Eggs. Salmonella. And Farmers.
Some times I choose my posts. And some times my posts choose me. This one is the latter.
I just had to share this story because I think it's such an important lesson.
A few days back, I called my local egg supplier, a wonderful older woman named Penny, who lives just five minutes down the road. Penny and her husband raise about 80+ yard chickens of all breeds - they even have those funky ones with the feathers all over their feet! Georgia gets a kick out of those ones.
We love getting to visit Penny's, as whenever we drive up, dozens of chickens coming running up to us from all over the property (thinking they'll get a treat, no doubt). I love getting to watch them peck at the bugs, scratch up the grass, and follow us around. Some people are chicken people and some people aren't - I, my friends, am a chicken person. I could watch them for days.
Anyway. Where was I? Ah, yes...
So I called Penny to place my normal order of four dozen eggs (which we pick up every other week). I told her we'd be by to pick 'em up after dinner and sure enough, when we pulled up, the chickens came running and my four dozen eggs were waiting for me. Layed fresh that day.
Penny began telling me about her sister-in-law who works at Walmart.
Did you hear about the egg recall? She asked.
I shook my head.
Apparently, all the eggs from Walmart, Sam's Club, and a few other stores down here were recalled due to salmonella.
I hate hearing news like this.
Penny went on to further explain that they had received a bunch of frantic calls from people desperately looking for eggs - But I told them (mind you, this is all said in a wonderful southern accent) that I had you coming for eggs and you could have as many as you want, first pick, since you're our loyal customer. And if there were only two eggs left, well then, that's all they could have.
Now, how about that.
Not only do we have a source for incredible, nutrient-dense, pastured yard eggs...but our farmer is loyal to us, just as we are to them. Building that kind of relationship with you food supplier is simply fantastic.
I feel the same way about our new poultry source we've found down here, a few hours away in Louisiana.
Knowing I was looking to make chicken stock, they offered to save the necks and feet for me when they butcher at no charge. You just let us know how many you want and we'll have those chickens ready for you, whenever you get here. If you need anything on the way, you just let us know.
Most farmers WANT to supply their customers with a wonderful product. You'll find that they have extreme pride in their work and that carries over to the way they market their product and deal with their clients. There are few things I love more than getting to shake hands and small-talk with the people who's labor and passion feeds my family's bellies.
Yesterday, I was also gifted with some treats from a local CSA basket. This Community Supported Agriculture subscription supplies families all around our area (year round!) with wonderful (primarily organic) produce grown right in the county. My friend Lisa had a bit of extra and was gracious enough to share some limes, muscadines, persimmons, crooked neck squash, butternut squash, and black eyed peas with us. Straight from the farm to my front porch, with no more than one or two days in between. Isn't that fantastic?! They also supply you with a list of who grew each item in your basket - the lines of communication between farmer and consumer are open and welcoming to conversation. And not only that, but the farmer gets a better price for their high-quality produce, since they're not having to produce a lower-quality product for the masses.
We'd been contemplating joining this particular CSA for some time and this may have just pushed me over the edge.
Yep, I think it just may have.
We've such a disconnect with our food. It seems we don't really care what it is, where it comes from, how it was treated, what nutrient value it has, or who grew it and how. Now, I realize that these matters aren't to consume our thoughts or hearts, as scripture reminds us:
And as I was kindly reminded last week in Sunday School, so often our 'idols' are good things that the Lord has given us that we love out of proportion.
I do not wish for food to become my idol and it's important to keep it in balance. We cannot add a day to our lives and if it's the Lord's will for us to eat a contaminated egg, then by golly, we're going to eat the contaminated egg.
That being said, I do feel our stewardship the Lord has given us over food is often disregarded and misused.
I don't believe that God designed chickens to spend their life in a dark cage with four other sick chickens laying eggs. And while I'm thankful we are at a place where 'hunger' is no longer a word in our vocabulary, it seems we've run into a ditch on both sides of the road. We need to be able to feed people. But we need to do it responsibly.
There is such beauty and such balance to the way God designed nature. I think it's important we continue to seek that.
If we give food the respect it's due, and gave farmers the support and opportunities to provide us with excellent products, I think we'd hear a lot less about such terrible outbreaks.
If you're looking for some good reading material on this 'balance', check out Polyface Farm's website HERE.
What say you?