| Author |
Marketplace:  Questions about eggs for sale  |
|
|
julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 06 2006 : 2:39:47 PM
|
My hens are laying like crazy. It is so wonderful except that I have quite an excess and would like to start selling them. For those of you who already do this what are some the issues that I should be considering? Do I need a special health license? Do the eggs need to be inspected? How would you recommend I label them so people know when they were laid and then a possible shelf life (ie, best if used by..) There's a sweet store in my area and I asked if she wanted to sell farm fresh egg. I was shocked to learn that according to her there is too much of a liability involved. hmmmm really? was my thought. I can't help but wonder if she is stuck in the cultural brainwashing that's going on so pervasively in our market..better to but the big names, where food has to travel thousands of miles and is grown or harvested in conditions that are usually so disgusting they're hard to mention versus buying from a local organic (working on certification) farmer just 2 miles down the road...
I would love to hang a little sign out front but I want to make sure I'm "legit"..Her liability comment really threw me! I'd also like some advice for educating this woman. She is really, really lovely, just stuck like millions of other american consumers.. thanks so much!! Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
|
|
therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 06 2006 : 5:15:50 PM
|
Julia -- I don't know what the laws are but around here people just put out a sign that says "Eggs For Sale". I've purchased lots of eggs that way and never worried about it. Now that my "grandhens" (Missy's hens) are laying we have plenty. I'd much rather buy my eggs from a farm and know they are fresh as opposed to buying from a grocery store where they could be a month old by the time they reach the market. This lady sounds like she already has her mind made up about buying local because of the "liability" so I'm not sure what you could share with her to change her mind. Maybe someone else has some ideas.
Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
 |
|
|
Shirley
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Shirley
Olympia
Wa
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 06 2006 : 6:26:16 PM
|
Its getting so touchy around the world today, that you never know if your going to get sued from doing something wrong(in other s eyes)
My friend Robin sells them all the time, she has a sign out by her driveway. Ive given them away to neighbors just because I dont want to deal with people I dont know because you never know.We have aracana banties, so the eggs arent very big either. some of the ones that my DH gave to the neighbors wanted to know why they were that green and blue color.
We had a couple of friends stop by a while back(they have moved from ca to Idaho)
She wanted to know "IF WE ATE THOSE EGGS" with a funny look on her face. LOL I almost dropped my teeth.:)
I was drying some herbs on the counter and had some dried mint in a bag. and when I told her were going to "eat the stuff" there was another funny look.
I am so glad that I live on a little farm and grow things to eat and not have to depend on grocery stores for all my food. yuck
Im sure they dont know what Organic even is. Yes we enjoy thier friendship ,but it just shows how different people live.
shirley |
|
|
|
Shirley
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Shirley
Olympia
Wa
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 06 2006 : 6:28:06 PM
|
Julie.
Do you have a light on in your chicken house, ours have all but quite laying , every oce in a while theres a little eggie out there.
shirley |
|
|
|
OregonGal
True Blue Farmgirl
511 Posts
Chris
No. IL
USA
511 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 1:56:05 PM
|
I think there's a difference in selling from a store and selling from your house. The liability laws are different - I believe. Like with selling milk - I thought somewhere along the line I had read that if you go to a farm to buy milk, you have to dispense it yourself, the farmer can't do it - if he does it, then there's liability on his part. But if you do it, then you are doing it of your own volition and he's not liable. The same may be true for selling eggs - the difference in selling from home and at a store. Talk to the health department or see if you can find something on line. I tried that with duck eggs too, selling to a bakery, and she said my place would have to be inspected, and the eggs graded in order for her to buy them from me.
"God, I can push the grass apart and lay my finger on thy heart!" |
|
|
|
therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 1:57:30 PM
|
Missy has no light in her chicken house and they are laying like crazy. The other day she found 12 eggs in one laying box. We're all shocked because we figured we'd be going the winter with hardly any eggs. Some people just crack me up -- they think if you don't buy the food in the store then it shouldn't be eaten! What I'd like to do is take them to some of those places where the food comes from and then I think they'd change their mind. It's farm fresh for me as much as possible including my eggs!
