What's in your natural chicken feed? Why do you have two egg options?

There are a couple questions about our pastured eggs that come up over and over again. I figured you might be wondering, too. So here are answers to the top 2 Triple E egg questions! What's the difference between the 2 pastured egg feeds? We have corn & soy free eggs as well as GMO-free eggs. The big difference is the type of feed the hens eat. One feed does NOT have corn or soy in it. The other feed has both. The ingredients of feed will affect both the nutrition of the egg as well as the price. Corn & Soy Free Feed Ingredients: Milo, Wheat, Barley, Peas, Alfalfa Meal, Calcium, Vitamins, and Minerals Eating eggs from chickens eating a corn & soy free feed results in higher omega 3s and lower omega 6s. Eating a better ratio of omega 6/3 can improve your health and prevent chronic illness. GMO-Free Feed Ingredients: Non-GMO Corn, Organic Non-GMO Soybean Meal, Rice Hulls, Calcium, Salt, Active Dry Yeast, Vitamins, Minerals, and Natural Flavors Since corn and soy are so cheap to grow, having them in chicken feed reduces the price of eggs. When GMO-free and pasture raised, this is a great option for price conscious natural consumers. You get the added nutrition of pasture raised eggs with a lower price tag. How are the farming practices different in the 2 "pasture raised" flocks? "Pasture raised" has become a confusing term nowadays. How each farmer raises their animals at pasture varies. And the requirements for having those words on a label are... well... lax. It's such a different food world compared to 200 years ago! When Triple E says "pasture raised", it's like you imagine it in your head. You know, like it was in the olden days when hens were outside on green pasture as much as the weather allowed, clucking and foraging for bugs and seeds and plants. The being said, there are slight differences in how each of our egg laying flocks is raised. Our corn & soy free flock lives in mobile coops. A mobile coop is an enclosure on wheels that gives the hens shade and shelter from rain (when needed). It has nesting boxes, water, and feed inside. And, it has a door that's always open when the sun is shining so the hens can go out. Around each coop is at least 1/2 acre of enclosed pasture. Then hens are kept in that spot (and protected from predators) with an electric fence. The coop and the fence are moved at least 3x per week to fresh pasture. This makes it easy for the hens to forage for bugs, seeds, and plants. This is what happens in the warmer months. In the winter, the hens are brought inside so they can stay warm. And, of course there's a door in the barn so the hens have free access to outside (although honestly if it's too cold they won't go outside). Our GMO-free flock is in a permanent coop. A permanent coop is a built structure with a foundation. It cannot be moved. Our GMO-free hens live in one of these. It has many doors that are always open, and it's surrounded by acres of pasture. In the warmer months, the hens will venture outside and forage for bugs, seeds, and plants. In the colder months, they tend to stay indoors where it's warm. Why have eggs been out of stock recently? Well the simple answer is that we don't have enough eggs! This is why we're offering two options -- so we have more eggs! There are a couple big reasons why: Basically all of our customers want eggs, and we can't keep up with supply.In the winter, our hens naturally lay less eggs. The lay rate is lower right now in January. It should pick up in the spring. Of course, we want to solve this problem. We don't just want to be a source for old fashioned farm food, we want to be a reliable source. We started a new flock of laying hens, and they just started laying! They will continue to lay more and more. And that means that... We're hoping to have eggs consistently in stock starting this spring! Keep in mind that eggs take time. There's no quick fix. A hen doesn't start laying until they're 5-6 months old. And they're not considered a full chicken producing regular eggs until their 1 year old. We're doing our best to plan ahead and keep eggs available for you. If you have any questions about our pastured eggs, comment below or contact us. I'm happy to help 😊

Why choose old fashioned sourdough bread? What makes it better?

