Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Guest]

Just heard this on the radio news

 

"For the first time, sales of free range and organic eggs topped those of eggs from caged birds, the report said."

 

Looked on the BBC website, its in the article about organic food sales. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6973352.stm

 

Great NEWS!!!

[Karen & co.]

Fantastic news

 

karen x

[Lesley]

Wonderful news! great that the message is getting through.

[Cinnamon]

That is brilliant news.

I think the message is finally getting through.

It seems to be in my village anhow,where my eggs are in such demand that I feel guilty using them myself & depriving the door knocking general public

[Egluntyne]

Marvellous!

[lisa33]

[susanbb]

Brilliant news.

 

Susan

[Rhapsody]

Whooo hooo!

[TheGirlsMum]

That's really good.

I found the bit at the end of the article interesting tho..... stripping the organic label from flown in food?????

[Olly]

That's really good.

I found the bit at the end of the article interesting tho..... stripping the organic label from flown in food?????

 

Yup - this was raised a while back. The argument (I think) is that if stuff is grown organically, but then flown over here, the use of fossil fuels sort of outweighs the organic element. That's rather a crude summary of it!

 

It is a dilemma, I'm much more conscious of 'food miles' than I used to be. Turning down Spanish strawberries or Kenyan beans is one thing, but if you want to eat pineapple, banana or oranges then they have to come from abroad! (Although I believe bananas, at least, still come on boats). Is it better to buy local but not organic? or organically produced but expensively transported? I do find it difficult sometimes.

 

Still, fantastic news about the eggs. I'm sure all the Omleteers have done their bit to convert people; "Ooops, word censored!"ody who's tasted an egg from our chickens would ever want to buy battery eggs again.

[fairy&cake]

thats such good news!!!!!!! WOOP

[Chocobo]

that's good news

[Martin B]

I think Free-Range has outsold Battery for a while now regards popping into the supermarket and picking up a box of eggs.

 

 

However it is the hidden eggs, (que Buffie) that are the problem. As long as we continue to eat non-organic biscuits, cakes, mayonaisses, chocholate then we are still supporting the industry and making the demand for the battery eggs. Unless you know they have used Free-Range eggs they won't have bothered. Most companies flaunt the fact that they only use free-range eggs such as McDonalds and Marks and Sparks.

 

When you eat out, ask for the steak and chips, but say "I'll have the Steak, Chips and Free-Range Egg" Watch the waitress stutter. Then say "Is that a problem, don't you use free-range eggs?" Wait for her responce of no or I am not sure then say "Oh well, it looks like we will have to eat elsewhere in the future." The word will get through.

 

If you visit somewhere like Little Chef, Mcdonalds etc then thank them for using free-range eggs, because you can guarantee that they will tell their mates at break about the strange person at table 4 who thanked them for using free-range eggs though.

 

Sorry to be a damp squib. It's a good start though.

[Guest]

Is it better to buy local but not organic? or organically produced but expensively transported? I do find it difficult sometimes..

 

There was a whole debate earlier in the year about it being better to buy stuff with loads of food miles than forced in greenhouses using tons of electricity. I actually saw on "flog it" a place in England where they grow cheap tulips for supermarkets in climate controlled greenhouses using hydrophonics and it did strike me as a very unatural process.

Edited September 1, 2007 by Guest

[TheGirlsMum]

I don't think you quoted that from me

[Guest]

DOH I'd left in the bit where Olly had quoted from you! Just missed cutting out the extra quote tag, interesting that it picked up the second tag and not the first

[chelsea]

About time too!!

 

I cant believe people still buy caged hen's eggs though

 

its only a few pence more.

[ali-s]

We use barn eggs at work, not as bad as caged eggs but still.......

 

Just before the holidays there were lots of eggs left over. I had to break 630 eggs and bag them up for the freezer It made me feel ill and quite upset I told my boss I would not do that job again. I don't eat anything at work that has been made with the eggs.

