It Starts with the Little Things
Eggs. Real eggs. That's what started Betsy and I down the path of starting TC Farm.
Years ago, before we started our farm, we found a small farm selling truly pasture raised eggs. At first they seemed dramatically over priced.
But: we were blown away with how they tasted. Our favorite meal at the time was poached eggs over a bowl of heritage lettuce and a bit of sea salt.
As simple as that sounds, it was amazing. Those "pasture" raised organic eggs in the store had nothing on these. We realized if an egg could feel so nourishing and taste so good, what else were we missing out on? We simply had to start our own hobby farm to see what it would be like.
We poured over research and all of the various ways someone could choose to raise laying hens. We kept our eye on the prize and refused to cut any corners. We took the best possible care of each hen and her egg was our reward.
What Makes Our Pasture Raised Eggs Different?
Health
Eggs raised on green pasture:
- Are twice as high in omega-3 fatty acids
- Have 3 times more vitamin E
- Have up to 7 times more beta carotene
We provide transition or certified organic feed
Taste
Our eggs are raised out on green pasture. And you can absolutely tell by the taste!
- Our hens are selected for quality, not quantity
- Orange yolks in summer and impressive winter eggs
- Richer Taste
(In the picture above, the TC Farm egg is on the right)
Environment
Raising hens out on green pasture helps to:
- build topsoil
- improve local water quality
- sequester carbon (which helps to limit climate change)
Who knew something as simple as breakfast could help make the world a little better!
Respect
We are focused on our animals' welfare. We follow strict standards in how our laying hens are raised.
Our birds have full beaks so they can actually enjoy the pasture they are on. (Sadly, this isn't usually the case on farms with larger flocks.)
It takes more time to do the right thing but we know that it is worth it.
How Long do Eggs Stay Fresh?
On average our eggs are about 14 days old when you get them. (Eggs in the store are up to 60 days old when you buy them.) The USDA says they will stay "fresh" up to 5 more weeks after you put them in your refrigerator.
Our eggs are usually delivered to you a lot fresher than what you'll buy in the store, so our eggs will easily last over a month in the fridge before the quality degrades.
We recommend using older eggs for hard boiling and fresher eggs for baking and frying
What to Look For in your Eggs
We've written a bunch over the years about eggs and other stuff you might want to know more about. One of our favorite articles was one Jack wrote about things to consider when comparing different types of eggs.
The short version: Not all eggs are the same. But - some of the buzz words out there might be confusing on purpose.
Find out more about egg yolk color, what "counts" as pasture for some other farms, why it is good to have eggs yolks change colors with the seasons and more. A super good read!
Real Pasture
There really is a difference. The "Free-range" label you sometimes see simply means that hens have "access" to the outdoors - it does not mean that they actually go outside or that there is anything outside other than dirt.
Our hens are out on real pasture, rotationally grazed, turning over new ground and eating all sorts of clover and bugs and living their best life.