You may have noticed that some of our standard-sized eggs have been replaced by smaller ones, not quite filing out the little nesting cups of the carton. What’s with these little eggs? Do they come from smaller chickens? A different variety? Young chickens, old chickens, nutrient-deprived ones? These are “pullet eggs” that come from our young, new-to-the-laying-game hens! A pullet is a female hen that is less than one year old. When a chick loses its downy feathers and develops adult feathers, it becomes known as a pullet (or a cockerel if it is male). They usually begin laying eggs between 16-24 weeks of age depending on the breed and…

Bacon is a kind of salt-cured pork made from various cuts of the pig, most commonly the belly. It’s a favorite component of a classic American breakfast, and is also used to add a rich, salty, fatty element to many dishes. Think BLTs and club sandwiches, or chopped up and rendered with onions before flavoring a chowder.  Our bacon is all from our Tamworth hogs, a heritage breed that is historically known as “the bacon pig” because their thick bellies and golden fat. Tamworth hogs originated in central England where forests full of beech and oak nourished them as they grazed year round. They are lean and athletic and are…

Article by Robin Kerber Lard, tallow, butter… these words have a dirty reputation thanks to mainstream claims that these natural fats are bad for our health and our hearts. But if we take a  closer look at these exaggerated ideas, many originated from a time when wealthy and powerful processed food companies like Crisco and Parkay (makers of hydrogenated vegetable oil) had a lot of influence in the American diet.  These companies began mass producing hydrogenated vegetable oils that behaved similarly to their natural, animal fat counterparts, except they had an increased shelf life, were inexpensive, and contained nasty trans fat. In an attempt to inspire all American housewives to…