What Is Pasture Raised Eggs

What Are Organic Pasture

Organic pasture-raised eggs come from chickens that are raised on organic, grassy pastures. These chickens are typically fed an organic diet and have access to the outdoors, where they can engage in natural behaviors like foraging. The result is a wholesome, nutritious egg with a rich flavor.

What are the benefits of organic pasture-raised eggs?

Organic pasture-raised eggs offer a number of benefits, including being:

· More nutritious than conventional eggs

· Rich in healthy fats

· A good source of protein

· Low in calories

· An excellent source of vitamins and minerals

Organic pasture-raised eggs are also a humane choice, as they come from chickens that are free to roam and engage in natural behaviors.

What About Free Range

You might think “free range” means free, but think again. You might visualize a beautiful landscape of hens wandering on a bed of green grass under the sun but, in fact, “free range” is not much different from “cage free,” with the exception of a tiny door or ramp that leads to another tiny area. They must have “access” to the outdoors to be labeled free range but, with thousands of chickens confined in one area, do you think they can actually use that door?

Where To Buy Them

Know where to look for affordable pasture-raised eggs. You may notice if you go to your local supermarket, pasture-raised eggs are actually more expensive than in major health food stores. Conventional supermarkets price gauge a bit because there is no house brand and not much competition between pasture-raised egg brands. If you go to a place like Whole Foods, Trader Joes or even Costco, you can find a variety of brands and for that reason, more reasonable pricing. Here are some common stores where you can find pasture-raised eggs:

• Costco. Costco carries Kirkland Pasture-Raised Eggs 24 for just $8.99*
• Whole Foods. Whole Foods has their house brand 365 eggs at $4.99 a dozen. They also sell other brands like Vital Farms for $5.99 a dozen*
• Trader Joes. Trader Joes sells them for $3.99 a dozen. My local Trader Joes was selling Carols Pasture Raised Eggs.
• Sprouts. Sprouts sells house-brand pasture raised eggs for $4.99 a dozen*
• Local Farmers Market. Head to your local weekly Farmers Market where farmers of the region come to sell their eggs. Prices vary but its great to be able to purchase right from the farmer. You can even visit a local farm.

*Prices and pasture-raised egg supplier may vary according to region and time of year. Pricing as of Winter 2021.

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Happy Hens Pasture Raised

Pasture-Raised | Certified-Humane | Non-GMO | USDA Organic

Why we love them:

Happy Hens eggs come from hens raised in small flocks with lots of room to roam and live a natural life. All eggs at the farm 100 percent pasture-raised and the hens are fed organic food, free of corn and soy. Plus, they are top-rated by Cornucopia Institute as being the #1 organic egg farm in the nation. The farmers have a commitment to bring consumers eggs in the most humane and sustainable way possible from their Southern California pastures. I actually live in San Diego and eat their eggs frequently.

Statement from Happy Hens:

We are a TRULY OUTDOOR, Pasture Raised, Family Owned and Operated Egg Ranch in the picturesque mountain of San Diego. We produce not only Certified Organic, NON-GMO Verified + Certified Humane eggs but also have been rated #1 in the NATION in regard to our practices in regard to raising our hens and lifestyle we provide for them! Unlike most pasture raised farms, our hens actually live in small numbers with mobile barns that we continually rotate through our Pastures creating a biodynamic environment where we get to harsh nature and work with it to REGENERATE the land we steward!

The Difference Between Pastured Organic And Free Range Eggs

Kim is a holistic health coach and a toxic-free lifestyle consultant. She obtained her studies from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

What exactly are free-range, cage-free, organic, or pastured eggs, and how are they different?

With so many different labels of eggs, such as organic and free range, it can get a bit confusing as to which ones taste better and which ones are healthier. And then there are the ones without any marketing claim aside from the big stamp “Jumbo Eggs.”

This article will help you understand the different labels in the supermarket.

Growing up, I thought eggs were simplyeggs. My first introduction to fresh, organic, pastured eggs was from my fiancés aunt. I picked her up from the bus station and noticed her gripping a box firmly but carefully. Of course, I was curious as to what type of goodies she brought from Vegas, her hometown. Theyre fresh eggs! My chickens had fresh eggs yesterday! I thought, You have chickens? Like, pet chickens?!And the eggs they came from your chickens?!

When we got home, we immediately fried a few and scrambled the rest. Oh my goodnesslet me tell you, I have been missing out. Of course they tasted like eggs, but with a special oomph. That night, I counted eggs instead of sheep before falling asleep.

Can you tell which yolk has more nutrients? The egg on the top is a conventional egg. The one on the bottom is a pastured egg.

