tasteful simplicity

Still warm from the hen who laid it, the egg lies nestled in its bed of pine shavings. At first glance it seems simple and straightforward, but a gentle tap upon the side of a dish and the brown shell releases the wonders inside.

My hens are simple. I feed them, give them water, and provide secure shelter for them. They free-range my backyard eating bugs, worms, frogs, grass, flowers, weeds, sunflower seed that falls from the feeders, snakes, and sometimes mice if my cat Tobey brings one in for them. In return, they provide my family with their delicious offerings.

Complex in its nature, the egg has often been called nature's most perfect food. It is rich in protein, vitamins E, D, A, Omega-3 and beta carotene. In fact, Mother Earth News completed a study in 2007 and determined the real benefits of eating eggs from true free-range hens. Their study concluded that the eggs have:

1/3 less cholesterol

1/4 less saturated fat

2/3 more Vitamin A

3 times more Vitamin E

4 to 6 times as much Vitamin D

2 times more Omega-3 fatty acids

7 times more beta carotene

Recently I had to buy a dozen eggs from the grocery store, because my hens are molting and they don't lay as well during the molting period. The factory eggs were so pale yellow that it was hard to tell they had any color at all. My hen's eggs have rich, golden-yellow yolks. And the taste is sublime. Thank goodness I found another source of free-range eggs until my hens resume laying. They aren't as good as mine, but they will do.

The egg....perfect simplicity....simply perfect.