Local eggs a-plenty
The recent national egg shortage has impacted Hill Street minimally, thanks to our local farmers like Denis Giasli of Rookery Creek Eggs in the Tamar Valley. Find out more about Denis’ farm and his happy hens.
Denis Giasli works every day of the year on his egg farm, Rookery Creek, in the Tamar Valley. He only started trading last September right before bird flu hit mainland flocks and admits that it’s been a great time to start an egg business. He’s been sold out since December and all his customers, including Hill Street, want to double their egg orders.
While Denis only been trading for a short time, his farm has been at least two years in the planning. Originally from Sydney of Turkish-Cypriot background, Denis enjoyed spending time in his grandparents’ vegetable garden and at a neighbour’s sheep farm in Bathurst. He thought he wanted to be a farmer but ended up becoming a builder. Seeking a career change and a better lifestyle for his family, he moved to Tasmania and he says, found his ‘happy place’. Soon after arriving he began the planning, regulatory work and construction needed to house a few thousand pasture-raised chickens on 50 hectares of picturesque land in the Tamar Valley.
Today Denis’ 1300 happy hens run free in pasture at the low density of 1500 hens per hectare. They can forage for pasture, worms, grubs and insects, dust bathe, socialise and flap their wings, while having access to shade in the day and protection indoors at night. Their sheds are mobile and moved twice a week to prevent pasture degradation and waste run off into waterways. They’re guarded from predators by a few vigilant Maremma dogs and drink rainwater which has been filtered and UV treated to protect against contamination and pathogens.
Denis Giasli of Rookery Creek Eggs in the Tamar Valley
This month Denis’ flock will increase to 5,000 laying hens and he’s hoping to reach 10,000 in the next few years with the construction of additional mobile sheds. He employs one full-time employee, a few part-timers and his teenage kids who, he says, have a great work ethic and put in some big hours over the weekends and school holidays. Denis points out that chickens don’t stop laying and needing food and water over weekends and holidays, so it’s a 365 days-a-year commitment for this small family business.
Denis attributes the quality of his eggs to the fact that his chickens are high welfare, having about seven times the space as normal commercially raised chickens. They are much healthier and happier, being able to fulfil their natural instincts outdoors. Eating greens from the pasture gives their yolks a vibrant golden colour and creates a firmer white, which is great for poaching.
Hill Street is always delighted to support small local growers and new start-ups like Denis – and we’re very grateful for their support during tough times like the recent egg shortages.
Rookery Creek eggs are available at Hill Street’s Devonport, Latrobe and Longford stores. We’re hoping to bring them to our southern stores in the future.
