Free Range or Value eggs?

fuzzyfelt_2

What a coincidence , we've just tucked in to some delicious scrambled free-range eggs for lunch. Mmmm.

We always buy free range eggs. Like others have said, I'd also rather go without if I couldn't buy free range. Most of the time we buy our eggs from a local farm - they have an honesty dish and the eggs are stacked up outside the house. You can see the happy chucks running around with plenty space and they look like they're really well looked after. They charge £1.50 for half a dozen large or £1.30 for half a dozen medium or mixed (different colours, shapes, sizes). They truly are the most delicious eggs I've tasted, probably because they are so fresh. When they run out (which happens from time to time, as they are popular) I buy my eggs from the local Coop.

ness_w

I buy mine from a gate up the road. They are only £4.00 a tray (30 eggs) which I think is very good value. They're mixed sizes but lots of large ones for baking, so I'm happy.

geordie_joe

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

You can tell what sort supermarket eggs are as the individual eggs are stamped to identify free range and caged eggs

And if an egg packing company wants to make a bit more money from the supermarket by stamping battery eggs as free range, who is going to know

Once an egg is stamped, people believe the stamp! After all, you can tell what kind of egg it is just by looking at the stamp.

Churchmouse

Can someone please advise me? A friend gets a lot of my eggs for me, from a place where she says the chickens roam free, including the car park, and the farm shop. They are totally unmarked, no stamps at all. I buy them as free range, and they are lovely tasting eggs. The last lot were so huge the lid wouldn't close properly:rotfl: The thing is, could I (we) be being duped? I really wouldn't want to support caged or barn eggs.

geordie_joe

MaximumImpact wrote: »

Ermmmmm...I am slightly confused by this allegation of packing stations switching labels....I lived on a battery farm for 4 years and I know that nearly all if not all battery farms pack their own eggs so saying that the labels change is rubbish.

I'm slightly confused too..... How does living on one farm qualify you to know what happens on every other farm in the country?

I worked in a supermarket for over 4 years, but that doesn't mean I know the way every other supermarket works.

MaximumImpact wrote: »

The farms are inspected on a very regular basis and so they would never, ever get away with it.

There are only 200 people qualified to inspect farms in the entire UK. This includes every type of farm, not just battery farms. I doubt they are inspected on a regular basis.

MaximumImpact wrote: »

If the OP who gave this information is real then he needs to contact the proper authorities straight away.

I thought this conversion came about because of an article that said the authorities already knew about it.

geordie_joe

Churchmouse wrote: »

Can someone please advise me? A friend gets a lot of my eggs for me, from a place where she says the chickens roam free, including the car park, and the farm shop. They are totally unmarked, no stamps at all. I buy them as free range, and they are lovely tasting eggs. The last lot were so huge the lid wouldn't close properly:rotfl: The thing is, could I (we) be being duped? I really wouldn't want to support caged or barn eggs.

Two questions, how much do you trust your friend?

Can you pay a visit to this place and see for your self?

Churchmouse

geordie_joe wrote: »

Two questions, how much do you trust your friend?

Can you pay a visit to this place and see for your self?

I trust my friend to tell me what she believes the situation is, which is what she has done;)

I suppose I could, although it's quite a distance away. She gets the eggs when she visits her son, or he brings them up. I'd feel awkward asking her for the exact name and address of the place:o

I suppose this just means I shall have to trust and hope;) At least I know the top-up supplies I buy are genuinely free range.

competitionscafe

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I think it's part of the new series of Food Fight. It was mentioned briefly on Hugh's Spring Digest prog last week, but no details.

Penny. x

Found some more info, it's on Monday 26th January @ 9pm:

Chickens, Hugh and Tesco Too


Monday 26 January
9:00pm - 10:00pm
Channel 4
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall takes on Britain's biggest supermarket in an audacious attempt to change the company's animal welfare policy from the inside by becoming a shareholder. Hugh also visits poultry farmers to learn about humanely-produced yet affordable chicken and revisits Hayley, a single mother who buys mass-produced chicken.
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=91553226&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp

Also on January 22nd:
The True Cost of Cheap Food


Thursday 22 January
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Channel 4
Documentary. Food critic Jay Rayner examines what goes into budget food products and asks why low cost often means low quality. Enlisting the help of Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal, Jay discovers some of the tricks retailers use to make products look more attractive and finds out just what goes into a 5p sausage. Jay argues that, given their market dominance and huge profits, supermarkets have a responsibility to provide more nutritious, cheap food in tough economic times.
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=91432539&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp


Great British Food Fight: http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/the-big-food-fight/get-ready-for-the-great-british-food-fight-08-12-11_p_1.html

geordie_joe

Churchmouse wrote: »

I suppose this just means I shall have to trust and hope;)

That's what I would do too.

Churchmouse wrote: »

At least I know the top-up supplies I buy are genuinely free range.

Well I think that if you buy free range from another source then you would know if the eggs you get from your friend weren't free range.

Churchmouse

geordie_joe wrote: »

Well I think that if you buy free range from another source then you would know if the eggs you get from your friend weren't free range.

The eggs my friend gets are every bit as tasty and lovely as any I buy from Waitrose or M&S or the farmer's market, just a bit cheaper. Do you think this indicates they are free range? I feel happier now, thanks:D