 

Good news about the free range eggs

[ubereglu]

Well that's good news, but back to what Martin says, organic is not always best, and our family eats a lot of things which aren't organic-biscuits, cake etc. However they're homemade and taste good. Plus I'd rather eat a free-range chicken, (non-organic) than have to pay the premium of organic meat. I certainly know that the chicken we do eat has had a good life, even though it hasn't had organic feed/lived on organic land. Plus with organic food, we were talking to the chap who works at the feedstore in Mole Valley once and he says that the organic chicken food isn't all british, as there isn't actually enough organic material in th country to satisfy demand, but th non-organic stuff is all british.

[buffie]

I think Free-Range has outsold Battery for a while now regards popping into the supermarket and picking up a box of eggs.

 

 

However it is the hidden eggs, (que Buffie) that are the problem. As long as we continue to eat non-organic biscuits, cakes, mayonaisses, chocholate then we are still supporting the industry and making the demand for the battery eggs. Unless you know they have used Free-Range eggs they won't have bothered. Most companies flaunt the fact that they only use free-range eggs such as McDonalds and Marks and Sparks.

 

When you eat out, ask for the steak and chips, but say "I'll have the Steak, Chips and Free-Range Egg" Watch the waitress stutter. Then say "Is that a problem, don't you use free-range eggs?" Wait for her responce of no or I am not sure then say "Oh well, it looks like we will have to eat elsewhere in the future." The word will get through.

 

If you visit somewhere like Little Chef, Mcdonalds etc then thank them for using free-range eggs, because you can guarantee that they will tell their mates at break about the strange person at table 4 who thanked them for using free-range eggs though.

 

Sorry to be a damp squib. It's a good start though.

 

Thank you Martin

 

Actually you can happily buy non organic products BUt please checkt eh label and ask for products with free rnage eggs in it. The hidden egg is now the egg that keeps hens in cages and martin is right the egg sales have been in favour of free rnage for some time. The consumer just isn't aware (my job and BHWT) of the eggs in the product. So keep checking and telling anyone who is interested

 

Off my soap box

 

BBxx

[Chocobo]

When you eat out, ask for the steak and chips, but say "I'll have the Steak, Chips and Free-Range Egg" Watch the waitress stutter. Then say "Is that a problem, don't you use free-range eggs?" Wait for her responce of no or I am not sure then say "Oh well, it looks like we will have to eat elsewhere in the future." The word will get through.

 

I love that idea

[Martin B]

Hi Buff, I'm putting my Egluntine hat on, and you might want to re-read you post and spell check!

[ubereglu]

I was thinking that too...I didn't want to say anything though. It's nearly as good as my sister, (the english graduate) who when writing e-mails and things can't spell for toffee!

[Dancing Gal]

Are barn eggs okay or should we not buy those either? I buy free range but thought that Barn ones were okay too.

[The Dogmother]

Well that's good news, but back to what Martin says, organic is not always best, and our family eats a lot of things which aren't organic-biscuits, cake etc. However they're homemade and taste good. Plus I'd rather eat a free-range chicken, (non-organic) than have to pay the premium of organic meat. I certainly know that the chicken we do eat has had a good life, even though it hasn't had organic feed/lived on organic land. Plus with organic food, we were talking to the chap who works at the feedstore in Mole Valley once and he says that the organic chicken food isn't all british, as there isn't actually enough organic material in th country to satisfy demand, but th non-organic stuff is all british.

 

I think the point that Martin was trying to make here was that organic food guarantees that they have used free range eggs, whereas other produce doesn't always have that guarantee.

 

I don't always buy organic, mainly from a cost point of view. But most of the produce that I buy is locally produced (which I think matters more) and I know from speaking to the suppliers that they don't over-medicate/fertilise and virtually farm/grow organically, just can't affod to go for the organic certification. You have to weigh up the odds and go with what fits your lifestyle, values and pocket.

 

However, the hidden eggs are still part of the market that we have to conquer... we're getting there and if each one of us does our bit and tells friends, then we will get there quicker.