As we reach the end of yet another year, aren't they going quickly?, I expect all readers will take some time off for Christmas and Boxing Day. These to me are the most important days of the year, as it is at this time that we get together with all the family. I would expect many will be very busy with delivering or serving customers with their extra Christmas fare. It can be all very tiring but I hope it will be very worthwhile for all those participating in this seasonal labour of love, many subject themselves to, yet again with increasing unnecessary interfering legislation that makes one wonder whether it is all worthwhile. But to see and hear the appreciation of customers able to buy quality fresh food direct from farms and small producers, not to mention the increasing popularity of Farmers Markets gives us all renewed vigour and reason to carry on again for yet another year, and so one year follows another.
We do have the advantage of a chosen way of life instead of a 9 - 5 job where such people only look forward to weekends, holidays and retirement.
Before the Editor is swamped with letters saying that the part-time producer or hobbyist never retires, those readers who are unfortunate enough to have a relatively dull job such times are something to really look forward to, as it is when they retire they are able to put into practice their true skills and enjoy life to the full. Nevertheless, those of us who have in the past worked seven days a week relying completely on our entrepreneurial expertise and hard work to get us through each and every crisis which occurs along the way, when we are stretched to the limit, or at weekends an animal or bird problem always presents itself, when vets are hard if not impossible to find to attend.
The law quite clearly states that nothing must be done which could damage the surface, ie the membrane of the egg, and it must be kept clean and dry at all times.
Having said that, during these very wet and muddy times it is virtually impossible to collect 100% clean eggs, in some cases most of the eggs have dirt on the shell surface. It maybe alright for the large supposedly Free Range Units where less than 5% enter the world of fresh air and limitless space, but with our small units of genuine free range eggs, our eggs can get dirty, and even very dirty.
Firstly many potentially dirty eggs can be avoided by placing clean straw immediately outside and around the pop-hole area so that the birds feet are cleaned off as they approach the poultry house, and with clean dry litter inside will add the finishing touches, so when they walk into the nest box they will not be carrying in mud or faeces. This was brought home to me the other day when I covered for the person who normally collects and feeds the hens. He has been on holiday this week and the first time I collected the eggs the surrounding area was very wet and muddy. All the eggs collected had to be washed. Not a job I favoured being very busy with other matters.