Turtlewoman

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Pasture Raised Eggs Vs Free Range Eggs

As for the difference between free range and pasture raised eggs, they are both raised following excellent, rigorous, and high standards, provided that they are certified by a credible 3rd party such as Certified Humane, as ours are. So what makes pasture raised different? The debate comes in with respect to how much space is enough for hens. Our free range hens have a minimum of 2 square feet per hen of pasture, and thats an average for every hen in the flock. It’s very rare for all of the hens to choose to be outside at any one time during the day. Most of them prefer the shade, water, feed, or social opportunities inside the barn, so the girls that feel like venturing out usually have a vast expanse of a field all to themselves to explore. Some producers who tout the pasture raised label offer even more average space than this, but that space does not come free and is often reflected in the price of those eggs on the shelf. We think that weve found the right balance with Certified Humane Free Range for our hens, farmers, and consumers alike. Beyond that, our firm belief is that the amount of space our hens have is more than sufficient. You can see this in all of the photos of our family farms, where the hens rarely cover more than a small fraction of our substantial pastures.

My Big Take Away Being Informed Is Key

Knowing how your food is raised and what it eats is important when making the best decision for your family. Buy your food locally, know the farmer, ask questions, understand how your food was raised.

Want to see how our chickens are raised? Ask me or check us out on Facebook or Instagram for real pictures from the farm.

Not sure where to find pasture-raised chickens or eggs near you? Check out the American Pastured Poultry Producers website: www.getrealchicken.com.

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Myth #: You Shouldnt Consume A Lot Of Eggs Because Theyre High In Cholesterol

Most of you probably know by now that dietary cholesterol does not correlate with blood cholesterol. In other words, the cholesterol found in eggs does not raise your blood cholesterol levels and does not contribute to heart disease.

Additionally, high levels of total cholesterol dont increase your risk of cardiovascular disease or any other metabolic issue.

You can learn more about why in my list of the top nutrition myths, as well as my article on why cholesterol isnt harmful.

Over the past year, Ive eaten over 1,000 eggs. According to the myth mentioned above, my veins should be clogged up with fat and cholesterol, and my numbers should be through the roof.

But according to my latest blood work and a calcium score test I had done, they are not. Evidently, science was right after all.

So dont worry about eating eggs for breakfast every day.

Find A Store Near You To Purchase Sauders Pasture

Count on Sauders to provide the freshest eggs available. We normally collect our pasture-raised eggs, process them and deliver the eggs to retailers on the very same day. Whats better than fresh, pasture-raised eggs loaded with protein and nutritional value? Nothing we can think of!

Use our store locator to learn where you can purchase Sauders pasture-raised eggs now.

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Free Range Vs Pasture

Pasture raised

Pasture raised eggs come from hens that are free to roam on grassy pastures year-round eating their natural diet of bugs, grasses and seeds. The hens retreat to hen houses at night for warmth and protection from predators. According to Certified Humane and American Humane Certified standards for pasture raised, hens must have 108 square feet of pasture per bird.

Free-range

Free range eggs come from hens that have approximately 2 square feet of outdoor space each for around 6 hours per day. The space usually contains a large flock of birds in an open air warehouse. The ground does not need to be comprised of living vegetation and is often dirt or concrete.

Cage-free

Cage-free eggs come from hens with no access to the outdoors. Cage free simply means, as it sounds, that they are not in cages. They are in a crowded room, building or enclosed area, with approximately 1.25 square feet of space per bird.

Caged

Caged eggs come from hens who live the entirety of their lives inside large, enclosed warehouses in battery cages that measure no more than a sheet of paper. They are unable to move or flap their wings, and there are usually multiple hens stuffed into each cage, which can cause extreme anxiety, pain and frustration.

Taco Omelette: How Champions Are Made + Chicken Trophies Are Won

Have you ever known true and utter happiness, only to have it mercilessly snatched away from you? It happened to me on a cold, harsh winter day in 2016. Id been happily nursing a pasture-raised-egg obsession, buying pasture-raised eggs off my sons Montessori teacher who had chickens of her very own. Then everything changed with one bleak email from the school: my egg dealer had abruptly gone, and thus so too had my egg hook-up. Not cool. Because yall, once youve had pasture-raised, you dont go back to those sad little styrofoam cartons lined with anemic-yolked, factory-farmed franken-eggs. Id sooner fry up my own hand and serve it with toast.

Why am I all up on pasture-raiseds jock? Duh. Because happy, healthy hens that frolic in the sunshine and get their eat on in lush, grassy pastures produce more nutritious eggs scientific fact. They have twice as much vitamin E, double the omega-3s and a better ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. But most importantly , theres no comparison in either taste or aesthetic. You havent truly seen yolk porn until youve born witness to the rich golden drip of a pasture-raised egg.

So when Vital Farms invited me out to Missouri to meet their hens, check out their farms firsthand and compete in an omelette contest with a chicken trophy at stake, I had to change my pants immediately.

The slideshow taught us the basics:

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Do Pastured Chickens Just Eat Grass

The simple answer is no, but that’s because, unlike grass-fed cows, chickens don’t naturally want to just eat grass. Pastured chickens are allowed to hunt and peck for food as chickens are want to do. They don’t eat grass, despite how it looks when a chicken hits a meadow, but primarily look for seeds and insects. They’ll also eat the occasional small rodent or reptile thrown in if they can catch them!

