FRANCE-GASTRONOMY-AGRICULTURE-OFFBEAT

Chickens run free in Bourgueil vineyards in Ingrandes de Touraine, near the French central city of Tours, on January 21, 2014. A Loire Valley producer has introduced 250 chickens to an acre of his vineyard to help with the upkeep. Philippe Boucard, a grape grower in the cabernet franc-producing appellation of Bourgeuil, has fenced off a part of his vineyard to host the chickens and prevent any foxes from attacking the birds. "The chickens scratch and aerate the soil, mow, eat grass and insects. They will be doing a lot of the work for me," said Boucard. Boucard has teamed up with a local restaurant owner in the village of Ingrandes de Touraine who will use the birds' free-range eggs in his dishes. The chickens themselves will eventually end up in the oven. Simon Vincent, said: "I intend to offer quality chicken to my customers because the animals have had the freedom to roam. We can also do a lot with the eggs they are the base for great pastry, croissants, wafers, and also ice cream and eggs en cocotte." AFP PHOTO / GUILLAUME SOUVANT (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP) (Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP via Getty Images)