To start 2015 off on a fresh foot, I decided to buy one hundred brand spankin' new egg cartons! They look and feel so crisp and clean. My customers are excellent recyclers, too, so I know they will be around for a while. I often get questions from customers about the steps I take to get eggs from hen to carton, so here you go!
I recently created a new egg handling station downstairs. Eggs were starting to take over the kitchen! I bring in a basket of two to three dozen fresh eggs a day. The first step is to polish up any eggs that may be dirty. Most of my eggs are not washed but when it's muddy outside the hens often track it into the nesting boxes and step on already laid eggs. I prefer not to wash our eggs so they stay fresh longer. Washing removes the "bloom" - the natural coating that seals the eggshell pores. If I do need to clean them, I use an All Natural Egg Cleaner. It contains a blend of all-natural enzymes that safely and gently remove stains. |
| GRADE A! |
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| See the little crack? Time for omelets! |
Candling an egg involves shining a bright light through it to look for any defects in the shell or problems with the yolk. (Candling is often done by people monitoring the embryonic development of eggs in an incubator.) Sometimes I spy small defects in the shell that I would not see even with my new bifocals! Shells with cracks, wrinkles or other flaws that make them less than Grade A end up in our family refrigerator.
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| 27 ounces - right on the line between large and extra large |
After all of these steps, the cartons are placed in the refrigerator at 45 degrees or lower. They are marked with the packing date to ensure customers get the freshest eggs.
I am grateful to have so many customers that value local eggs raised the old fashioned way.
I look forward to some exciting new endeavors for 2015!
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