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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 876
| Subject: Bantams, eggs, and memories
As a small child on a small family farm we had banty chickens., lots ot them . They were multi-colored with varied dispositions. They were free range. Some roosted in the rickety old barn, some in the coop, and some in the oak trees. Roosters went in the soap pot. Dad would shoot one with the .22 Hens provided hungry kids with eggs (if we could find them). They were adept at hiding and 30 days later you would have 10 to 12 little peepers following a clucker.
I remember eggs were kept in a big jar immersed in water. Ma would keep eggs for up to eight months. stored in a dark cellar. About six months ago I went down the road and around the bend to a local Amish farm. I bought 18 unwashed eggs and some hydrated lime (pickling lime). I followed the egg glassing recipe on google (search egg glassing). Yesterday I went down, and got 3 eggs for breakfast. Fried them hard and they were just like yesterday's eggs. My grandchildren and wife were having no part of 6 month old eggs, so I got them all to myself.
https://homesteadingfamily.com/preserved-eggs-water-glassing-eggs-for-long-term-storage/ |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3774
Location: Kansas City Missouri | Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
Raised in a city(Detroit), my recollections of all things eggs might have been swayed by Saturday cartoon TV shows (Foghorn Leghorn). Thanks for a first hand view. Larson came later.
 (The Barter System.jpg)
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 The Barter System.jpg (188KB - 371 downloads)
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Plankowner
Posts: 9187
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
We had chickens and Banties. All were free range and it was my job to search all the tall grass for nests everyday. The chickens were for eating and freezing. Mom use to go to an Egg Ranch before we got chickens. First time there you paid for the eggs and a wire basket. After that, if you remembered the basket you just paid the eggs.
What your wife doesn't know those eggs in the stores are probably 6 months old anyway. When stationed at EB I was part of a local theater group and rehearsed and built sets at an egg processing plant. Got to know a bunch about eggs. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 217
| Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
My family owned a small farm in southwest Iowa, and we generally had between 50 and 100 chickens. Dad preferred Leghorns, but occasionally we raised Rhode Island Reds. It was my job to feed and water them every morning. In the winter, that was no walk in the park, as I often was faced with breaking and removing the ice in their water troughs. My sisters had the job of collecting the eggs. In addition to providing us with eggs and fried chicken they were an endless source of amusement for me. By tucking their heads under their wings and setting them on a roost, it was possible to get them to sleep for a short period of time. Us farm boys called that “hypnotizing” them.
Thanks for the memories. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1804
Location: Albany, GA. | Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
What was that submarine saying? "Eat them till they turn green or smell funny!" |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2974
Location: Liverpool, England | Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
Ian,
Amazing stuff and I will give it a try. This shows that Granny's old stories were not only true but they worked to sustain the country-raised family, Those of us from the cities would have been at the back of the line even today with our meager skills at survival and getting along with our neighbours. Hank Williams Jr says it all in the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WwzYhVL5Sc
Pedro  |
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Plankowner
Posts: 5024
Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: RE: Bantams, eggs, and memories
One day, at least ten years ago, while I was grocery shopping there was a young Mexican couple (Mid-twenties) at the place where all the eggs were displayed. His wife was carefully reading the carton she was holding in one hand and comparing it to a carton of another brand she held in her other hand. She would then say something to her husband (in their language), put one carton back, pick up another brand and start the comparison process all over again. I could see his brain silently screaming "just get the damn eggs!" At one point she asked him a question and he just shrugged his shoulders, which caused her to talk faster and louder. At that point he looked helpless at me and inquired "Excuse me sir, other than the price, do you know the difference between commercially raised eggs and free-range eggs?" I smiled and told him the commercially raised eggs came from chickens that were carefully monitored and kept in coops, and that free-range eggs came from chickens that ran lose all over your yard and you had to hunt for the eggs. He let out a belly laugh and replied, "We should have known that one!" From the look he got from his wife as she tossed a carton of eggs in her cart and stomped off, I realized she understood English. He was still laughing as he followed after her down the aisle; she was not laughing. |
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Bantams, eggs, and memories
