the farm, without any chemical additives. Her daily ritual ensures a happy and healthy flock, free of antibiotics. She repeats the process every night.

�I love producing a healthy, quality product,� says Bogdanffy, �and the best part is getting the great feedback at the farmers market.�

After honing her skills with her family, in 2014, Katie began building her own nest under the name of Yellow Bell Farm. She wanted a bright, cheery name for her new venture, and she chose Yellow Bell as the nickname for her favorite flower -- buttercup flowers. Looking to the future, she�ll continue with fresh chicken meat and eggs, and plans for a line of more diversified chicken products, too.