Butter 'n Egg Money

When I was a kid Mom would sometimes buy eggs from Mr Woodrum.  I don't know much about Mr Woodrum, other than he drove an old pick-up, sold eggs and was friends with our neighbors across the road.  When we saw him pull-in to the neighbor's driveway, Mom would grab whatever change might be laying around and walk across to buy eggs.  As I recall, they were around .50/dozen.  As a kid I must admit, I really didn't see the difference between store-bought eggs and "chicken" eggs.  Well, let me take that back, as I could see the difference.  Mr. Woodrum's eggs were brown, sometimes a bit dirty and when you cracked one open the yolk was a deep golden color.  Yes, the visual difference was apparent, but my palate didn't appreciate the taste difference.

It's interesting that even back then we made a distinction between "chicken eggs" and those pristine, thin-shelled, white ovoids we purchased at the grocery which had lost all connection to a chicken.  Eggs had become just another mass-produced item on the shelves created by some unknown process, not unlike American cheese slices.

But now, I can appreciate the difference.  We buy eggs from a couple of young women in our neighborhood who are sisters, twin sisters (in keeping with the egg theme).  They have a few chickens and when the hens are laying we buy their eggs which they deliver to us on their bicycles.  The price today, $3.00/dz.  I'm happy to support their small business and thrilled to have "real" eggs!

The yolks are that deep, golden color I remember.  The shells are thick and take a forceful hit to crack them open.  And yes, they usually come with a bit of decoration, maybe some straw or grass and sometimes even a little chicken s#*$.

 

But you know they're chicken eggs.