By Carolina de la Cajiga
If you think children, parents, relatives, work, errands, traffic, and other obligations take up a lot of your time, think about being in charge of feeding 250 beaks four times a day, plus the sheep, dogs, and …
AnaDryad Vegas Zurita, better known as AnDy, was from the city, was a painter, and worked with an architect before the pandemic hit in 2020 and almost paralyzed the world. Her life was transformed, as for so many others. She set out to change her lifestyle and dedicate herself to doing something ecologically sound. From this came the idea of raising hens to produce eggs of the highest quality. This small family business was born based on barter and the desire to produce healthy, nutritious food.
A typical day in AnDy’s new facet as a farmer begins at sunrise with the crowing of the roosters that guarantee the happiness of her hens. The morning polyphony includes the chirping of chicks, the clucking of hens, and the squawking of geese, along with the barking of dogs, the baa, baa of sheep, and the quack, quack of ducks—all happily sharing the goodness of nature.
When AnDy decided to move to the countryside, she chose the beautiful community of San José de Gracia, on the way to Los Rodríguez, an area renowned for its sustainability culture. She negotiated the purchase of a hectare of land. There, she built a small wooden house for herself and another for Lita, her mother, who at almost 80 years old decided to help her daughter. Both were familiar with farming, as AnDy’s grandfather had been a cattle rancher. «Also, my dad would come home with a kid or other small animals. My mother even learned to milk. At home, we had chickens, a horse, and a cow. I had always been connected to the countryside way of life. I grew up with eggs from my grandmother’s chickens and milk from my grandfather’s cows. When I was 5, I remember we had bunnies, a duck I named Saturnino, and land turtles I know as Morrocoy. When you grow up in this environment, you fall in love with the animals forever,» says AnDy.
«Now, Lita herds chickens when it’s time to take them back to roost, like her dad taught her to do with the cattle. She also sings to them. Definitely, these are chiqueadas (pampered) hens. Just by the looks, one can tell these chickens are not scared of humans; they are healthy and have spectacular, silky plumage. This reflects in the taste of the eggs,» says AnDy with a big smile. Could this be why their eggs are the most delicious ever, according to her customers?
Farm life does not adhere to business hours and days off. Day in and day out, work is non-stop. After enjoying her coffee, Lita, with the help of Genaro, the farm helper, starts by first opening the doors for the arrogant roosters to come out to peck in the wet grass. They are followed by the Fernandos, four geese that protect the chicks from nocturnal predators. From another coop, the laying hens emerge. Everyone marches happily off to enjoy the seeds, grains, and vegetables served to them.
At 1pm, the 3 1/2-month-old chicks get a special feed that looks just like baby formula. Meantime, the hens, roosters, rabbits, quail, and ducks eat their veggies, and the sheep graze cheerfully. Feeding is repeated at 3pm and again at sundown. In addition to the formal meals, the animals spend the day carousing in the beautiful meadow, digging in the dirt, and eating grasshoppers or whatever is available depending on the time of year. AnDy explains, «Chickens are voracious; they eat continuously.” Ours are particularly spoiled and so well-fed!»
At AnDy’s farm, there are 25 rescued dogs. Their job is to protect the fowl from coyotes, skunks, and bad people who want to eat or steal the animals, especially at night.
“When we need more day-and-a-half-old chicks, we request them from a supplier in Nuevo Laredo. We pick them up at dawn at the intersection of the Querétaro-Guanajuato highway, since they leave in the afternoon to avoid the heat,” says AnDy.
AnDy’s chores include housework, cleaning the chicken coops, disinfecting the feeders and troughs, fetching food, and making repairs as there’s always something in need of fixing. In addition, she makes deliveries to homes and various restaurants in San Miguel that buy her eggs for their desserts. She also has a stand at the Saturday bazaar in La Villa de los Frailes. AnDy says, “There, I chat with customers and fellow sellers. This marks the end and the beginning of another idyllic week in my life as a farmer, something I am very proud of.”
Three local veterinarians who have become AnDy’s friends help supervise the care of her menagerie. There is the dog vet, the poultry vet, and the sheep vet. With her clients, it’s the same. They start as customers and end up becoming friends.
Something that was very sad to cope with was sometimes finding feathers instead of chickens in the mornings. AnDy learned how to protect her fowl from skunks and others that would feast on them at night. «We built better-floor-to-ceiling cages, and the arrival of the geese almost eliminated the risk. They are the best guardians, especially when aided by the dogs we let loose at night, although when there are clear nights or a full moon, the skunks reappear. My mom and I get up and scream at the top of our lungs, “Coño, (slang for damn or pussy) skunk. Carajo (slang for bloody or damn) skunk. This causes a big riot and commotion, with the fowl flapping their wings and dogs barking their hearts out. Good thing we have no neighbors nearby. Ha, ha, ha!» exclaims AnDy.
«Although the farm doesn’t allow for days off or vacations, it’s a nice, relaxed life,» says AnDy, with a mischievous wink. «With some organization, I can take up to an hour or two off a day. Getting sick is not in the cards. We have to stay nimble and healthy.»
AnDy is now planning to build cabins for visitors wanting to enjoy and play being farmhands. “My goal is to have the first cabin ready by year’s end. Being surrounded by animals is relaxing; great natural support for anybody’s health,” she explains.
«Of all I have achieved with the help of my mom and Genaro, the most rewarding are the comments from customers who say they have never eaten fresher and such delicious eggs. Lita is the engine that drives everything, and I am super grateful to her. Never stop dreaming. Everything is possible with hard work and faith,» says Andy.Find AnDy’s Farm Fresh Eggs—»from the nest to your table, 100% sustainable”—at 415 112 8270, anadryad@hotmail.com, https://www.facebook.com/anadryad, and at Los Frailes Bazaar, on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm, on Plaza de los Enamorados.
