Baffoni’s Poultry Farm

Generations Fuel Generations Fuel Baffoni’s Poultry Baffoni’s Poultry FarmFarm

By Mark BergerBy Mark Berger

Becoming a successful business takes plenty of time, e ort, patience, and some luck. Building a profitable organization also needs the knowledge of what people demand and delivering on them. Business owners who find a formula that works often discover the fruits of their labor are being fawned over in the community and creating additional jobs and opportunities. That’s why Ba oni’s Poultry Farm, located on 324 Greenville Ave., in Johnston, has enjoyed a long, storied history of providing an excellent selection of meats and side items for the community. They specialize in turkeys, chickens, and eggs and have served the area for four generations. Adam Ba oni said that the pandemic actually woke people up to the realization that there are other options besides going to local supermarkets to purchase their meats. “In March of 2020, when supermarkets began running out of everything, people had to scramble to find alternative ways to find food,” Ba oni said. “They quickly realized that going to a local farm was the best option. We were doing very good business before the pandemic. However, once supermarkets were running out of fresh meats because the supply chain broke down, customers would come to us. Our storefront was busy and often booked solid during our usual business hours. We saw lines that extended into the street from the minute we opened until we closed. The last year or so has really opened people’s eyes to this issue.” Certainly, their farm is well-equipped to handle all of the incoming chickens and turkeys that arrived. They are housed in spacious coops that separately accommodate hundreds of turkeys and between 20,000 and 30,000 chickens. The chickens are also separated into those groomed for meat and those for laying eggs, which come in numerous sizes and shapes, and are always fresh. Another point Ba oni made was the importance of local

Becoming a successful business takes plenty of time, e ort, patience, and some luck. Building a profitable organization also needs the knowledge of what people demand and delivering on them. Business owners who find a formula that works often discover the fruits of their labor are being fawned over in the community and creating additional jobs and opportunities. That’s why Ba oni’s Poultry Farm, located on 324 Greenville Ave., in Johnston, has enjoyed a long, storied history of providing an excellent selection of meats and side items for the community. They specialize in turkeys, farms themselves. There are fewer and fewer familychickens, and eggs and have served the area for four owned farms, and the pandemic highlighted that fact generations. after the supply chain broke down. He said that there are many opportunities for people to get fresh meat and Adam Ba oni said that the pandemic actually woke other such products without having to deal with what people up to the realization that there are other options you would often find in a supermarket. besides going to local supermarkets to purchase their meats. “In March of 2020, when supermarkets began running out of everything, people had to scramble to find alternative ways to find food,” Ba oni said. “They quickly realized that going to a local farm was the best option. We were doing very good business before the pandemic. However, once supermarkets were running out of fresh meats because the supply chain broke down, customers would come to us. Our storefront was busy and often booked solid during our usual business hours. We saw lines that extended into the street from the minute we opened until we closed. The last year or so has really opened people’s eyes to this issue.” Certainly, their farm is well-equipped to handle all of the incoming chickens and turkeys that arrived. They are housed in spacious coops that separately accommodate hundreds of turkeys and between 20,000 and 30,000 chickens. The chickens are also separated into those groomed for meat and those for laying eggs, which come in numerous sizes and shapes, and are always fresh. Another point Ba oni made was the importance of local farms themselves. There are fewer and fewer familyowned farms, and the pandemic highlighted that fact after the supply chain broke down. He said that there are many opportunities for people to get fresh meat and other such products without having to deal with what you would often find in a supermarket.

When a local family business has a long history and reputation for having a quality product and excellent customer service, it’s no surprise that the community would come together to help them out when tragedy strikes; Eighty ve years to be exact. Back in April of 2021, Ba oni’s Poultry Farm started their morning o with a re in one of the coops that tragically killed about 3000 chickens. I caught up with Adam Ba oni and he told me of the incredible outreach from customers and neighbors and how they plan to move forward. After the loss of 3000 chickens in a devastating structure fire, how did Baffoni’s move forward to keep business going? What was it like that day and the weeks after? To be honest, the only reason we can really move forward a er something like this is because of how long we have been here and how well established we are in the local community. By the time we all made it to the farm that morning to see what was going on, everyone was already getting texts and phone calls, and that didn’t stop all day. e phone in the store didn’t really stop ringing with friends, family, and other businesses and patrons asking if everyone was alright and what they could do to help. Having that kind of support makes moving forward from something like this possible, and we had a lot of regulars and new customers come out to the store that week to support us, which is always a huge help.

