Polderside Farms

Near Cultus Lake, just on the outskirts of Yarrow, is Polderside Farms, where Jens and Virginia Jacobsen produce some of the best ducks and chickens in BC.

“We have perfected a recipe for raising our birds,” says Jens. “How they are grown is just as important as what you feed them. We have been able to cultivate a specific flavour that has people coming back again and again.”

Their “hands on” brand of farming is labour intensive and requires fierce dedication. At Polderside, the flocks are inspected many times a day, a chore that, combined with the tedious task of hand feeding, has the couple starting their day as early as 3 a.m. The Jacobsens’ are committed to growing their birds in a healthy, humane and conscientious manner.

The Polderside ducks never leave the confines of the barn, where a single wild bird could infect the entire flock; classifying them as ‘free run’ birds. The ducks at Polderside Farms still enjoy the benefits of sunlight and fresh air however, by opening screened doors when weather permits, pristine well water and  lots of room to run and play without fear of contamination.

Their Redbro chickens, imported as chicks from France, take longer to grow than other breeds (a Slo-Grow Bird) and require more feed to produce each pound of chicken weight. But the results are enhanced flavour and meat texture, and the rugged, hardy nature of the birds do not require any drugs, antibiotics, or other medications to remain healthy. Generally, these chickens have elongated breasts, longer legs, thinner skin, and less fat than commercial breeds.

“We are following the European-feed regimen with an all vegetable-grain diet, containing no animal by-products, medications, growth stimulants, fish meal, or artificial ingredients, and then we add sunflower seed to enhance the Omega-6 and Vitamin E nutritional value,” says Jens. “Our birds are not de-beaked, and are grown to an average of 65 days before processing, with an average dressed weight of four to five pounds.”

The ducks are hand fed an organic mixture of unprocessed vegetable grain and legumes, augmented with sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds strengthen the immune system and contribute to the overall health of the duck without the use of antibiotics, but the oils in the seeds make for an exquisite liver. The Jacobsens’ have discovered a way of creating silky, beautifully textured, foie-gras-caliber livers in a humane way—a detail that has not gone unnoticed by Vancouver restaurateurs.

Polderside Farms supplies their natural poultry to many retail outlets as well as many downtown restaurants such as West, Aurora Bistro, Chow, Fuel, Gastropod, Lumiere, Pair Bistro, Cin-Cin, BlueWater, Peartree, Café Pacifica, Vancouver Club, Marmalade, Pala Lago, Seasonal Experience, Araxi,
So.Cial at le Magasin, Alibi, Bedford House, and Bishop’s.

“We both want to provide the very best possible product for our customers,” says Jens. “We may not do things the conventional way, but we share the conviction that ours is the very best way.”