So, which came first. The brown egg or the white egg?…or maybe the green hued or speckled blue? What about baby bird or dinosaur sized?These days most consumers of eggs settle for the lowly large white egg. There they sit, stacked upon one another in their Styrofoam cartons from chickens that I can only imagine live a horror of a shortened life. I know that if I were a producer of eggs, as in if I were a chicken, I would not be giving it “my all” to create the tastiest and oldest forms of protein known to man. Which lead me to look at the label on the cartons of eggs I was buying. I happened to be shopping at Whole Foods one afternoon when I noticed the address of the farm. I was pleasantly surprised that these protein powerhouses came from a farm in Hillsborough, North Carolina, which is about 11 miles from my home in Durham.
The name of the farm was Latta’s and they listed a phone number on the carton. I took my purchase home and decided to call the farm to ask what they fed their chickens, if they were eating organic feed and what their living quarters were like. Eloise Latta answered the phone sounding like the grandma I never knew. “Hello?” she asked. “Hi. My name is Shirlé and I just purchased a dozen eggs from Whole Foods that has your farm’s name on the carton and I wanted to know, although your carton doesn’t say “organic” on it, what are you feeding the chickens?” In the sweetest Southern accent, she told me that they were eating an organic diet of grains, but that the farm didn’t have the funds to get the organic certification. I then asked her about the chickens living conditions. She replied, “Well, they are free to roam, but are in a big ol’ house.” She then said, “Why don’t you come on out and take a look around. You are welcome to buy some eggs from us here on the farm.” I told her I would love to come out.
The following week I ventured out for the 2o minute drive to find Latta’s Farm. First, I went down the wrong dirt road and met a herd of woolly buffalo looking critters. A farm hand followed my Honda Fit down the bumpy road in his pick up truck and kindly asked what I was doing. “I’m looking for Latta’s Farm…where the eggs are?,” I said. He told me I had passed the driveway, so I turned around and made my way back to the road. I passed by the families homestead (pictured above) and thought what an amazing place to spend your whole life and that it was so close to my city life.
Finding the gravel driveway I made my way to where the chickens live and where their eggs get inspected and boxed. I was met at the screened door by Mr. Latham Latta, the purveyor of this farm for Lord knows how many years. (I know the family has long ties with Hillsborough because there is a street named after them when I was driving to the farm). Standing about 5 feet tall, Latham looked to be up in years, probably seeing his father head off to WWI as a child. I told him I had spoke with Eloise and that she told me I could come purchase some eggs. As I quickly glanced around the room I noticed that there were boxes upon boxes of eggs. There were men inspecting eggs under lights and other men packing the eggs into more boxes as they came down the conveyor belt.
Latham, who is a little hard of hearing, asked me if I wanted to buy some eggs. I asked him how much and he gave me the breakdown. “Well, you can get a tray of 30 whites for $4.00 or you can get 30 browns for $4.75.” I was shocked that I could get these gorgeous, extra large, brown organic eggs for that cheap! That was like .15 and egg! I told him that I would like to get a tray of the brown ones and handed over my $5 bill. (he doesn’t take cards, friends). He actually tried to down sell me to buy the white ones. “The only difference is the shell color, they all taste about the same,” he said. I stuck to my brown choice anyway. Again, these were the most beautiful, super large eggs I had ever seen. He then told me, “All the restaurants from Hillsborough to Chapel Hill to Durham come and get their eggs from me,” to which I replied, “And I can see why!” He asked if I had a restaurant (I was in my chef jacket) and told him I didn’t, but that I cooked for families in their homes, but these eggs were actually for my husband and me. He also said that he had a bunch of young chickens that had laid their first batches of pullet eggs and those were only $2 for a tray of 30. I took a look at those and decided to purchase a tray of baby pullet eggs as well, thinking I could share these with my friends, which I did.
The eggs last about a month in the refrigerator, but we go through them in about 3 weeks. The yolks are a golden deep hue of orange and the whites are clearer. If you are interested in egg facts check out the latest issue of Cooking Light or go here to see a video from the article. Many myths have been challenged and there aren’t as many taboos about egg consumption. As with anything, moderation is the key.