Baffoni’s Poultry Farm By Jenn Lombari

“All of our products are made fresh. There are no preservatives, additives, or chemicals; many of which you would find in a supermarket turkey or chicken. That “All of our products are made fresh. There are no is primarily done to keep the birds on the shelf or in preservatives, additives, or chemicals; many of which

their freezers as long as possible,” Ba oni explained. you would find in a supermarket turkey or chicken. That

is primarily done to keep the birds on the shelf or in

Another reason to shop here is that their meat is their freezers as long as possible,” Ba oni explained. processed directly on the premises. They have the only USDA certified slaughterhouse in the region. That Another reason to shop here is that their meat is means meats coming from nearby Massachusetts processed directly on the premises. They have the and Connecticut are also brought to the farm to only USDA certified slaughterhouse in the region. That be processed. The slaughterhouse is the only such means meats coming from nearby Massachusetts facility in Rhode Island and one of just 40 such places and Connecticut are also brought to the farm to throughout the country. The chickens and turkeys are be processed. The slaughterhouse is the only such brought, raised and processed on site. Meaning, the facility in Rhode Island and one of just 40 such places same people tend to the livestock from birth to the throughout the country. The chickens and turkeys are dinner table.brought, raised and processed on site. Meaning, the same people tend to the livestock from birth to the As a local business, they have between 30 and 40 dinner table. employees working on the farm. What began as a family endeavor has since grown into something far more that As a local business, they have between 30 and 40 anyone in the family could have imagined. employees working on the farm. What began as a family Are you rebuilding already? While they expect some 1,400 turkeys to be ordered for endeavor has since grown into something far more that anyone in the family could have imagined.

How many customers do you think you serve per week? While they expect some 1,400 turkeys to be ordered for Thanksgiving, Ba oni also expects a similar demand for Thanksgiving, Ba oni also expects a similar demand for It’s so hard to say. In our retail store alone we’re helping orders during Christmas and into the new year. While the orders during Christmas and into the new year. While the over 500 customers per week, but that doesn’t include orders for Turkey Day may have stopped by the time of this orders for Turkey Day may have stopped by the time of this all of the restaurants, markets, and other farms we publication, he encouraged people to get their orders in publication, he encouraged people to get their orders in work with. But we’re always growing! We are currently early for the holiday season and for other special occasions. early for the holiday season and for other special occasions. working to get a home delivery service started so that we can serve more of Rhode Island as conveniently as As a family-owned and operated business, they firmly As a family-owned and operated business, they firmly possible! believe in the environmental and economic benefits of believe in the environmental and economic benefits of providing farm fresh poultry to the local community. providing farm fresh poultry to the local community. The store remained open. Were you able They also believe in the humane treatment of their birds, They also believe in the humane treatment of their birds, to carry on smoothly as far as catering to and work hard to provide them with a nourishing habitat and work hard to provide them with a nourishing habitat customers? in which they can thrive. When the birds are a day old, in which they can thrive. When the birds are a day old, they are securely and safely shipped from a hatchery to they are securely and safely shipped from a hatchery to ankfully we were! On the day of the re, we weren’t our farm. They do this to ensure the birds are raised in our farm. They do this to ensure the birds are raised in operating at quite full capacity, partially because we an environment that meets their high standards. They an environment that meets their high standards. They were all busy dealing with what was happening and feed their poultry a wholesome diet that is regimented, feed their poultry a wholesome diet that is regimented, partially because the road had to be closed o for consistent, and absolutely free of any antibiotics, consistent, and absolutely free of any antibiotics, the re department to run the hose. But since then hormones, or meat by-products of any kind. Their on-site hormones, or meat by-products of any kind. Their on-site we’ve been able to keep up our regular business. We’re slaughterhouse allows them to sell, quite literally, the slaughterhouse allows them to sell, quite literally, the lucky to have enough ocks of birds that we can get freshest poultry possible, without it ever being previously freshest poultry possible, without it ever being previously through losing one without holding up our business frozen. Their high standards and farm-to-table mentality frozen. Their high standards and farm-to-table mentality completely. has driven four generations of Ba onis to provide the finest has driven four generations of Ba onis to provide the finest and freshest quality, cage-free poultry to loyal customers and freshest quality, cage-free poultry to loyal customers Baffoni’s also grows and sells fresh produce. since 1935. since 1935.

What produce will you be growing this season? What is available when? Ba oni’s Poultry Farm is open Monday through Friday from Ba oni’s Poultry Farm is open Monday through Friday from As always, we’re going to have plenty of fresh produce all summer! Now that the warm weather is here to 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, and closed on Sunday. stay, we’ll see a lot of lettuce and other greens, and once we get into July, then we start to see some of the summer vegetables like heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, eggplant, cucumbers, and plenty more. For more information about Ba oni’s Farm, or to place an order, please call them at 401-231-6815. Or, visit them on their website at www.ba onispoultryfarm.com. For more information about Ba oni’s Farm, or to place an order, please call them at 401-231-6815. Or, visit them on their website at www.ba onispoultryfarm.com.