Celebrate Easter Renewal With Local Eggs

Easter is a time of year when the seasons are changing and we can start to enjoy warm temperatures. The Easter celebration is about life being renewed. The origin of the holiday itself are pre-Christian and the word itself comes from the Norsemen: Eostur, Eastarm, Ostara, and Ostar, all relate to the season of growing, sun and new birth.

Ancient people such as Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians and Hindus, believed that the world was created from a giant egg, thus the egg as a symbol of life has been around for eons and cultures across the globe have adopted the egg to symbolize rebirth.

The tradition of decorating eggs goes back hundreds of years. Rumor has it that King Edward I of England spent 18 pence to buy 450 eggs to be gold-leafed and given as Easter gifts. Easter eggs were first mentioned in writing 500 years ago, although pre-literate cultures like one North African tribe had a custom of coloring eggs that pre-dated King Edward I.

The color of eggs is a cultural preference and trends vary even city to city. The New York Times for instance reported that housewives after World War II in New York preferred white eggs, but in Boston the brown eggs were considered superior. In discussing the issue of eggs the New Scientist magazine commented "Housewives are particularly fussy about the color of their eggs, preferring even to pay more for brown eggs although white eggs are just as good."

Often the Americana chicken is associated with the Easter Egger variety of chicken  which can lay green-blue-brown eggs. However such a connection is false. The Americana, derived from blue egg laying chickens. An interesting side fact about the Americana chicken: it has a pea comb, no crest, no leg feathers and four toes.

Today the production of eggs has become a commercialized business and flocks of 100,000 chickens are not unusual. Most corporate egg producers use the cage system and sophisticated automated technology. Until the early 1900s though raising eggs was an informal backyard activity. Most eggs were eaten and extras were sold at farmers markets.

At Valley End Farm we produce our own organic eggs from a breed called Buff Orphingtons that we choose for their gentle disposition. We also love their beautiful golden-brown color. If you visit our Rohnert Park farm you will often see our chickens wondering around.  The chickens eat bugs, grass, and greens, and lay mix.

In the US, Mother Earth News says eggs raised from hens on open pastures have 4 to 6 times as much vitamin D! Results from a 2007 egg testing project indicate free range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat, and are loaded with vitamin A and E. Free range eggs are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Egg can also have benefits for your garden. Egg shells can be a good source of nourishment for plants, providing them with calcium. When placed on the ground’s surface egg shells can protect fragile plants from slugs and cutworms.

In keeping with the idea of renewal we recommend this fun Easter project: grow wheat grass in a basket and then place your Easter eggs in the grass. You can paint the eggs or boil them in beet water for a red tint or place onion skins in the water for a light brown hue.

If you want to eat the eggs, incorporate them into a meal by making a brunch omelet with vegetables from your CSA box. For those of you with a sweet tooth, add organic eggs to a yummy cake mix.

Sharon Grossi, owner, Valley End Farm would like to wish everyone – whether it’s Easter, Passover or Earth Day -a Happy Spring.

For more information, visit www.valleyendfarm.com or email valleyend@hotmail.com.