Over recent years we have learned of plenty of dogs dubbed “Dixie” or canines called “Chopper.”

Even a Frisbee-catching Purina champion actually named “Dixie Chopper.”

But now, a chicken? What’s up with that?

Before we confuse Dixie Chicks and Dixie Chicken, let’s let B. Candace Beeke (editor of Business Review West Michigan) explain her recent online column titled “Dixie Chopper and Other Chickens I’ll Love.”

“Well,” she begins in an Oct. 14 e-mail to Dixie Chopper Communications and Public Relations Director Eric Bernsee, “the story is that I drive with my three kids past a small lawnmower sales company on Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo (Mich.) nearly every day.”

That would be Contractors Equipment & Supply.

“Outside they have on tremendous display a giant Dixie Chopper mower -- it's elevated, there's signs and banners -- quite a hoo-hah display,” Beeke notes.

“So one day the kids were fighting and crying on our early morning ride to school/work and, being a master of distraction, I quickly yelled, ‘Look, kids! A Dixie Chopper.’ For some reason, they were in awe of it and now, three years later, we still drive by that display (new model, I'm sure) and point out the Dixie Chopper with excitement.”

Meanwhile, Beeke was equally impressed to learn that Dixie Chopper is the only mower manufacturer offering “green” models in both propane and compressed natural gas (CNG).

“That's excellent you're offering green mowers,” she said. ”We made the painful switch to a no-gas mower for our little city yard a couple years ago -- quite the workout. But I'm hoping my little Dixie Chopper chicken will help with yard maintenance.”

If not, there’s always that new Cash-for-Cluckers program.

Click here to go to Candace Beeke’s column