The End of an Era

Today marks the official end of my family business.

It's the end of an era, and I'm not certain how I feel.

We raised chickens. Not yard birds. The chickens that become your whole/bone-in/boneless/wings/fingers/ nuggets. My grandparents started this business when they moved back from Michigan when my dad and his sister were young.

Our whole family has grown up around the business, including the grandchildren, even great-grandchildren.  My earliest memories include marveling at the thousands of fuzzy little birds.

A few months back, the supplier told my dad that "because of the age of the equipment and the buildings" they would "not be renewing the contract."  With my dad approaching his 70's, there was really no need to obtain a loan to make the upgrades.

And with that,  we are out of the chicken business.

I'm a little sad right now.