What to Know About Eggs

I am focusing on helping people understand how to buy eggs and what

is important to know about your eggs. I feel that if you know what the

labels mean you won't be wasting your money on inferior products.

Jeri of Villareal Family Farm , St. Louis, MO is the woman I interviewed.

She is a local chicken/egg farmer.

Here is her website: http://www.ourcityfarm.webs.com/

Heritage breeds are breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association

(APA) as those from breeds that go back several generations. These are

chickens that our great-great grandparents were very familiar with.

These chickens are not the genetically bred fast growers that you find

at the grocery stores. Many of our heritage breeds are rare and endangered.

Poultry owners and breeders are working hard to bring these breeds back

into the mainstream.

They utilize halal processing:

This is the manner by which the animal is slaughtered. The animal is blessed,

then a sharp blade is used to cut the artery of the neck completely

and the blood drained completely. This method ensures that blood and

fluids are not present in the meat which affects taste and also the

animal is killed quickly with the least amount of discomfort or fear.

The Concept of CSA

Have you heard about the concept of CSA, Community Supported Agriculture?

Over the last 20 years, (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers

to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.

Jennifer interviews Michelle Wagstaff, owner of Dry Dock Farm, an enterprise

engaged in and an advocate of CSA.

Dry Dock Farm is 3 acres of rich river bottom land near the village of Silex.
They  grow Heirloom vegetables, flowers, and herbs.  The Heirloom tomatoes

are bursting with that old time “picked from Grandma’s garden flavor”. 

Dry Dock  grows vegetables, herbs, and flowers using bio-intensive methods,

no chemicals, no GMO seeds, and we enrich our soil with natural minerals,

cover crops, worm castings and compost.