Let's get this straight - sourdough came first. It might feel like a new trend, but it's actually the most old fashioned leavened bread you can eat. I mean, active dry yeast wasn't even invented until 1943! As we've heard time and time again when it comes to modern conventional food, convenience and cost typically come before health. Ugh. This is especially true when it comes to bread. Modern bread in supermarkets has 22.5 ingredients on average. I mean, wow! Our sourdough bread is made with just 3 - flour, water, and pink Himalayan salt. Why all those other ingredients? To make what modern consumers consider the "perfect bread". Sugar to make it sweeter. Yeast to make it rise instantly (instead of waiting for the sourdough culture). Dough conditioners for better volume. Preservatives to make it last for weeks. Emulsifiers to give it the same consistency every time. Artificial colors to make it look good. Did you notice a trend with those extra ingredients? None are there to improve the nutrition of the bread (on the contrary, many come with potential risks). Yup, it's all about appearance and flavor. Enter sourdough, the better bread. It's more nutritious than yeast bread. There are 4 big reasons why: 1- Carbohydrates are broken down during fermentation, making them easier to digest. There are naturally occurring bacteria and yeasts in flour. When flour is dry, they're inactive. But, when you add water, they come to life. It might seem like magic... but it's science on a microscopic level. These lactic acid bacteria and yeasts feed on carbohydrates. They break them down and produce carbon dioxide gas. That's what makes a sourdough culture bubble and what makes bread have those wonderful pockets inside. This is also what makes sourdough bread more digestible. Carbs are one of the hardest things for your body to digest. But the carbs in sourdough bread are pre-digested, making it a lot easier on your body. 2- Gluten is broken down during fermentation, making it easier to digest. Same story as above. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeasts break down gluten, too! That means there's less gluten in sourdough bread compared to yeast bread. This doesn't mean that those with Celiac disease can eat it, but it does mean that it's more digestible for most. But it does mean that many people with gluten sensitivity can handle sourdough but not yeast bread. 3- Phytic acid is broken down, which makes the minerals bioavailable. Phytic acid in unfermented bread binds to minerals, making it hard (and sometimes impossible) for our body to absorb them. But, sourdough fermentation creates phytase, an enzyme that breaks down the phytic acid. This makes the minerals remain bioavailable. Because of this, sourdough bread is more nutrient-dense than yeast bread. 4- Prebiotics are naturally present. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feed on the good bacteria in your gut. When you eat them, it helps probiotics grow and thrive in your digestive tract. Beca-glucan is a specific prebiotic in sourdough bread that can boost probiotic activity after digestion. Buyer beware --- fake sourdough is a thing! Watch out for yeast and sugars as ingredients. Real sourdough does not include them. Also keep an eye out for expiration dates weeks or months away. Authentic sourdough will only last a few days. And lastly you may want to ask about fermentation time. A true sourdough will ferment 3.5-7 hours. There's a new thing called "sourdough powder", which is basically an active dry yeast that makes the bread taste like sourdough. Did you know we offer handmade artisan sourdough bread? It's the real deal sourdough bread made with just flour, water, and Himalayan pink salt. We have both regular and organic. Every loaf is made by Esta, right here on our farm. Our loaves are crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It's everything you expect from an old fashioned bread. If you won't eat it within a few days, you can freeze it for later! If you have any questions about our sourdough bread, comment below or contact us. We're super transparent and are happy to answer any questions you may have 😊 ----- Sources In the Land of the World's Oldest Bread, a Return to an Ancient Baking CultureDo you know what’s in your bread?Sourdough Fermented Breads are More Digestible than Those Started with Baker’s Yeast AloneSourdough and digestibilityIs Sourdough Bread Healthy? Nutrition Facts & BenefitsHow to Spot a Fake Sourdough

Yes, raw milk naturally sours! Here's why and what you need to know.

