Full-fledged poultry farm is family affair

JOEL DAVIDSON

Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - With muddy rubber boots, work pants and a dirty shirt, Robert Schmidt is considered one of the hardest workers at Triple D Farm & Hatchery, and he's only 2-1/2 years old.

On Wednesday, pushing a miniature plastic wheelbarrow with an oversized shovel, the tiny workman spent another day cleaning out empty plastic swimming pools that hold baby chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and half a dozen other poultry species at the family farm just off Hyer Road in Wasilla.

After filling the wheelbarrow with bird waste, Robert systematically hauled it down to the garden to use for fertilizer.

"All my kids work, but the hardest-working one is the youngest," said Robert's father and Triple D owner, Anthony Schmidt. "I'm teaching them how to do things and I think they're learning some values by taking care of these baby animals."

Schmidt has four youngsters in all that mix play time with helping him and his fiancée feed, water and clean up after thousands of fuzzy critters.

Schmidt started chicken farming about eight years ago in order to raise a little food for his family and eat healthy poultry without hormones, antibiotics or steroids often used in larger commercial chicken operations.

About six years ago, Schmidt realized he could probably trade in his plumbing and carpentry careers and actually make a living selling poultry full time. He bought an existing chicken farm, Kackman's Hatchery, changed the name to Triple D, and began a full-fledged bird business.

Half a dozen years later, the business is better than ever and continually expanding. Schmidt and his fiancée, Phyllis Burney, incubate all types of eggs while selling both live birds and fresh vacuum-packed meat. During the holidays the duo sells live or freshly slaughtered turkeys, geese, ducks and other birds, but the busiest time of year is spring and early summer.

Annually, the farm sells about 50,000 birds, including more exotic species like quail, peacock and guinea hens.

"We do a lot of variety at the start of the season for the 4-H kids so that when you go to the fair there aren't just 50 Rhode Island Reds," Schmidt said. "It's a lot of work but I get to spend my days with my kids. I think that's a better life for them."

The individuals who drive up to buy birds are about as varied as the species they cart home.

"They're just private people who want fresh eggs and meat," Schmidt said, as he watched his four little children take a break from their chores to play with toy farm trucks or hang out in the adult-sized wheelbarrow. "I've got people from Anchorage Hillside, Asians, Russians, Vietnamese and other Valley folks. I've got people in suits and ties and those just getting by."

In addition to sales at the farm, Schmidt also sends shipments of live birds or fresh meat and eggs to villages all across the state. Villages are a relatively new market for Schmidt.

"More and more people are starting their own back-yard thing and are getting into it," he said. "It's definitely growing."

Burney said she loves working with her fiancée. It's hard work, but she said it has plenty of rewards.

"I love the animals," she said, looking at a room with hundreds of chirping, squeaking fuzzy birds.

Burney said her kids have grown so accustomed to eating natural brown eggs from the farm that they won't even touch white eggs from the store.

"You can really taste the difference," she said. "These are a lot better than what you buy in the stores."

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266, or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.