Isabel Dominguez with a multicolored dozen eggs from her family's Millstone Meadows Farm in Morganton. Hey, why are some eggs blue? See below. (Cathryn Westra/DavidsonNews.net)

By CATHRYN WESTRA
DavidsonNews.net

At the Davidson Farmer’s Market the other day, local farmer Tommy Barbee was asked about the benefits of buying local eggs.

“They’re not from Iowa,” he joked.

National headlines recently focused on a recent salmonella outbreak that prompted a massive recall from large Midwest egg producers. On Wednesday, news reports said federal agents have returned this week to Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms ^[1] of Iowa. The two farms have had to recall 550 million eggs because their products have led to at least 1,470 cases of illness.

The Iowa recalls have prompted nationwide concern over the safety of eggs. But they also raise another question for earth-friendly consumers: What are the benefits of buying local eggs and are local eggs safe?

DavidsonNews.net decided to investigate, by talking to Mr. Barbee and other local producers at last Saturday’s Davidson Farmer’s Market.

AN EDGE FOR LOCAL EGGS?

Mr. Barbee, of Barbee Farms ^[2] in Concord, said local eggs are fresher. They can be are delivered to consumers soon after the hens lay them and that shorter shelf life also may allow eggs to retain more nutrients, he said.

In addition, many local farmers are known for feeding their chickens natural foods that chickens eat in nature, like seeds and insects.

Local eggs at Davidson Farmers Market. (Cathryn Westra/DavidsonNews.net)

Some are organic and not fed antibiotics or exposed to pesticides, which means the chances of these  chemicals getting into your body may be reduced if you stick to local organic eggs. (However, there are few studies of antibiotic levels in local vs. factory produced eggs, so we cannot know this for certain.)

Sara Hord, of Millstone Meadows Farm ^[3] in Morganton, said local eggs are higher in Omega-3 ^[4], a type of fatty acid that is believed to support cardiovascular health and lower the risk of heart disease. She also believes local eggs are lower in cholesterol because of the healthy natural diet of the hens that produce them.

What about safety? Ms. Hord said that because factory chickens are kept in cages, where they are immobilized and overcrowded, they have an elevated risk of spreading diseases like salmonella. One major source of salmonella is found in the birds’ feces. Because factory chickens are known to be kept in large groups in unsanitary conditions, they have greater exposure to this source. By contrast, birds at many local farms are uncaged and have plenty of space to roam, which farmers say may reduce their salmonella infection rate.

Although few concrete studies have been done to compare the nutrition and safety of local vs. factory eggs, one clear benefit of buying local eggs is that you know exactly how the chickens laying them were raised.

By talking directly with farmers or even visiting their farms, you can know if the birds have been getting fresh air and exercise and have not been eating things that you don’t want to think about. You also can know whether the eggs are being produced in a way that is harmful to the environment.

What if buying local eggs isn’t an option? If you’re a North Carolina resident who buys factory-produced eggs and you’re concerned about their safety, there is a bit of good news amid the national headlines.

“The good news is that no eggs from the Iowa farms – responsible for the recent salmonella outbreak – have come to chain stores in North Carolina,” David Sweat of the N.C. health department told the Southern Pines Pilot last week ^[5]

Whether you buy locally or from the supermarket, the eggs in North Carolina appear to be salmonella free.

BONUS QUESTION: BLUE EGGS?

One final question that intrigues many who see local eggs for the first time is why do some appear blue?

Egg color depends on the breed of chicken laying the egg. Some breeds (like the Amaraucana) lay blue eggs. Brown eggs might be laid by Australorp chickens and white ones may come from Rosecomb chickens. The color of a chicken egg has no influence on its nutritional value.

RELATED LINKS

Davidson Farmers Market ^[6] – Note: DavidsonNews.net is a sponsor of the market.

Previous local food coverage ^[7] on DavidsonNews.net.