Eggs, by the dozen

Ever heard of terroir for eggs?  Yeah, me neither.  But these are good eggs - pasture raised, with a quality feed to compliment fresh green grass, legumes, forbes, and insects.

Why pasture-raised?  Quality.  Firm, dark yellow-orange yolks, strong shells, and good flavor are all indicators of good quality eggs.  When you crack an egg, the yolk should sit right up in the pan.  Pasture-raised eggs can be higher in nutrients and phytochemicals that our bodies want.

The Camillas (they're all named Camilla here) are free to roam, forage, and live their best chicken lives - being whatever is inherently chicken.  Living outside with blue sky above and green plants below, pasture-raised hens can eat a more diverse diet - finding foods and nutrients that don't come in a bag.  That means all sorts of phytonutrients like beta carotenes, which contribute to those bright yolks.  Chickens are omnivores and will eat anything they can catch.  Clover and grass?  Check.  Insects and worms?  Check.  Lizards, flying things, fall fruit and nuts?  Check.  That gives them a diverse diet, which keeps them healthy.  Just like us.  We're better people when we eat well, and hens lay better eggs when they eat well.

Movement is the key to any animal production.  Like most anything, there's a line between a good thing and too much of good thing.  Chickens scratch and poop, which can be good in moderation, but if they're left in one place too long they leave bare ground that can't cycle the nutrients in their manure.  There are two ways to ensure green, living pasture under a chicken's feet: very low stocking rates (the number of birds per area) and movement to "fresh" pasture before a flock does too much damage.  This is meant to be the difference between "pasture raised" and other labels like "free range."

It can also be great for the farm.  Chickens and other poultry generally need feed they can digest easily.  In order to make the economics work in this weird modern economy that usually means grains, minerals, and probiotics.  So for land like I farm, which is low in fertility, I can import soil nutrients in the form of chicken feed, run it through the chicken, and spread them evenly across the field by moving the chickens regularly.  That makes the soil better for the next crop, whether it's grains, beans, popcorn, cover crop, or pasture for next year's chickens.  All while raising a darn good egg for you.

Eggs are ungraded and unsorted, and washed, packed, and sold soon after laying.