Fresh eggs

Since moving to Richmond there has been one thing I felt I have really been missing - fresh eggs....

When we lived in the country in England there were always farmers selling them in small carts at the end of their driveways. Once you get you used to the difference in taste, it gets hard to eat the ones from your local grocery store.

It was a rainy day today in Richmond so I thought I would take a drive out to Averys Branch Farms because I had read that they have free range eggs and grain fed meats. It wasn't clear from their website if you could just show up and buy produce there or if you needed to do it through their website. Since it seemed like a good day to get out for a bit, I thought I would try the farm. As you leave the suburbs you quickly find yourself way out in the country along winding roads. When we arrived, I spoke with the farm owners and they do sell eggs and meat from the farm but they said most people usally order through their website and pick them up at local drop off points in Richmond and surrounding areas. It looks like even the farmers have had to use technology to their advantage because most people would find it too far a drive if they only had a farm shop. Their egg prices are around $3 a dozen which is about the same price you would pay for free range eggs at the grocery store. If you are lucky to have a drop point in your area, then it is certainly worth the trip twice a month to get fresh eggs.

How to tell when your eggs are fresh? Drop them in cold water and you will see that fresh eggs stay on the bottom and older eggs will start to float to the top. Do this test next time you buy them from the grocery store.

Check out the website for Avery Branch Farms http://www.averysbranchfarms.com

We also bought our free range turkeys from them last Thanksgiving and it was so good that we got one for Christmas as well. It was certainly the 'gift that kept on giving' as I think we made different meals for a week with the leftovers...