Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all kept chooks? Imagine the joy of our children collecting eggs each morning. I am looking forward to the day that is a reality for my family when we eventually move from our rented beloved home where our landlord is not keen for us to keep chickens (but was happy for us to dig up a big patch of lawn to plant veggies so I'm not complaining!)
In the meantime we are really blessed to be able to buy organic eggs at $7 a dozen from one of two local farms where we know the farmers and can see the chickens pecking around happily.
Cage and free range
I've written on this topic before and still I can't understand why eggs from chickens subjected to the cruelty of living in cages are still being sold. Yes there's been a slight win in this area last week with the Australian Capital Territory announcing a change in legislation to ban battery cages (and sow stalls for pigs) but we still have a long way to go. And then as if trying to do the right thing when buying food isn't hard enough, there's the whole free range marketing lie to wade through. You see, there is no legally binding definition of the term free range in Australia so it is open to very loose interpretation. Just because the farm says their chickens are free range does not mean that the chickens are not treated with antibiotics
If you can't keep chickens in your backyard and don't live near a good farm, then farmer's markets or your local health food store would be your next best bet. This fantastic list on the Animal Welfare Labels website will give you trustworthy details of many brands of eggs that are marketed as free range but in fact may be keeping their chickens in far less space than you imagine free range to be.
Why eat organic eggs?
By choosing to eat organic eggs you reduce your and your family's exposure to chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones that pass through the chicken to the eggs. Organic eggs come from chickens that have been fed organic feed. And to me this reason is worth the higher price.
Keep your own chickens
If you have the space and are keen to keep your own chooks but haven't a clue about what to do, head on over to Farmer Liz's blog, Liz has it all there for you in words and pictures.
Share your thoughts on all things eggs, where do you buy them? who keeps chickens? If you are having trouble finding a good source of organic eggs leave a comment and maybe another reader can help.
And if you want to catch up on the series and see the other steps go here.
Thanks for the mention nikki! Eggs are a confusing topic. The great thing about buying certified organic eggs is they must be free-range too. But the best eggs are from your own hens!
ReplyDeleteNo worries Liz, you know waaaay more about keeping chickens than I do! And yes you're right the best eggs are from your own hens, especially if you read what Mac below has to say!
DeleteI hope that isn't a photo of the actual eggs you are buying. I'm an organic egg producer and I would never sell those eggs to a customer. The egg in the center of the photo is faded and dirty, a sign that it has laid in manure or out on pasture for a while instead of in a clean nest. The egg above that looks to have a slight check on top and the egg at the top left is just plain dirty with manure. I showed the photo to my wife and she considers them grade "B" eggs. Those are the eggs that we would sell to a "breaker" plant that would would use the eggs for producing egg products instead of selling them as table eggs.
ReplyDeleteHi Mac, wow thanks for your comment I am both impressed at what you can tell from the photo of those eggs and a little dismayed because those eggs are the actual eggs I buy!! I would love to know more about what you have written, ie. the differences between 'A' grade and 'B' grade eggs. The idea of this series is to help make buying wholefoods easier for people, as you can appreciate there is a lot to consider. What would you suggest, only buying eggs from a certified organic farm? Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again for your input.
DeleteThe U.S. has an established grading system for eggs that take into account the shell quality as well as the interior quality. Grades AA and A are the standard for shell eggs, grade B eggs would be eggs with shell blemishes or cracks and checks, a large air cell that would be indicator of a "not so fresh" egg, or eggs with blood or meat spots detected during candling.. Grade B eggs are generally not allowed to be sold at retail (consumer protection laws). Sales from the farm are mostly unregulated here. I could sell eggs like that from the farm, but generally refuse too as I feel that a customer that is already paying a premium for specialty eggs should get the best quality product that can be produced, not the "seconds". It's not a matter of being certified organic. It's a matter of getting the best product for your money, organic or not. I'll try to send some photos to your e-mail address to explain further.
DeleteThanks Mac you have opened up a whole other world of organic eggs that I didn't know about.
DeleteWe have fabulous local eggs here. I would love to have our own chickens, but our dog would kill them :(
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Dogs and chickens are not a good mix at all. A dog got in and killed the chickens of a friend of mine, I was so upset I had become quite attached to those chooks. x
DeletePhilippine pili nuts from the Bicol region in the Philippines is a great Filipino or Philippines food orsnack. Pili nuts are very healthy and nutritious indeed, being a source of energy, potassium and iron.They also have protein, dietary fiber / fibre, and calcium as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. I know they have no cholesterol, no trans fat, and the unsalted ones have no sodium. What is great about the pili nut snack or treat is that they are so crisp, rich, and delicious.
ReplyDeleteAh, eggs! How I love thee. My husband started building a fabulous 'cluckingham palace' a few months back but it's sadly been sidelined for bathroom renovations. I'm hanging out to get chickens, we eat almost 2 dozen mostly organic eggs a week, which gets expensive. I find it hard to source local organic eggs so I occasionally buy free range from the farmer's market, but organic is definitely our preference. Do you happen to know of anywhere to buy laying hens raised on organic feed? There's a lady in Rosebud/Boneo apparently but i've had no luck contacting her.
ReplyDelete