Video: After fire killed 21,000 birds, Vt. poultry farm bouncing back

A new barn has replaced the one lost to flames last March. Cavendish Game Birds of Vermont, located in Springfield, is a leading supplier of specialty meat and eggs.
http://www.necn.com/10/14/13/After-fire-killed-21000-birds-Vt-poultry/landing_business.html?blockID=855115&feedID=11106

After fire killed 21,000 birds, Vt. poultry farm bouncing back October 14, 2013, 7:28 pm NECN (NECN: Jack Thurston, Springfield, Vt.) - After a massive fire that killed an estimated 21,000 quail at a southeastern Vermont farm in March, the business is now back in operation, and occupying a new barn that replaced the one lost to the flames. Cavendish Game Birds of Vermont, located in Springfield, is a leading supplier of specialty meat and eggs to restaurants and markets across the country. "It was a devastating day," co-owner Bill Thompson said, reflecting on the blaze. "It was a horrible day." The fire was ruled an accident; perhaps caused by a mechanical problem, Springfield's deputy fire chief, Scott Richardson, told New England Cable News on March 15. "Knowing the amount of livestock that was in the barn, it was just terrible," Richardson said that day. Seven months later, an insurance settlement and a lot of help from neighbors helped the farm build a new barn to replace the one it lost. The new structure is actually larger than the old one, so the farm can expand to raise other animals, like turkeys. It is also more efficient, more accessible to vehicles, and more comfortable to work in, Thompson's brother, Rick, said. "It's proof that, 'this, too, shall pass,'" Rick Thompson said of the operation's recovery. Rick Thompson added that since Cavendish Game Birds got back in business, the orders have been piling up. He said demand for tiny, beautifully-speckled quail eggs has been outpacing supply, since the operation needs to focus on hatching those eggs instead of selling them in packages of 15, to build back the flock. The brothers told NECN they never thought about throwing in the towel. "We owe too much money to ever think about closing," Rick Thompson chuckled. "We've got work to do!" Bill Thompson added. They said they felt a duty to their families, customers, and employees at the farm and processing plant to maintain and grow the business. The Thompsons have added pork to their offerings as well, as Cavendish Game Birds continues rising from the ashes and helping advance Vermont's reputation for farm-fresh food. Click here to visit the company's website.