Hugh's Chicken Run - tonight, C4, 9pm

[hamster]

I'm not sure it will just be preaching to the converted. I remember back when I worked in a hideous data entry job overhearing colleagues who had otherwise expressed no interest in cooking or gardening discussing the Jamie Oliver programme.

Admittedly, they were talking about how annoying they found him, rather than what tomato varieties they had been inspired to plant, but there are plenty of people who will just watch whatever is on, and some of them might be spurred into changing their habits.

[Annpan]

I didn't see the show (see previous post) But they talked about it on Jeremy Vine today (lunchtime BBC radio2) They had countless people phoning in saying that they can't afford to buy expensive free-range chicken. But what about a bag of dried beans, cost say £1, and will easily provide plenty of protien for 15 - 20 individual meals... so, if you can't afford organic chicken, learn to cook something else... you bunch of lazy sods.

Also alot was said about fast food chains and supermarkets forcing this on the market, but we are the consumers, we should demand better. There is alot of 'buck passing' in this argument.

I already only buy organic meat and animal products, and I just have less of it. One organic chicken lasts us 4 or 5 meals, otherwise we couldn't afford it. We also eat alot of beans and peas now, it took me a while to teach myself how to cook them well but I was sooo happy when last week OH said he prefered my Bean Burger to the shop bought Beef Burgers, and bonus, no animal had to suffer to provide it

[Green Rosie]

For anyone who missed episodes (or could not set the video properly like me ) Chicken Run is being repeated on Saturdays 5.35-6.35pm

[Kev]

Really interesting so far. I really do hope it makes at least a few people switch to free range. When I was in collage I visited a chicken factory farm and its not nice. It put me of chicken untill I was able to buy free range.

To Annpan, Ive been recording it to DVD for a friend, I will try to transfer it to another DVD for you. I cant promise anything but I'll give it a go.

[Cassiepod]

I've been watching it and whilst there haven't been any major surprises it reminds me of the value ofmeat. A roast chicken is aactually a real treat when you actively think about the time and effort that has to go into producing a table ready bird.

Even if a few more people start taking free range only it's a move in the right direction whcih is what we need so that farmers canhave the confidence to start producing the free range birds/meat which will level the playing field. Checiken and egg though they can't afford to do that until there's a proven market...

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

It seems to be the week to focus on food production - BBC Three are running another series of the Kill It Cook It Eat It theme - kid goats last night, veal calves tonight and I think there's another tomorrow 10.30 for those of you who are interested !

[old tree man]

I think like hfw said if he converted 1 family who then converted another and so on then maybe somwhere down the line we won't be converting the minority we will be the majority, it will take a long time but we may just get there.
Just imagine when this site was thought up and now look at its popularity
from small acorns !!!!!

[Helsbells]

I think the two programmes of his were brilliant!! but I am stightly biased because I absolutely love Hugh F-W, I think he is great and have all the river cottage series on DVD!! (very sad I know) but I think he is great.

[ina]

Not having TV, I've not watched any of this, either - but everybody seems to be talking about it. If you've listened to farming today this morning, you'll know that one of the biggest pig producers in the UK has just gone into administration...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/farmingtoday/
Pig farmers simply can't produce meat under cost, either.

And for all others who, like me, rather read than watch, I can only recommend the book "Not on the label" (can't remember the author). I'm just re-reading it; it came out in 2004, but I don't think much has changed since then. Why is chicken so cheap? Do you know that you can add up to 50% water (inject it), if you also inject hydrolized protein extracted from cows' and pigs' skins? Yummy!

[camillitech]

damnit! there's something up with my aerial... or my freeview, one or the other 'cos we've lost C4's group of channels, plus all ITV based ones but ch5 has become incredibly clear rather than bouncing and squeaking all the time.

no idea why though 'cos the aerial's not moved.

don't watch much TV but my heart goes out to anyone stuck with ch5 or worse still ch5 US

[red]

I wonder hwo it will effect the public at large. will it suddenly be impossible to get hold of a free range chicken? there certainly are not enough to go round yet. or will there just be a slow down in sales until everyone forgets again?


here we are mostly like minded people, but out there there are always people who don't care about the welfare of animals.
it will be interesting to see if this program does make a change.
meanwhile the government jumps on the bandwagon, but the date of 2012 was already set.. they just chose to confirm it now.. for some reason...

[citizentwiglet]

Yes Red, I noticed that particular piece of bandwagon jumping too. Not only coninciding with the current trend for food production programmes, but also conveniently the day before Brown announces the go-ahead for more nuclear power....

As for free-range, yes it IS expensive for many families, mine included. However, as Ann Pan says, I have learnt to cook healthy, protein filled vegetarian meals for the majority of the week which then saves me money to invest in free range produce. We only eat chicken twice a week (one chicken, then leftovers, then stock with the carcass) and yes, we see it as an indulgence and we really do appreciate it more.

[red]

what we do is take on free range local chicken (which costs about 7 quid), and cut it up ourselves.. into 2 breasts, two legs, two thighs, two wings. and one carcass.

the breasts do one meal for the three of us. the legs and thighs lurk in the freezer until we have some more from a second bird then makes a casserole meal for the three of us, the carcass is boiled for hours then either makes stock and meat for a another meal, or makes several batches of cream of chicken soup. the wings we bung in the oven for a snacky treat.

So one 7 quid chicken does several meals. (and i have a great lumbering teenage son to feed!) then its not so much money after all.

[citizentwiglet]

With regards to the people who say that free-range is too expensive - we've been chatting about it in toddler group today and I was astounded by the amount of people who feel it is too pricey but think nothing at all of buying take-away meals twice a week, four 2 ltr bottles of Coke and multipacks of chocolate biscuits and crisps. Surely THOSE items are the unnecessary luxuries?
Although, I must say....I did find HFW's style slightly sanctimonious last night and thought that his approach was verging on the brain-washing. I can't help but think that many of the locals will now never switch to free-range purely out of bloody-mindedness. I go into my local for a drink, not to watch a film about chicken production. IF the film had been shown in a different room, and people given the option to watch it, then fine. There is STILL freedom of choice in this country (well, to a certain extent anyway!) and nobody should have felt press-ganged into watching or buying anything.

[kiery]

I have been watching Hugh's programmes and have found them interesting . It is admiral that he has taken on the challenge of informing and getting people to think of where their food comes from.

It was good to see the group of people enjoying raising the chickens well and eating them.


I think a lot of people just don't realise where their food comes from. I know people are on tight budgets, but as previous postings have said their priorities of buying luxury foods such as crisps, chocolate, take aways etc. are all wrong.

One criticism of Kill it, Cook it , Eat it is that they have concentrated on the niche market of suckling pigs, kid goats and veal.