The incredible edible egg! Remember that commercial? Most of us do, but really, what is so great about farm fresh eggs?
Eggs in and of them selves are incredible. Packed with protein, versatile in cooking, not to mention budget friendly. But then there are farm fresh eggs.
The name says it all…..farm fresh eggs are laid by hens on a small scale farm then sold directly to consumers. Unlike eggs from a grocery store that come from large scale industrial egg producers and are weeks old, eggs from your local farmer are days fresh.
Industrial farm laying hens are confined in large buildings without access to the outdoors and often times sunlight. Sunlight is important for all God’s creatures for proper growth and health. Hens put alot of energy in producing eggs. If the hen isn’t getting enough nutrients, she certainly won’t be passing them on in her eggs.
What’s up with labels?
You’ve seen the labels on egg cartons in the store. Cage free, organic, free range, pasture raised. These give the perception of how the chickens are raised, their environment, feed, etc. Cage free means they are not kept in small cages, but does not mean they are not confined. Industrial birds that are cage free are still kept in large scale housing without exposure to the outdoors or possibly sunlight.
Unfortunately the large scale industrial organic egg producers can keep their chickens the same way. The difference is organic birds are given organic feed. Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) are not given access to fresh grass or other vegetation. This can result in unsanitary conditions affecting the health of the hen, in turn affecting the health of her eggs.
Free range also means the birds are not kept in cages, but also have access to the outside. Unfortunately this is not a USDA regulated term and does not mean the birds are ever outside. It only means they have access to it.
A pasture raised chicken is kept outdoors on pasture where she is free to scratch, peck, and roam. Her environment is clean and her health thrives! From her bug, grass, and other vegetation diet she is getting more of a variety of nutrients like protein, vitamins A & E, and vitamin D that she then passes on in her eggs. The variety of vegetation in her diet makes her eggs lower in cholesterol and higher in omega 3s than her unfortunate industrial counterparts given only feed consisting mostly of grains.
Halee Parks says
Looks awsome!