Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Fewer Incidences of Salmonella for Backyard Raisers
Simply taking eggs to farmers' and open-air markets has become more challenging in
recent years due to bacterial scares that make people afraid of contracting salmonella.
The salmonella scares that worry consumers have emanated from large-scale production
facilities where sanitation measures and the sheer volume of chickens and eggs pro-
cessed provide vast opportunities for bacteria to get a foothold.
That's not to say that the backyard producer can't have problems with salmonella
contamination. However, the smaller size of the operation necessitates more personal at-
tention on the part of the raisers. Personal inspection of the eggs occurs more frequently
with small producers, in part because they must come face to smiling face with the con-
sumer. A small producer is ever building a relationship with the buyer. Trust and a top-
notch product are keys to becoming a successful backyard or small farmer producer.
In many states you can sell fresh eggs from your doorstep or driveway. But if you
decide to do this or take your eggs to the marketplace to sell them, it would be best to
check your state, and in some cases local, ordinances to determine whether or not you
are able to sell or market your eggs publicly. When thinking about selling your eggs,
consider the following fundamentals.
All eggs sold must be candled.
A small cool-light candler costs less than $15.
Some states require grading by size
, which is actually a measure of the weight of
the eggs, using the terms small, medium, large, extra-large, or jumbo. Small egg scales
can also be purchased for an average of $30, with which each egg can be graded by
weight.
Freshness is another way regulators rank eggs.
It is highly unlikely you'll ever
keep your eggs long enough in storage that they won't make the highest grade ranking.
The demand for farm-fresh eggs is great in most parts of the country.
Refer to
chapter 21
, Marketing and Sales, for more on marketing your eggs.
Duck Eggs
Chickens are not the only fowl that lay salable eggs. For baking, duck eggs are far su-
perior to chicken eggs. The best bakeries have long sought duck eggs for their thick, rich
nature. Duck eggs, by far, make the moistest cakes one can find. Although fried duck
eggs have thicker yolks and somewhat rubbery whites, when hard-boiled their texture
and flavor are similar to chicken eggs. Do not use them for meringues or angel food
cake.
Some of the finest omelets are made with duck eggs because they give an entirely
different texture — fluffier and slightly lighter in hue. Because of the duck egg's thicker
