PARKER, Colorado – What came first, the chicken or the dream?

“We had chickens in college,” recalls Parker resident Nick Shor.

He and his wife Cate may have just been taking a chance at the time, but the idea soon took shape.

“It’s a kind of gateway drug. When you have chickens, you just keep getting more and more,” he laughed.

Today, the Shors are the proud owners of Sher Farms, located on a dirt road in Parker.

On the farm there are goats, pigs, ducks, turkeys and of course lots of chickens.

As first-time farm owners, the Shors said their main mission is to educate the public.

“There is a huge discrepancy between how food works and where it comes from,” said Nick Shor.

So not only is this a place where food and other goods are produced for local markets, but it is also the headquarters of the new “Kitty Rent a Chick” program. And yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.

First owners of a Parker farm launch “Rent chicks” program

“I’m sending you home with this package here. It contains the incubator, hatching eggs, food, bedding, everything you need, and an instruction manual on how to care for them,” Nick Shor explained. “Take the package home, wait about 21 days, then keep them for a week or two, or until you’ve had enough of them, and then you can bring them back to the farm. I call it my no-strings-attached pet!”

Despite the fun and excitement, Nick Shor hopes the community will develop a new appreciation for where their food comes from.

“They see how much work goes into preparing the food. I feel like they finish their plates a little more often now that they’ve seen that,” he said.

The Shors will soon open the doors of Sher Farms to the public and offer tours that provide even deeper insights into the food production process.