Getting your eggs to the customer

So I was curious on what others do, that sell eggs to customers that aren't friends and family. So far that's all I've really done is just when I swing into town, drop some off at f & f, or take some to work with me. But I'm getting to the point where i'd like to add in some outside customers but can't really think of how you actually get the eggs to them other than like a delivery? (which would pretty much lose any value, with gas expenses). I live pretty far out of town so them coming to me isn't really an option.

I was thinking of either just keeping a cooler in my vehicle and having them come to where I work? Or maybe make like one trip to town on the weekend or something, and meet at like TSC/Runnings/Fleet Farm type place.

Just curious on what others do. Thanks

You will need to look at your local ordinances and state law regarding sale of eggs.

In Oregon, I sell under the Farm to Consumer Direct loophole, which means I can sell only if they come to my farm or I take the eggs directly to them (which it sounds like you are planning to do), otherwise I would need an egg handler's license and need to meet farming requirements.

To make life more efficient, if I am not merely selling at church or neighbors, I've created an "Egg-Lert" email loop to let potential customers know when I've got so many dozen and where we could meet up.

Since I do this as a hobby and family food first, selling to offset costs, it does not make sense for me to deliver directly to the customer with the cost of gas and more importantly my precious time...so I create meet ups to places I need to go on days I will be there.

I've just put the egg cartons in a box for transport stability and sold out of that as I don't have to travel so far as to worry about temperature...unless it was a really, really, hot day....and I only take what I know I will be selling. I try to make the egg delivery my first business on my day's outing.

I've had good success with my Egg-Lert loop to help manage that.

LofMc

I think I'm going to have to just stick with what I've been doing. ND says you can only sell off the farm, without being inspected and what not. Which wouldn't be a big deal, but it sounds like a lot of hassle...on top of having to keep a separate refrigerator going.

One further thought, you might see if there are any nearby Farmers markets that are open to new vendors. Some state's allow sale at those without inspection. Most fm's have fees though, which makes them unfeasible unless you really have a lot to sell.

I too have kept it more casual as I am not seeking in making this a business...just offsetting some costs when able. I did end up keeping am extra fridge to keep the stockpile out of the way of family food. It is also a great way to stockpile for the family when I need to do holiday baking.

I've done pretty much as Lady described above, but I'm also in Oregon. Both as a seller and as a buyer, both parties usually agree on a meeting place the seller will be (often the local feed store-imagine that!) and a specific time and the buyers meet there. That has worked well for sellers I've bought from that lived 30+ minutes from town, they come to town once a week or so and sell their goods, make their purchases and they're good to go.

My flock is pretty small (~15 layers) firstly due to facility constraints, but in the last 2 years have learned that's juuuussst fine.
I sell to 3-6 local friends/acquaintances, it covers feed and bedding costs and all the eggs I can use.
Going larger would be a PITA, but I learned that with other small businesses,
There's a tipping point when things go from nice and easy to exponentially more complicated, I've learned to avoid that point.
I think I've determined a plan needed to keep pretty good egg production year round with annual hatching and harvesting of birds.

I so agree with aart. There is a point when it becomes just a lot of hard work where you either ramp up or stop the madness.

I won't sell on contract anymore as that means I must guarantee that production and keep way more birds than I want to. To make that cost effective you begin to need to do some things on large scale with better infrastructure... more than I want to handle.

I sat down and mathematically figured out minimum number of hens for family needs and to sell a few dozen each week to offset feed and bedding and now keep to that. I do not worry if I do not make sales if I need more for the family. My current customers are flexible and happy to get eggs when I have extra.

It has made it fun to keep chickens again.

LofMc