I've Traced The Farm Where My Eggs Came From
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
June 3, 2012 7:06pm CST
It's amazing what you can do online these days.
All 6 of my Natures Nest Free Range Very Large Eggs were indeed double-yolkers so I decided to find out a bit more about them.
I went onto the Morrison's website (the store John bought them from) and found the Natures Nest section and keyed in a code that is actually on the egg shell. Up came the name of the farm the eggs actually come from, namely Hill Crest in Ulverston, Cumbria. The farmer is called Gordon and he describes his farm as a "labour of love."
Because he has obviously signed up to the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme the standards of his farm are higher than usual. The hens are allowed to roam free during the day (and at night too if the weather is good) and they can peck away in the grass and shelter under trees. No wonder I've had double-yolker eggs as the hens are treated extremely well. I just wish ALL hens were treated this way. I have sent a message to Morrison's praising their free-range eggs as supermarket chains like it if they do something right for once!
I really do think it's the meat eaters that have the powers to change the way animals are reared. This isn't a criticism of vegetarians and vegans; it's just a fact. If consumers like me are concerned about the welfare, transportation and the subsequent slaughter of animals..painful as that may seem, surely it cannot be a bad thing? Yes, it's great to go vegan if you don't want to eat meat but it doesn't help the animals that are killed in huge numbers each and every day regardless if you are a vegan or not.
Just sayin.!
All 6 of my Natures Nest Free Range Very Large Eggs were indeed double-yolkers so I decided to find out a bit more about them.
I went onto the Morrison's website (the store John bought them from) and found the Natures Nest section and keyed in a code that is actually on the egg shell. Up came the name of the farm the eggs actually come from, namely Hill Crest in Ulverston, Cumbria. The farmer is called Gordon and he describes his farm as a "labour of love."
Because he has obviously signed up to the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme the standards of his farm are higher than usual. The hens are allowed to roam free during the day (and at night too if the weather is good) and they can peck away in the grass and shelter under trees. No wonder I've had double-yolker eggs as the hens are treated extremely well. I just wish ALL hens were treated this way. I have sent a message to Morrison's praising their free-range eggs as supermarket chains like it if they do something right for once!
I really do think it's the meat eaters that have the powers to change the way animals are reared. This isn't a criticism of vegetarians and vegans; it's just a fact. If consumers like me are concerned about the welfare, transportation and the subsequent slaughter of animals..painful as that may seem, surely it cannot be a bad thing? Yes, it's great to go vegan if you don't want to eat meat but it doesn't help the animals that are killed in huge numbers each and every day regardless if you are a vegan or not.
Just sayin.!3 people like this
5 responses
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
9 Jun 12
That goes to show you that real people that put in that labor of love make all the difference. It is a far cry from those corporate farms. I have a feeling that you will be going to that store to buy those eggs all the time now. And if I were you thats what I would do. Eating healthy is the way to go.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Jun 12
Funnily enough I found some from Lancashire (the county Mum lives in) whilst staying at hers during the week. They were in a local grocery shop in Lytham, a bus ride away from her house. I was tempted to pick them up as I could tell the eggs in question came from a similar farm to the one in Cumbria. It's brilliant that people are making better welfare choices in their food. We have a long way to go but it's a start.
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
15 Jun 12
We don't have any place to go for real eggs. I do see the organic eggs in the supermarket, but they cost a small fortune. It is a sad world here because everyone is over weight and more and more cases of diabetes everyday. America has become a country of more then excess. I just have to take care of my health the best I can. Buying packaged things is not always a good choice but sometimes the only one.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
4 Jun 12
Hiya Janey,
At the moment we only have Regulations to have the Chickens more spaced out and their food given in better conditions to them.
Better than nothing I would say.
As for the Animals bit I don´t like what happens either but if you try to protest about that here you can land in Jail as they make a target of the people who protest and they spend a day or two in jail just for manifesting in the Streets peacefully or not.
