E is for Eggs

Farm life...country life...chickens. They add up to fresh eggs. It's a win-win.

Before we bought our farm, I didn't understand the hype about fresh eggs. I just knew we wanted chickens and fresh eggs.

The first cracked eggs were an epiphany. Bright yolks, firm whites. No running. Delightful flavor. And I knew what the chickens had been eating. There were no unhealthy additives in their feed. The eggs were healthy food for friends and family.

BE DATE SAVVY:

There is a date on every egg carton. An expiration date, you say. But, did you know that there should be two dates? Don't be confused.

One date may be a Julian date. What does that mean?

Think of how many days there are in a year.

001 is January 1

365 is December 31

For example, the carton may bear the following numbers:

100 May 22

This means that the eggs were packed on day 100 of the year (April 10). The date "May 22" means they can be sold until May 22 (which is 6 weeks later)!

Stay as far before the May 22 date as possible. That's the expiration date or deadline date. Stay as close to the 100 (April 10) packing date as possible. If you're confused, refer to a Julian calendar when purchasing eggs. Some folks carry a wallet-size calendar just for this purpose.

ARE YOUR EGGS FRESH?

Place an egg in a bowl of water. If it lays on its side at the bottom of the bowl, it's fresh.

If it stands upright on the bottom of the bowl, it's still fine to eat, but it's not quite as fresh. Eat it soon.

If it floats to the top, throw it away!

Welcome to the world of farm fresh eggs.