I guess the message of this story is all about buying local. I had never really taken the time to look at where my eggs came from and to find out that they were so close to my home. It made me start rethinking what I buy and the distance it travels to get to my home. This summer David (my husband) and I are trying to be as self sufficient with vegetables by eating only what we are growing in our backyard garden, and so far we have done well. I know that not everyone can always buy local or grow their own food, but everywhere in this country there are farmer’s markets and more and more mainstream grocery stores are competing to carry “local” produce. So, next time you go to your grocery store simply ask the grocer where the local produce is located.
Eggs are easy. They are good for you and make quick breakfast, lunch and dinner a snap to create. I know that buying these eggs inspired me to make some wonderful weekend meals, like this Spanish Tortilla (pictured above). I also like the fact that I am helping someone in our community sustain their family business. Try searching for local eggs and let me know what you discover.
If you’re willing to spend a little more for your eggs, you can buy from local producers whose egg-laying chickens live outdoors. They are more–something like $4 a dozen–but they can be even better than Latta eggs, which are admittedly really good. Ask around at the farmer’s market and you’ll find these folks.
Yum, the tortilla looks scrumptious.
I love eggs and eat them all the time. Why is it that in many other countries eggs are stored at room temperature, but in America we are told to refrigerate them?
Hey Josh-
Some people store eggs in a cool room (not the kitchen where the temps can climb), as many recipes call for eggs to be used at room temperature; however, eggs will deteriorate quicker at a warmer temperature. 24 hours of storage in the refrigerator is the same as 4-5 days in a cool room. Eggs stored in a cool room, should really be consumed within two weeks. Also, bacteria has more of a chance to grow at warmer temps so refridgeration is probably best.
Thanks for the “Eggs-cellent question. (sorry, I had to:)
Those eggs are gorgeous! I can’t believe that you can get them so cheap at the farm. I so need to go there!
Thanks for taking the time to visit Latta’s! I have always wondered about their operation. Did you get to see inside the hen house? Did you get any other info about their husbandry practices (debeaking, antiobiotic use, etc.)? Just curious.
I buy my eggs from the Durham Farmer’s Market, from Fickle Creek Farm. They are really good. By the way, Mr. Latta was right about the shell color, I think. I’ve always heard that the brown egg/white egg distinction is just marketing (people assume it’s vaguely analogous to brown rice vs white rice, but it’s not).
Those looks beautiful! I’ve heard that if you cover eggs in mineral oil that they can stay good on a shelf in a cool room for up to a year. My mother has been doing it that way for a while (we are in Florida and even though it’s warm it still works). I’d like to find a farm and see what fresh eggs taste like. Do they have a different taste?
Thanks for the answer. 12 eggs never last 2 weeks in my household. The only difference I have noticed is that the yokes break more easily if stored at room temp.
Henry-
I had never heard about using mineral oil to keep eggs, so I Googled it and found this:
Enjoy!
Here’s a description from http://www.eggcartons.com – it explains why this is done:
The surface of an egg shell is covered with thousands of microscopic holes which makes it quite porous. A natural coating referred to as the ‘bloom’ helps seal the holes, preventing bacteria from entering. As the egg ages, the bloom is worn away, which allows moisture to slowly escape and air to enter, forming the ‘air cell’. Bacteria may also enter, and contamination may result. When eggs are washed to remove germs that may be on the surface the bloom is also removed, so a thin coating of oil is applied to take the place of the bloom. This works in the same way as the bloom, keeping the contents fresh for longer periods. The bloom also provides eggs with a natural luster or shine. Mineral oil not only protects your eggs as a sealant but it also restores the luster, the shine of the egg.
Food Grade Mineral Oil makes a great egg shell sealant. One method to preserve eggs is to warm the oil so it is as warm as your hands can work comfortably. To apply the oil, dip clean cloth in it and wipe the egg so that every bit of the shell has been coated. We carry a hand spray (see additional items) use of this hand spray makes coating eggs quickly and more efficiently. After coating the eggs place them (small side down) in egg cartons or egg trays and store in a cool place. The eggs should keep at least 6-8 months.