We have no guarantee about the eggs that we get at the moment whether you buy them cheaper or more expensive there is no real standard as yet but I hope like a good many other Women that we are getting there slowly but surely.
xxx
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
14 Jun 12
Hiya Janey,
Oh no I don´t think anything in particular. I would love to see this kind of thing taking place here but it is not at least not very much.
The efforts here are half hearted and weak at the moment.
Well at least they do try but not enough.
We cannot protest much about anything like I told you as there is not enough effort put into anything yet in particular.
Suppose in time things might get sorted out.
Have to go now Janey it´s awfully hot here and no one wants to work very much and my Dog keeps barking at something invisible to me at least lol.xxx
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Jun 12
Oh, I do hope so. I don't pretend that the UK is Holier Than Thou when it comes to animal husbandry but at least the majority are trying very hard to change their ways (farmers in particular) but they do need support as it actually costs more to go organic.
The latest big thing here is the resistance to Mega Dairies. Whenever a company tries starting one there is massive pressure for them to withdraw applications. I have seen many cows in fields during my time in Cumbria and it's so touching to watch them nuzzle one another and sunbathe! They couldn't do that in a 24 hour indoor milking operation. It's about time we stopped treating animals like objects, whether domestic or otherwise.
I don't pretend that the UK is Holier Than Thou when it comes to animal husbandry but at least the majority are trying very hard to change their ways (farmers in particular) but they do need support as it actually costs more to go organic.
The latest big thing here is the resistance to Mega Dairies. Whenever a company tries starting one there is massive pressure for them to withdraw applications. I have seen many cows in fields during my time in Cumbria and it's so touching to watch them nuzzle one another and sunbathe! They couldn't do that in a 24 hour indoor milking operation. It's about time we stopped treating animals like objects, whether domestic or otherwise.1 person likes this
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
4 Jun 12
That's cool, but bear in mind that whatever it says about Hill Crest is going to have the best marketing spin on it that Morrisons can conjure up. They want people to read it and feel good of course.
But I'm not being negative, I think it's fabulous to be able to trace back the history of a product to it's origins. It makes the producer accountable and should be of benefit to those farmers who are taking the effort to do things 'right'.
I also think it's great that you've praised Morrisons. As you point out, supermarkets take a lot of criticism (much of it deserved!) and they'll only know when they're doing it right if we tell them so.
All of us should offer praise where it's due. Vegans and vegetarians can do it just as well for the products which they buy. I take your point about meat eaters having an impact though. The argument for so much animal cruelty is that 'the consumer demands it'. Rubbish. In most cases the consumer is just too lazy to think about what s/he is buying and how meat can really be sold so cheaply.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Jun 12
I've just read a reply from Morrison's and I can tell they're ecstatic that a customer is praising them. Like you said, they value positive as well as negative feedback and the fact such supermarkets are changing their attitudes to how animals are reared makes me feel a bit better about eating meat. Pigs are next, apparently. They don't have much of a life so it would be great if things started to improve for them too..in time.
I go on the Compassion in World Farming site a lot and they're not happy about how animals are being slaughtered in Egypt. This has to be one of the cruelest countries in the world at present. CiFW sent me an email with a link to a film but I could not watch it. It involved a guy bashing cows on the head until they were unconscious..before slaughter.
I really think someone should do the same to him.
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
4 Jun 12
Never thought you traced the farm where your eggs came from.Even though I don't think two egg yolks has to do with the way hens are reared,I don't doubt that such eggs are by far better than those that caged hens lay.That way, the hens can enjoy plenty of sunshine and peck all kinds of insects,what is more the roaming about can builds up their muscle.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
11 Jun 12
Yes, I have seen proper farmyard hens and they're MASSIVE! I love watching them perch on hay bales and scratch around making "nests." Very cute!
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
11 Jun 12
Here we call the farmyard hen indigenous hens whose egg yolks are bigger than ones from chicken farm.
