They believe, but have not proved, that the peacocks ate the insects. Fett and Buck discovered last summer that their farm was unique in this part of Iowa in that it did not have problems with grasshoppers. They are thinking about a bimonthly newsletter and trying to attract a more upscale clientele through highbrow advertising.Īnother possibility is to use peacocks in pest control. We're scraping by."įett figures that he and Buck need one or maybe two more good ideas to make their farm a paying venture. With all of this, Fett said, "the birds pay for their own feed, barely." To make ends meet, "I substitute teach and work at a delicatessen, and Debbie works part time as a secretary.
Fett describes a surgical procedure, which he calls "de-voicement," that eliminates the most offensive sounds. The couple also sells peacock books, peacock sweatshirts, peacock feathers, feather fans, feather jewelry, feather Christmas tree ornaments and an unending loop cassette tape of peacock noises, which are much more varied and far more unpleasant than the average barnyard ensemble. This year, Fett and Buck sold 650 peacock eggs from $4 to $50 apiece, depending on the species. India blues, the classic multicolored birds common in zoos, are the cheapest, and the rare cameos are the most expensive. Their Iowa Peacock Farm markets four of the world's eight peacock species: India blue, white, black shoulder and cameo dun. Their goal is to make peacock farming a viable business, but they have not quite done it yet. Yet while such distinction has given them considerable fame, it has brought only modest financial reward. This almost surely has made Fett and Buck, 38, the biggest peacock farmers in the United States. Throughout history, they have been prized for their spectacular plumage and regal bearing.įett, 40, a transplanted music teacher from Paterson, N.J., admits to being "mesmerized" by the birds, able "to watch them for hours." Just as in ancient times, there are many like-minded people - enough to buy all of the eggs for incubation and hatching and all of the chicks that the Fett-Buck farm can produce. Peacocks were known to the Egyptian pharaohs, and Alexander the Great introduced them to ancient Greece. Through trial, error and tender, loving care, they have become experts on breeding and nurturing peacocks. It is important that you save these receipts as proof of your transaction and to keep track of your current Michigan food stamp balance on your EBT card.MINDEN, IOWA - Dennis Fett and his wife, Debra Buck, share a small farm in western Iowa with about 100 of the most beautiful birds on Earth. You should then receive a receipt showing the store location information, amount purchased and your updated food stamp balance.
The cashier will then enter the amount to be charged to your card and you will need to approve the transaction at the debit machine.
The next step is to enter your 4 digit security pin number and then press enter. The cashier would then need to see your card for verification. From there you would need to notify the cashier that you wish to use your food stamps to make the purchase of these approved food items, then swipe your EBT card using their point of sales debit machine. You may need to separate the items you wish to purchase with your Michigan food stamps from the non-approved food items. The process to purchase items at this location depends on store policy. Prior to shopping, it is important to know what foods you can purchase using your SNAP benefits, to find out what you can buy view the Michigan approved EBT food list. If you plan to shop at this store, it is recommended you contact them to verify they still accept food stamps as their status can change from time to time. The information on this page provides the stores address, website, phone number and hours of operations. This approved SNAP retailer, Peacocks Poultry Farm, accepts EBT cards in their store located at 6355 Rochester Rd Troy MI 48085. Peacocks Poultry Farm Allows Food Stamps In Troy MI