What and Why RI: It's filled in now, but in its prime Rocky Point pool hosted Olympians. Here's the story. A Rhode Island Red chicken — the official state bird — roams a backyard in Middletown.

Bob Stamp, owner of Stamp Egg Farm in Johnston, keeps about 3,000 Rhode Island Red chickens. “There’s a ton of reasons to buy local,” said Adam Baffoni of Baffoni’s Poultry Farm in Johnston.

1. Rhode Island Red Chicken Rhode Island reds are popular birds, both with commercial chicken keepers and hobbyists, due to their prolific egg-laying capabilities, producing around 200 to 250 eggs ...