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.
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