15 replies to this topic

[YOYO]

http://www.vancouver...4113/story.html

I personally think that the egg board needs to be dissolved.

[Bernard]

Losing the marketing board is something I support but people should be aware it will almost certainly mean the end of any significant egg production on the island.

Getting rid the board would also likely mean a dramatic increase in organic egg production all over BC

[tedward]

Losing the marketing board is something I support but people should be aware it will almost certainly mean the end of any significant egg production on the island.

Getting rid the board would also likely mean a dramatic increase in organic egg production all over BC

Why would it do both? I can sort of understand how local producers might be overwhelmed but how would that also lead to more organic egg production? And a third question, would that lower prices paid at retail for eggs?

[Bernard]

Why would it do both? I can sort of understand how local producers might be overwhelmed but how would that also lead to more organic egg production? And a third question, would that lower prices paid at retail for eggs?

The retail price for eggs would drop enough to make all the producers in BC basically nonviable, there would have to be large scale consolidation into only a few producers for the whole province.

Marketing boards have tended to support mid scale conventional farms, they have been the single biggest obstacle to organic production in our province. The dairy marketing board has made organic cheese production almost impossible.

Right now to legally sell organic eggs you have to work through the egg marketing board - you have to buy quota (which costs a fortune). The current system more or less makes it impossible to afford to operate a small scale organic egg operation. Since being within the rules and regulations of the government is part of the organic certification process, almost all of the organic eggs in BC are likely to be imported or not certified organic.

[Baro]

What's the actual difference between an organic or non-organic egg? The eggs I buy I think are all from BC. I mostly just care that they're free-range so the poor ladies aren't in terrible cages all day.

[gumgum]

I only buy free range. It kills me how much it costs me.

[sebberry]

What's the cost of a dozen free range eggs these days?

[G-Man]

About 4.99. Though if you want free range organic they are getting up to about 8 dollars. Walmart has a good deal on Organic eggs though not free run...

[sebberry]

I'm more interested in free run, organic doesn't interest me all that much. I only go through two to four eggs a week so that price isn't too bad.

Anyone know where to get free range chicken?

[G-Man]

Quadra Village Meats.

[Holden West]

If you put the word out you're looking for eggs you might find a good source, sometimes in unlikely spaces. We know someone on Shelbourne, just up from Bay St. that started raising chickens in the backyard this year. The hens are laying up to five eggs a day they say.

[sebberry]

Quadra Village Meats.

Thanks!

[Matt R.]

I know I've said it before, but yes - that Halal butcher on quadra has all things meat you will need. They sell Island Farmhouse chicken, which is generally chicken from all over the island shipped to Lyall in Cowichan Bay for slaughter. You can also buy this meat at the Red Barn. It's the finest commercially available chicken on the island.

As for eggs, just ask around your work, friends and family. You will find fresh eggs in the unlikeliest of places. The maintenance guy at my old job was selling me 2-3 dozen a week for $3 per, the best I've had. I've got a lady around the corner here who sells me a hundred dozen a week for a great price too.

Egg marketing board means **** to the small producers.

Matt.

[Sparky]

Hey Matt

I thought you might chime in on the egg thread.

I noticed that the terms "free range" and "free run" were being loosely associated in the posts above.

"Free Range" is when the hen gets to be outside the coup for most of the day foraging for food amongst the outdoors. "Free run" is when the hen can leave her roost and walk on the floor....usually in a large building, sometimes a barn. These hens don't get outside into the fresh air at all.

Anything that isn't either of the above, means that the hen spends it's life in a cage.

Matt I'll bet there are a lot of "home grown" foods on Salt Spring.....once you have it scoped out, it would be nice to hear about what you find. That would make for a great outing to plan a visit in the nice weather and make a day of "farm stand" shopping......as well as arriving an hour or so early for the ferry home.

[LJ]

There are tons of producers of "free range" eggs all over the island. Drive any rural road and you will see "eggs for sale" on most of them every mile or so. There are 3 within a 5 minute drive of where I live.

I don't just buy them out of the roadside cooler until I have seen the facility tho.

[Benezet]

As I understand it, 'free range' and 'free run' don't have legal definitions here.

The Chicken Farmers of Canada site has it that all chickens raised in Canada (albeit for meat) are considered 'free run' unless otherwise indicated:

http://chicken.ca/on...g-your-choices/