Something to think about.

Your waiter made more money off an egg for bringing it to you then the farmer did for growing it!

If a farmer earns 69 cents a dozen for eggs (a 2008 average) that is less then 6 cents an egg. If he is lucky he might net 2 cents.

If your restaurant charges 50 cents an egg and you tip 15% your waiter made 7.5 cents off it.

I am not saying that waiters are over paid. But he does not have to buy buildings, equipment, new chickens, feed, and coolers. Neither does he have to actually raise the chickens, and care for them. All he has to do is carry it a few feet.

Maybe the farmer is UNDERPAID for that egg. Just Maybe...

Where are your eggs?

Did you ever have anyone tell you to make haste a little more slowly?

I feel our nation needs to take that advice right now. We are rushing towards passing a bill which no one really fully understands and few have read.

Although I am not an economist (and am far from it!) there are many economists who agree that the stimulus bill may not work.

I have read that about 20% of the money will be available for projects starting in the next 6 months. Couldn't we down size the bill to a 160 BILLION or 180 BILLION dollars and pass that part of it now. We would get the same stimulus short term and in the next couple months real debate could take place and the balance of the bill could be passed in March when people actually have time to look at it closely.

I guess that a farmer analogy would be that if you REALLY need your eggs and you put them all in the same basket it might be better to let those eggs sit in the coop another hour and take time to carefully examine the basket to make sure it will not fall apart under the weight of the eggs then to pile them all in and have them crash to the ground in a yolky mess...

But then, I am just a farmer... What do I know?

Finally Eggs!

It has been a while since we have had our own eggs. And pretty strange to have to actually BUY eggs! But since around July we have started getting no more then one or two eggs a day. Then around September they dried up completely! NO EGGS AT ALL! Our old chickens are apparently getting too old to lay and our young hens were no quite ready yet.

We expected to have to make due with other farmer's eggs until spring. Then on Thanksgiving we found one pullet egg! (Pullet eggs are the first eggs a hen lays and are half as big (or less) then a "normal" egg.)

Today when I went in to give them food I found five more pullet eggs! We should be getting 10 dozen eggs or so a week from our hens when they get up and going, but that is still months off, for now, I am happy that we are at least getting our own eggs again, although it probably takes three of these mini things to make one normal egg...

Cold night...

Wow, is it cold. On days like this I am SO happy I grow veggies and not livestock. There are no outdoor chores that I have to do on days so cold it hurts to be outside for long.

We do have the chickens, but they are easy. Say "hi" to the ladies, check their water,top off their food, collect the eggs. (To be honest, my hubby usually brings them water (always in winter), I am likely to slop water on my leg on carrying the bucket!) It has been cold enough that we did not let them outside. Cold enough to freeze the eggs.