Valorie Stroud doesn’t have much time for cooking these days — she’s busy raising her 5-year-old daughter, Abigail. That’s why she loves cooking with chicken. 

“My husband Steve and I are both 42, and we have an active little girl,” Valorie said. “We had the amazing opportunity to adopt Abigail after we struggled with infertility and went through two failed adoptions. She keeps us young, and we stay busy. My priority right now is being a mom, so I love simple recipes.”

The Strouds, who were an Alabama Farm of Distinction finalist for 2016, own and operate eight chicken houses on their farm in Pike County where Steve is Federation county president. He also serves on the Alabama Farmers Federation Board of Directors.

Valorie said they’re often asked if they ever get tired of eating chicken. 

“We’re around chickens all day, and then it’s pretty much all we eat,” Valorie said. “Even when we go out, we usually order chicken. We just love it, and it’s so easy to cook with.” 

Valorie started cooking meals when she was 12 while her mom shuttled her younger siblings to extracurricular activities. 

“We were all so busy in school activities, gymnastics and other things, I helped out a lot,” she said. “I’ve loved cooking ever since.”