I’ve been thinking about survival of the fittest lately and how it pertains to me as a farmer.  As part of our mission, we are trying to preserve heritage breeds of both plants and animals.  But sometimes I wrestle with the question, “Should we just let some breeds die off?”  Those who save their own seeds understand that only the seeds from the best plants will be kept in order to create a better product the next season.   The same has been true with animal breeding.  I see the value in  this, but what if a plant or animal just doesn’t have desirable traits? 

Our Sumatra chickens are a good example.  Sumatras are beautiful birds, but that seems to be about all they have going for them.  I’ll admit, I purchased them because I saw them and thought they were pretty; that’s about all the thought I put into it at the time.  Now, having had them for nearly a year, I am wishing I’d thought about my purchase a bit more.  To begin with, they are small.  Not a great bird for butchering since there is little meat on them and because they have black feathers, they don’t look all that pretty once they are plucked.  Also, they are stupid, or stubborn, I’m not sure which fits the bill.  I am constantly having to herd them into the coop in the evening while the rest of the birds just know it’s time to go in.  They lay very small eggs and they are quite mean to the other birds.  However, I have discovered that they are listed as a critical breed with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.  Well, that’s just great!  Now I feel like I HAVE to keep them around! 

So, I wonder….Which is the right path?  Work towards creating the best breed even if that means some will become extinct or keep the flawed, regardless of their weaknesses?  Is there a middle ground?  With a name like Black Sheep Farms, you can guess that we will always stand up for the little guy, but what will that cost us?

~Kelly