Gratitude turns what we have into enough.
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
quilt8305
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Mary
Spokane
WA
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 2:56:13 PM
|
Julia, You made me curious so I googled and typed in 'selling eggs in Washington' in the search line and found a King County web site that said "you do not need any kind of license to sell eggs direct from your farm if you have 3,000 or less laying hens". There is apparently a WSU extension service fact sheet #511 that explains it all.
Mary
The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. Wm. James |
|
|
|
jenny louise
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
jennifer
cass city
MI
USA
166 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2006 : 2:35:33 PM
|
Here in Michigan, folks also put a sign out in their yards. I can take them to an auction as well, and buyers pick them up to take to farmer's markets. BUT, Now there are a few farmers markets that won't allow the sale of eggs any longer, I think it depends on how strictly the market master wants to adhere to rules and regulations. Kind of sad to think that we are being forced to eat long distance foods if we don't raise it ourselves.
My hens are laying about a dozen eggs per day, but i have a light that comes on early a.m., and later p.m. so they get more light. Plus, I have a water heater going all of the time. They did take about a two week break though.
Good luck, Julia...
Jenny |
|
|
|
Shirley
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Shirley
Olympia
Wa
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2006 : 4:41:52 PM
|
Our farmers market that im in, has to have the eggs in a refriderated(now that doesnt look right) unit in order to sell them.
Its the rules set by the agricultural dept or the state dept of health, or one of those guys.
And if the sed a inspector around they can shut the market down
They have inspectors come down every one in a while to inspect.
they come to inspect all the food vendors and stuff like the frest fish,meat,bakerys yaya
shirley |
|
|
|
medievalcat
True Blue Farmgirl
256 Posts
Cynthia
White County
Arkansas
USA
256 Posts |
Posted - Jan 08 2006 : 6:11:03 PM
|
I'm so glad you asked your question Julia. I did as Mary did and googled "Selling eggs in AR".
Here is the laws for Arkansas.. I know it's not your neck of the woods but it might be someone else’s.
Per AR code 20-58-203 (this is not word for word)
Retailers may sell eggs, when eggs are purchased from producers who own less than 200 hens when:
1. Eggs are washed and clean.
2. Eggs are prepackaged and identified as "ungraded" and the producer's name and address must be on the package.
3. Used cartons are ok if all brand marketing identifiers are "obliterated".
4. Eggs must be kept in a fridge, the temp must be kept at 45 degrees or lower.
Knowing this now, this spring I’m going to start asking the local stores to sell my eggs, especially the Natural Food stores.
Cynthia
|
|
|
|
AnnieT
True Blue Farmgirl
287 Posts
Annie
287 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2006 : 1:39:58 PM
|
When my mom sells eggs at the gardener's market in Utah, she has to keep a thermometer with them to verify that they are being kept at 40 degrees or cooler. They can be in an ice chest or refrigerator. There is no labeling or grading requirement, but they must be clean.
Visit the Bramblestitches store: www.bramblestitches.etsy.com
Visit me at my blog: http://bramblestitches.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2006 : 06:07:50 AM
|
Julia,
I started selling eggs at the end of my driveway on a table with a sign eggs for sale. I put a canning jar to collect money. I did buy knew cartons to put them in. ( you can order these on line through the carton company mentioned in Maryjane's book) Even with a large order, the carton costs 20 cents.
I figured that between feed and the carton I had 98 cents tied up in each dozen, so I sell my eggs for 2.00. That is all my area would support anyway.
YOu do not need an organic certification if you sell less than 5,000.00 a year. YOu can call yourself organic and the only regulation would be your conscience that you actually are.
My farm is incorprated which costs me 100.00 a year and I should have extra insurance for illness due to food consumtion but I do not. The farm stand or grocery store should carry this themselves so maybe you just need to find a farm stand or small grocery that does.
In the summer I put the eggs in a cooler with an icepack. |
|
|
| |
Marketplace: Questions about eggs for sale |
|
Questions about eggs for sale