Pastured chickens often receive a supplemental feed in the winter or during dry months. This feed may or may not be certified organic .

Why Are Pastured Eggs Orange

The color of the yolk tells us a lot about the nutritional value of an egg. The more saturated and intense the color, the more nutritional the egg.

Pastured eggs have bright orange yolks, which means that they have plenty of vitamins and fatty acids inside. Several studies of pastured eggs have shown that they pack significantly more nutrients than their counterparts from conventionally-grown hens.

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Are Pastured Eggs Safe To Eat Raw

A study conducted by the British government found that 23% of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella, compared to only 4% in pastured flocks and 6.5% in free-range flocks.

Theres a 1/4 chance that you can get infected with salmonella by eating raw battery-cage eggs. That chance decreases on eggs from hens raised by more natural and humane methods, such as free-range and pasture-raised hens.

As a rule of thumb, always consume eggs cooked. This is the best way to keep your chances of getting infected with salmonella to a minimum.

Which Eggs Are The Best To Buy

Not so long ago, people used to raise chickens in their backyard. Living in small flocks and naturally fed, these chickens were an important source of protein for families.

Until chickens and eggs became big business in the 20th century. Nowadays, the poultry and eggs we eat come mostly from chickens who live in cages, never see the outdoors, and have high levels in stress.

And you get to wonder who is this really good for? The chickens? The consumer? The environment?

Look for eggs in the grocery store, and you will soon have to choose from many terms and labels printed on each carton. Theres cage eggs, cage-free eggs, free-range eggs, and pasture-raged eggs.

Simply said, pasture-raised eggs are as close as it gets to the eggs youd get if you had a grandma raising hens on the countryside .

Hens who lay pasture-raised eggs live on the outside and eat a natural diet of bugs, worms, and grass that they forage themselves. These hens tend to have the lowest stress levels among commercially raised hens and get all the amenities a bird could ask for, like perches, nest boxes, and dust-bathing areas.

Now lets take a closer look at each of these types of eggs.

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Our Free Range Organic Eggs

At Pete and Gerrys Organic Eggs, we dont see a meaningful difference in animal welfare between these two excellent standards, so we choose to maintain the Certified Humane Free Range standard and keep our organic eggs affordable and accesible. If you prefer to buy pasture raised eggs instead, we applaud your commitment to humane treatment. Just know that when you choose our Certified Humane Free Range and USDA Certified Organic eggs, you’re not just getting an egg laid by a hen that has an exceptionally humane existenceyou’re also supporting small family farms all over the country.

Learn more about why we’ve chosen free range over pasture raised here.

Chicken Feed Feeds You Too

Many of the nutrients chickens eat find their way into the eggs you eat. That’s why knowing the chickens’ diet is important.

Did you know that chickens are natural omnivores and should be eating bugs, insects, and grubs? They are not vegetarians!

Chicken farmers may add soy and corn to their chickens’ diet, pumping them up with GMOs . These ingredients are much cheaper than a chicken’s natural diet, but they may also effect the quality and flavor of the eggs.

The reality: This is a common chicken farming environment!

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Eggs With A Taste Of Place And Season

Our pasture-raised flocks are located in Virginia, so year round they can enjoy their very spacious pastures all day long. At night, they return to the warm, safe barn, which is a natural instinct for hens who are ever wary of nocturnal predators.

Every time our hens go out to pasture, they boost their diet with nutritious foods they cravelike native grasses, seeds, insects, and grubs. When you taste our delicious pasture-raised eggs, youre getting a taste that could only come from our rich Virginia landscape.

Each farms setting is a little different and the pasture changes with the seasons. That gives our eggs a distinct character and flavor that links them to the land they come from. Youll love the taste!

6-Count Organic Pasture-Raised

Our organic hens enjoy wholesome certified organic feed thats free of GMOs and pesticides, and pure, fresh water whenever they want it. They never receive hormones or antibiotics.

12-Count Pasture Raised

We also offer non-organic pasture-raised eggs in dozens. Everything is the same with the hens pasture-raised lives and care. The only difference is the grains in their feed are not USDA Certified Organic. You get a remarkable pasture-raised egg either way.

Pete And Gerrys Organic Eggs

The history of Pete and Gerrys dates back to the late 1800s and the Ward Family Farm in Monroe, NH. Robert Ward farmed dairy cattle and hens. When World War II ended, Roberts son Les returned from the Navy and expanded the farm with his brother-in-law Rodney Stanton. When factory farmed eggs were driving small farms out of business in the 1980s, the two refused to go in that direction. The farm is now run by Les daughter Carol, her husband Gerry Laflamme, and Rodneys son Peter Stanton. The Pete and Gerrys brand was named after them and created to sell pasture raised organic eggs. Their eggs are free of antibiotics, synthetic pesticides, GMOs, or animal by products. In 2003, Pete and Gerrys became the first Certified Humane eggs.

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