As you know, my family has been in the middle of a neighborhood controversy over keeping our chickens. (If you need background, please see Chicken Fight and Chicken Fights On.) As our neighbor lobbies the City to disallow chickens in the city, we have been conducting our own charm offensive on behalf of chickens everywhere.
This past Friday, we ran a little lemonade stand in our front yard and, along with the free lemonade, we also gave away some eggs from our lovely hens. We wanted to share with our neighbors the benefits of having such efficient and generous little beings amidst them.
We never realized the learning curve we would face.
We had several -- several! -- neighbors look quizzically at the eggs and ask us how to make them. When we dismissed their silly question with a flippant answer, "like any eggs," the situation grew more alarming. "But how? I only know how to make the ones from the store."
"So I should boil them?" one said while holding the eggs with a fully-extended arm.
I fought back my incredulity and explained that these are exactly like the eggs they buy at the store, except that they come from healthier, happier chickens. I reminded them that they could bake with them or scramble them, poach them, whatever. Still, at least 3 neighbors left holding the eggs at a distance from their bodies, not sure what they would do with them.
Others asked what flavor the green ones were.
Really.
It was then that we realized we had a long way to go on behalf of city chickens.
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22 comments:
Thank you for the morning wake up laugh! I'm hoping to add chicks in the next year or two {we have to get our gardening under wraps first}
People are so funny. If you would have told them that they could recharge their cell phones with them they'd want extras.
Tell them the green ones are "ham" flavored..har har har
i know folks who refuse to eat fresh eggs as they are scared of them. What a laugh! good for you for trying to educate, but some folks just cannot be taught.
well done for trying ! my neighbours are queing up for mine as I only sell about two boxes a week - I don't even bother washing them - they are straight from a chicken's arse !
Good job for trying. I wonder where all those people think eggs from the store come from?
I'm laughing out loud, for real!
We always buy farm fresh eggs!
Where do they think 'store eggs' come from???
Good luck, keep cluckin'!!!
~Amy
Oh my goodness, ignorance is NOT bliss! Where have theses people been living?
xo
Claudia
Don't worry! You are off to a good start. The neighbors who go home and actually cook and eat the eggs will come back with more questions (hopefully, more logical ones!) It just doesn't occur to folks that having chickens and eggs is really that easy!
HAHAHA! It is amazing how in the dark some people really are!
Wait until they freak out over seeing a bright yellow (sometimes orange) yolk instead of a super-pale yellow (almost white) one like most of the store-bought eggs.
Did any of them ask how you got eggs without having a rooster? I LOVE that question. I always tell them a female human doesn't need a male to produce eggs, and it is the same way with chickens. The looks on their faces is priceless as they try to figure that one out!
I hope you get your problems successfully worked out with the neighbor and the city. You could point out to the city how much education you are providing (at no cost!) to the neighborhood. Maybe that will keep things in your favor.
If all else fails, look at your neighbor's property for any non-compliance issues and turn them in!
Gayla
Are you for real? They didnt know how to cook them. How stupid are these neighbours? That is just craziness.
Good grief! What is wrong with your crazy neighbors. Maybe you should have told them they come out already cooked! LOl
I hope you get to keep your chicks.
hugs
Sissie
great post
xx
great post
xx
Gayla, someone did ask me that. A new GUY in the neighborhood. I couldn't believe I had gotten myself into the position of having to explain this little fact of life to three grown men, fathers no less! Maybe I WILL turn in my neighbor's illegal structure (which we have always neighborily ignored) just for that!
Oh, MY!
OMG!!!!! I can't believe this. What flavor? I'm stunned....
Oh Renee', can I be your neighbor? I volunteer to feed them while you're out to fight on their behalf..just in exchange for one or two fresh eggs..
Beautiful color of the eggs also!
Oh my goodness... They are TRULY city folk aren't they. Thank goodness some of us grew up in the country and know enough to eggducate others. LOL
Wishing you much luck.
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
I guess I should be nice to the city folks who don't know about chickens and eggs. I didn't know about public transportation until I was 24, then somebody had to explain to me how to signal the bus driver to stop.
Renee, go after that illegal structure. It's only fair!
Gayla
I know you are probably joking...and yet....
OMG! What if it's all true?!!
WsprSweetly -- It IS all true! Not kidding one bit. Imagine me trying to close my gaping mouth.
This is great. It's amazing how little most of us know about our food!
That said, I'm a little disappointed in you. You had them in the palm of your hand! Why, the green ones are for quiches ONLY, and only on Wednesday nights, as they will cause unwanted side effects if used otherwise.
Or, if you plant them, you could grow chickens of your very own. *snicker*
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