This food grade mineral oil is an odorless, tasteless, crystal clear, food grade white mineral oil. It meets or exceeds requirements of US FDA regulation 21 CFR 172.878 and CFR178.3620(a) for direct and indirect food contact. It meets or exceeds standards of the US Pharmacopoeia (USP) and the National Formulary (NF). It meets standards for approval as H1 and 3H lubricants for use in food processing plants under the jurisdiction of the USDA. This product is also Kosher approved. It is the lightest viscosity of mineral oil we offer. Great for use in Cosmetics, Health and Beauty, Bee Mite Control, and Many More Applications.
Hi Shirle,
Great post. Asking your grocer questions not just about local, but in general about where your food comes from is really important. While local is one part of the solution to our current food problems, even the food we eat from further afield should be organic, healthy and sustainable. Only by asking will our grocers begin to pay attention. Keep up the amazing work.
Your blog is fantastic (bookmarking it now)!!! So glad you shared your link on FB. I’ve been buying “Born Free Cage Free Eggs” (and using the plastic box as a paint palette)… But, I’m going to see if I can find Latta Eggs now, they look great
Oooh, need to try that Spanish tortilla recipe.
thanks for posting. that tortilla looks great
Are those fresh avocados on top of the beautiful mess? Very interesting…
I found your blog while searching Weaver Street Market. A few items of interest 1)Latta eggs are free roaming however they spend their entire life in a enclosed space on chicken litter also known as a combination of chicken feces and wood shavings. Nothing wrong with this but it is far from the vision free-roaming conjures up. I have found a farm that meets with my vision of free range and the better word is pastured eggs. The eggs from Massey Creek Farms (www.masseycreekfarms.com) are from chickens that are outdoors and free to munch on the grass, bugs etc. 2)For some reason many people hook organic to free range. This is not the case. Weaver Street is using marketing words that in the case of Latta don’t fully apply.
Latham Latta’s wife is my husband’s cousin. I ran across your website this morning while searching for Latham’s obituary. He died yesterday, 03 May 2010, of a massive heart attack. Thank you for a wonderful article about him and his family’s business. I will print it and put it in their section of my family genealogy book.
How strange life can be at times. My son and I found out about the Latta egg farm much the same way you did. I then set out to find out what I could about a local farmer/rancher who not only shared my interest in healthy food, but my surname also. After reading your article I plan to visit the farm myself.
With your permission, I would love to be able to reproduce this article in the Latta Genealogy Newsletter sometime in the future.
George P. Latta Sr
PO Box 243
Reidville SC 29375
Feel free to George.
Shirle’
Hello, I enjoyed your blog post and applaud the effort you went through to learn about your eggs, and to share the information. I think there might be some misinformation posted concerning egg color.
I visited Latta’s in 2008, and I too found the family to be extremely friendly. They told me they process 30,000 eggs a day, and that 12,000 came from the cage-free chickens. This means 18,000 came from caged chickens. My understanding was that the brown eggs were from the cage-free chickens, while the white ones came from the caged. This concurs with the higher price of the brown eggs; also, I watched white eggs enter the egg-sorting room on a conveyor belt from the back room, while the family hand-loaded brown eggs from flats.
There doesn’t seem to be conclusive evidence that one kind of egg is healthier, although claims are made – see the Wikipedia entry here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-range_eggs#Nutritional_Content
But if someone desires eggs from cage-free chickens, there is a big difference in the colors.
Hi Shirle,
I was just dong a quick search on Latta eggs because I have eaten about 8/wk of them raw for at least 5 years and like to know I am not consuming a dangerous product. I did not see them on the egg report at Cornucopia http://www.cornucopia.org/organic-egg-scorecard/ but I guess it just means they were not covered by the report like the standard 365 brand eggs were. Anyway I am glad that you went to the farm and confirmed that the chickens really do leave the house and get to peck at insects & plants (their natural diet) not just grain.
I had my first visit to Whole Foods today and bought a dozen of Latta’s Eggs. We usually get our “real eggs” from the North GA. Mountains, but we’re selling our cottage and am thrilled that I have a place to buy “real eggs” here in the city.
But — you never showed the chickens. So they are not caged? but in a huge metal chicken house? Not out running around the yard eating bugs?
Sad to report that Eloise Latta died today but her family will continue the Lattalate Egg Ranch she and her husband, Lantham, started.