Swimming in eggs, can't find customers! Update, pg. 6

[PaulaJoAnne]

Well, we did sell through them at the end of the week.
We have found that we do best selling to those with food allergies, as we do not feed corn and soy to our hens.
It makes a big difference to those individuals who thought they were allergic to eggs, only to find out for a fact, that it was the hens diet that was affecting them.

One family at church has bad corn and soy allergies, so they are picking up excess now.
For them, they cannot even eat commercial meat, or even wild game from areas that have fields of corn and soy.
They can eat bear and moose just fine though, as the only field crops up here, are barley and field peas, and most of those are way up in the Fairbanks area.

Oh, and we do give eggs to an elderly widow at church, and to another widower that we know in town.

 

[weirdmuse]

Quote:
Seriously would you pay $4.00 a dozen?? I started selling mine at work for 1.50 then one of my customers said I should sell them for 2.00 so thats what I sell at. I live in the Amish commutity and they all sell their eggs for between 1.50 to 2.00 a dozen. I'm starting to track everything now, seeing how now I'm getting customers and more of my new flock has started laying regular now.

Yes I would, and I could point you to dozens of families up here that do. Feed prices, no matter how you cut it, even for the farmers who get the discount, require the higher price. The grocery stores sell their "free range" ones for almost $5 a dozen up here.
The feed store sells naturally grown for $5 per dozen. It has been the standard for years.

I would certainly sell at $2 per dozen, if it made financial sense. But it would mean I would be paying them to eat the eggs.

Our trouble is stemming from 4-5 people who dropped there prices a few months ago, to half what it costs to feed hens.
And believe me, there are no super cheap food sources in Alaska. Period.
Even for humans. And thank the Lord we hunt and fish, otherwise we would starve.
For example, one red pepper, costs $3.

So... can you buy their $2 a dozen eggs and by taking them off the market, resell them along with your eggs for the $4.00 mark? or if by buying their eggs at the below production cost, can you then drop your price to the $3.00 or $3.50 level?..... just a thought.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Yes I would, and I could point you to dozens of families up here that do. Feed prices, no matter how you cut it, even for the farmers who get the discount, require the higher price. The grocery stores sell their "free range" ones for almost $5 a dozen up here.
The feed store sells naturally grown for $5 per dozen. It has been the standard for years.

I would certainly sell at $2 per dozen, if it made financial sense. But it would mean I would be paying them to eat the eggs.

Our trouble is stemming from 4-5 people who dropped there prices a few months ago, to half what it costs to feed hens.
And believe me, there are no super cheap food sources in Alaska. Period.
Even for humans. And thank the Lord we hunt and fish, otherwise we would starve.
For example, one red pepper, costs $3.

So... can you buy their $2 a dozen eggs and by taking them off the market, resell them along with your eggs for the $4.00 mark? or if by buying their eggs at the below production cost, can you then drop your price to the $3.00 or $3.50 level?..... just a thought.

No, because we provide eggs to families that have allergies, so I do not want to mix anything up.
Plus, we are unofficially, almost organic ( the alfalfa is not this year)

 

[onthespot]

wow, that's thinking outside the box.
Here's the pickled egg recipe. I PM'd it to the people that asked.

Cindy’s Spicy Pickled Quail Eggs
Instructions
In enameled or stainless steel saucepan, add all ingredients except eggs and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep for at least two hours.
To easily hard boil & peel all fresh eggs, even right from the coop:
Bring water in 3 qt saucepan to a rolling boil. Place eggs in pot on slotted spoon or ladle. Some eggs may crack but they should still be ok. I do remove any unsightly ones. Boil quail eggs for 10-12 minutes, chicken eggs for 14-15 minutes. Pour hot water off and replace with cold water. Keep switching water out until eggs are cool. You can use ice cubes but cold tap water usually works just fine. Transfer eggs to colander once cool.
Peel eggs in a bowl of cold water and shells should slip right off, even fresh ones from the coop/pen. For quail eggs, remove membrane. It’s ok to leave them on but once pickled in the jars, it will look sloppy.
Pack approximately 23-25 quail eggs per jar (jars should be sterilized and hot at this point). Ladle hot liquid and spices over eggs and wipe rim of jars clean with a damp towel leaving ½” headspace. Place lids on the jars and screw on band tops. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (once water returns to a boil). Remove from the hot water and set aside to cool. Jars should seal as they cool. Any jars that do not seal properly should be refrigerated and consumed within 2 weeks.

Allow properly sealed jars to sit at least 5 weeks before eating. OK to eat sooner but flavors don’t fully combine until at least 5 weeks. For stronger flavor, poke holes in eggs with a toothpick before placing in the jars. Refrigerate after opening.

Yield: 2 pints
Ingredients
4 dozen Quail eggs
3 cups white vinegar
4 teaspoons canning/pickling or sea salt
1 heaping TBSP Cayenne pepper
6 garlic cloves, crushed
12-15 Peppercorns
10-15 whole allspice
One large yellow or small white/red onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Thin slice of fresh ginger root
2 bay leaves
2 fresh hot peppers, such as Serrano, Tabasco, or Habanero sliced.
10-15 slices of pickled jalapeno slices (or more to taste)
Fresh parsley
Fresh thyme
Fresh dill (optional)
Feel free to add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce or Habanero hot sauce
Note: Brine may make be enough to make a third pint so don’t hesitate to boil more eggs. Top jars off with vinegar if you run just a little short.

 

[theFox]

Dang, I hate to do this since those pickled eggs do sound tempting.

Please stop and read the following: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Food-Safety-Issues-767/2009/3/Pickled-Eggs.htm

The recipe is probably a true winner but the boiling water bath processing leaves a lot to be concerned about.

Just so you understand I've been canning for better than 40 years and it always pains me to toss a wet blanket on a pickle.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Canning and hot water bathing are no nos for me.
I lacto ferment the traditional way. Good probiotics are added, no nutriton is lost, and things like sauerkraut last for over a year when properly stored.
Botulism only happens when heat has been used.

 

[onthespot]

so is there a safe way to can eggs, or just no? Anyone could post a safe way would be greatly appreciated. To everyone else, ya takes yer chances with the above recipe. If ya die, don't call me.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
I've actually been pondering that.
I lacto ferment veges and fruit all the time, so I am going to look into a cold brine egg solution.
Naturally, you would not be making up tons to keep in the cupboard.
I wil get back with you, after I puzzle over it with my fellow traditional foodies.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
You said that those of us where hurtinting the dairy farmers egg sales.....How? My co-workers buy my eggs from me, they were buying at the store so isnt that helping me out also. I could sell my eggs for more if i wanted to, I use no pesticides, no herbicides, My feed is Purina Laynea which made of with greens and the girls get to free range when weather co-ops. I give them lots of vegies while they are cooped up I buy kale cabbage spinach give melons apples and so on and so forth. So yes I guess you can say I'm organic too. I dont know about allergies that you can protect from, but I would like to so I can help those people too. But I still would not sell them for 4.00. I also give them away to my neighbors who are on a fixed income. I also dont get 20 eggs a day yet but I do have 28 layers and not all have started laying regularly. But who knows. If you do have extras your local food back would probally love them. Not trying trying to be mean just have an opinon.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

You said that those of us where hurtinting the dairy farmers egg sales.....How?

Huh? I am not talking about Ohio.
I am talking about our specific area. And our Raw dairy provider. He has lost many customers due to these "new" prices.
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