The idea for Spumoni hatched out of the blue one sunny afternoon in 2013 as daniella was gathering eggs of so many different colors from her first flock of chickens. Each one unique and beautiful – deep browns, bright whites, rich greens, dainty blues, and pinkish creams even. Like the multi-colored ice cream passed around the stuffed dinner tables in her large Sicilian family growing up, Spumoni would be the name for her little egg business someday.

Six years later, our passion for chickens is still going strong. We greet each day with our flock and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

~~~

daniella: I had been nursing a daydream of having my own place in the country and keeping chickens for quite some time before the name for Spumoni came to me. About seven years ago, the opportunity to move out of the cramped Bay Area came up. I jumped at that and found my fresh air and open space in a beautiful spot in Paso Robles, with two acres, in 2012.

My scenic little place at the top of the hill even included a bit crotchety, but serviceable chicken coop. After a thorough HazMat level cleaning and sprucing, I started with  my first little brood of fifteen, week-old chicks in 2013. Six years, and one move to the coast later, I find chickens more interesting and rewarding than ever. Sharp, curious, beautiful, entertaining – they always grab my attention. And stewarding the flock in a way that is most beneficial to them has become something I feel honored to do – and a real passion.

Stacey: Compared to daniella, I would say my passion for chickens is pretty limited. I am grateful for the flock for sure. I especially appreciate the time they all filed out of one of our coops on a sunny afternoon to listen to me play my melodica for them.

Coming from a founding homesteader family in Laguna beach, I like to think I came across my love of land naturally. The last decade or so I have been able to pursue that love in the form of various different farmhand jobs. From orchards of avocados and oranges, to big blueberry patches, I’ve enjoyed working with the land. The transition to chickens has been a fairly straightforward one. I enjoy helping daniella pursue her interest and we both enjoy sharing the wonderful eggs the chickens provide us. When I am free of chicken chores, I also curate an online magazine, play music, and grow stuff.