They were just attracted to emus, which look like creatures from a Dr. Seuss book. But the emu meat market did not develop as quickly as emu investors hoped, in part because co-ops couldn't provide the meat consistently enough in large quantities to please major grocery chains. And that makes it tough for small producers to make a living selling the meat. As the Bruns walked alongside their emu pens, birds with names like Ozzie and Harriet marched along the fence after them. Female emus have a large air pouch on their blue-tinged necks, a signaling device they use to make a booming sound somewhat reminiscent of a distant drum.
Males respond with a grunt.
Both sexes can weigh up to 120 pounds. They look like ample avocados, speckled dark green and black, and at least two Tri-City artists carve them for decorative pieces. The Bruns are hoping, however, that the oil catches on quickly - at least fast enough for Tom Brun to retire from Bechtel Hanford. That's what I want to rely in part on, to make it profitable by then. Copyright 1998 Tri-City Herald.