Raw milk. Such a simple old fashioned food. But, as a society over the past few generations, we've lost so much common sense knowledge about it. One big example is --- Raw milk sours! It's a natural thing and impossible to stop in the fridge. This blog post will dive into all things sour... as it relates to raw milk. Keep reading to learn more. Why Raw Milk Sours The short answer is --- it's fermenting and turning into cheese! The living microbiology in raw milk is digesting the lactose (milk sugar) and making lactic acid. This is what makes raw milk naturally get more and more sour over time. When I say "living microbiology", I'm specifically talking about lactic acid bacteria. Those are the ones that eat lactose. There are many kinds in raw milk, including Lactobacillus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus, and Lactococcus. These lactic acid bacteria are probiotic! This is why raw milk is known for improving gut health. It's like a completely natural probiotic pill. It's important to note that raw milk has all of the living microbiology intact. That includes microorganisms that aren't in the cow but around the cow. Yeasts and fungal spores come from the air. And potentially harmful bacteria can come from manure. This is why we keep our barn, cows, and equipment meticulously clean! These outside-of-the-cow microorganisms do NOT eat lactose. So the fact that the milk sours does NOT indicate danger. It's a palatability issue, not a safety issue. Instead, souring milk simply becomes more and more probiotic. The more sour the milk, the higher the amounts of lactic acid bacteria. The busier those bacteria were fermenting, eating the lactose, and creating lactic acid, the more their colonies grew. What Affects The Souring Process How fast raw milk sours depends on (1) how clean the milking process was (after all, lactic acid bacteria can grow on equipment); (2) how fast the milk was cooled down; and (3) how it's stored. The first two are 100% our responsibility. The third point we share. It's our job to keep your milk cold until you get it. Then it's your responsibility to properly store it at home. Once you get your raw milk, how fast it sours depends on temp and time. The higher the temp, the faster the fermentation. The longer it sits, the more it ferments. Storage Tips COUNTER: If you want to purposefully sour your milk, the counter is the way to go. When fresh raw milk is kept on the counter, it will start to sour overnight and will become unpalatable within a few days. If you want your raw milk to sour very quickly, then leave it at a higher temp. Remember that all the wonderful properties of raw begin to break down when heated above 110F... and that includes the lactic acid bacteria! So never store raw milk you want to sour over 110F. FRIDGE: When kept in the fridge, raw milk typically starts to develop a sour flavor in 7-14 days. It will likely become too sour to palate in about 10-21 days. There's no way to stop the fermentation, but there is a way to optimize it. The ideal storage temp for raw milk is 33-38F. The average fridge is usually 35-40F, so using a thermometer will help you figure out if your fridge is the perfect temp. Also keep in mind that different parts of your fridge may be different temps. The lowest, farthest back part of your fridge is usually the coldest and therefore likely the best spot for your milk. FREEZER: Yes, you can freeze raw milk for up to 6 months! Once thawed, it may become clumpy. Simply shake to recombine. Freezing raw milk pauses fermentation. The living microbiology will (mostly) come back to life when thawed, and then your milk will continue to ferment and get sour. Keep in mind that the longer raw milk is frozen, the more probiotic loss. Because of this, I don't recommend freezing for more than 6 months. *An important note it that some people can detect a undesirable flavor difference in previously frozen milk. So, if you haven't done it before, I recommend freezing a small amount first. Test it and see how you like it. You definitely don't want to waste any milk! How To Use Sour Milk Whether for your human or furry family, sour milk is 100% fine to consume. It's not a safety issue but a palatability issue. CHOCOLATE MILK: This is a way to mask the sourness. Heat 1 cup water, 1 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a pot on the stove. Once smooth, stir in 1 cup maple syrup. Now you have chocolate syrup to flavor your sour milk with! I usually use about 1 cup of chocolate syrup to a gallon of milk. RICOTTA CHEESE: This is my favorite way to use up sour milk. Heat 1/2 gallon of sour milk and 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a pot on the stove until steaming (around 185F). Lower the heat and add 3 Tbsp of lemon juice (or vinegar). Stir for about 2 minutes. You'll notice the curds separating from the whey. Turn the heat off and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then, pour into a cheesecloth-lined colander set inside a large bowl. For a creamier cheese, let sit 3-5 minutes. For a firmer cheese, let sit up to 20 minutes. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days. COOKING AND BAKING: Guess what? For any recipe that calls for buttermilk, you can sub with sour milk! Think sour milk pancakes, marinating chicken, or homemade ranch dressing. Have You Tried Triple E's Raw Milk? How long does yours last? How do you store it? What do you do with sour milk?

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More from the blog

What's in your natural chicken feed? Why do you have two egg options?

Why choose old fashioned sourdough bread? What makes it better?

Yes, raw milk naturally sours! Here's why and what you need to know.

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