Eggs produced by hens on pasture (eating plants) have been found to contain 10 times more omega-3s (think heart health), 3 to 6 times more vitamin D (these hens are soaking up the sun), 217 times more folate (critical in preventing neural tube defects and so much more!), and more vitamin E, A, and beta carotene (incredibly important for good health).  When you choose nutrient dense foods, those vitamins in a bottle don’t seem so important. When we get our nutrients from food, we don’t have to worry that we are getting too much of one vitamin/mineral that can cause toxicity or deficiency in another like we do with supplements.

When you read a label on an organic egg carton that states, “free-range or pastured” most of us will visualize chickens out on green grass enjoying the good life, but actually I have heard that the hens aren’t raised much different than the conventional model. Yes, they are given organic grain and free of toxins and antibiotics, so it is better. What most of us don’t realize is that organic hens are still raised in a huge building that lacks sunshine and nutritious green plants and bugs to devour. Fresh air, sun, plants, and bugs create very nutritious and flavorful eggs. The label “free range” simply means they aren’t in a cage and “pastured” means they have “access” to the outdoors (often through a little door with hopes that they won’t make it outside). Those quaint pictures on the box are a bit deceitful.

Along with the increased nutrients, hens on pasture are breathing fresh, clean air, soaking up the sun, getting exercise like God intended, and the chickens appear healthier. In our 15 years of raising chickens, we haven’t given our chickens medication of any kind. Even if you don’t appreciate the health benefits of pastured eggs, I am convinced that you will notice such a big difference in the flavor, that you will never want to go back to confinement eggs.

The best source of nutrient dense, pastured eggs would be from your own back yard flock, but not everyone is able to do that. The second-best option is to get them from a local farmer or farmer’s market. Definitely visit the farm occasionally and ask a lot of questions. It may be a little inconvenient, but once you get a routine, it becomes easier.  Also watch for dark yellow yolks. This should be a good indication that they are on grass, but I have also heard that a trick in this industry is to feed marigolds to improve the color. When you visit, notice where the chickens are being allowed to forage and ask what they are being fed. Chickens are very destructive to everything so a lot of farmers will confine them in buildings, have them in a fenced area that doesn’t move, or only let them out for a few hours a day.

We are passionate about growing the best quality food for our family and customers and that means our chickens are going to be outside on pasture the whole day except during the cold months of winter. In the winter our hens are protected from the cold in a hoop house where they still get sun and fresh air. This winter we have noticed that our egg yolks are still very yellow since we are sprouting their grains and giving them our good quality, green, beyond organic square bales. See how here.

For years I have put up with chickens destroying my yard and scattering my wood chips, but since we increased our production in the last few years, we changed our system. We now have a trailer with nesting boxes and a moveable fence. The chickens go into the trailer to lay eggs or roost at night and then are able to go out and forage during the day. This trailer and fence get moved every other day on our beyond organic pasture, and while there are things that I miss about having our hens go wherever they want; it seems like this system is working really well for all of us. We love giving farm tours, and I appreciate when people ask us hard questions about our practices. Get in touch with us if you would like a farm tour! Find our eggs here.

Our family has learned to slow down, make careful observations of what heals/damages, decrease modern distractions, take a little more time preparing our food, and most importantly to seek the Lord’s wisdom. It’s a daily struggle and it never goes perfectly, but we just keep trying to do the best we can. If you are working toward a more traditional, clean, whole foods diet and lifestyle, and would like to take small steps to get there, then you are at the right place. Week one was Get your Salt Right, week 2 was The Power of Water and we learned about removing toxins from our water in week 3, week 4 was Get Your Sleep Better, 5, 6, and 7 were Get Your Fats Better, and today we are getting our eggs better. Join us next Tuesday for Get Your . . . Better.