Bring on the Brown Eggs!!!

For the past few years I have bought my weekly eggs from one of two local farms, at the farmers market or picked the "Free Range" eggs at the store (you check out Simple Bites Egg Labels 101  for assistance on buying your future eggs).  Years ago when I learned the inhumane treatment of the egg layers (aka the chickens), I vowed never to buy caged eggs again.  "Free Range" is a loose term (the chickens are loose in their pen and there has to be a door to the outside but most don't use it) and so I often try to buy local pastured eggs.....they taste sooooo good and I can get them for $3.00 a dozen!

In our area, most breeds of chickens lay brown eggs and it is rare you will see a white egg.  At Easter time, the foreign white eggs appear in our market and flood the shelves.  Each year I am sick to my stomach as I bring the carton of white eggs to the checkout, knowing that the momma's who laid them were not living a very good life.  Not to mention all the crap that they ate (literally) that was then passed on to my egg.  In the past we would also dye the eggs with chemical dyes and didn't eat them....a true waste which causes even more guilt!!!  But not this year.

This year we are dying brown local eggs and using natural dyes that I got on clearance last year.   I am excited to see what they turn out like and we will be eating this years batch.  I love egg salad and I can't wait!!!  Hopefully the colors will still be vibrant and the kids will enjoy the outcome, I'll let you know.