Where to buy farm-fresh eggs in Tucson

Once you’ve tasted farm-fresh eggs, it’s hard to go back to the store-bought variety. Not only do farm-fresh eggs taste better and have brighter-colored yolks, but they’re also higher in nutrients because the chickens are able to forage for foods that would naturally be a part of their diet (like bugs!) and don’t rely solely on feed for their nutrition. The eggs are fresher than store-bought because they haven’t been sitting in a truck traveling across the country for days or weeks before they reach you.

Plus, buying local is always better for the local economy because it keeps dollars within your community, and it’s better for the environment because it helps reduce fuel usage. And, of course, chickens on local farms are often raised more humanely, with ample time spent outdoors instead of locked in tiny cages.

Sold on switching to farm-fresh eggs? Here are the five best places to find them in Tucson:

Tucson CSA

The Tucson CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) offers local eggs laid by hens who frolic in an open pasture while dining on alfalfa, clover, and nutrient-dense insects. These natural conditions help the hens produce yolks that are marigold in color, taste delicious, and are full of vitamins and minerals. Customers will find eggs from two farms in the CSA Shop: Josh’s Foraging Fowl’s pastured eggs (not to be confused with pasteurized, and these hens have a diet supplemented by non-GMO corn grown locally) and Dr. Mary’s fresh backyard eggs (her hens are raised with care by a local veterinarian). 

Photo courtesy of Tucson CSA via Facebook.

Grasslands

A small homestead on the east side of Tucson, Grasslands is committed to farm life. They have a very productive flock of about 80 chickens that are free-range and receive their feed from garden crops, insects, and cattle hay.

Customers can buy directly from the farm, though the hours are somewhat loose—Grasslands is typically open from sun-up to sundown, but it’s best to call ahead to confirm. If they know you’re coming, they’ll leave some cartons in an ice chest and you can leave cash ($6/dozen) when you pick them up. 

Laughing Bird Ranch

As a family committed to providing its animals with a lifestyle that mimics one they’d have in nature, Laughing Bird Ranch does what it takes to produce the freshest eggs in Marana. Their flock (made up of chickens and ducks) is given enough space and vegetation to roam and forage, and they supplement with grain feed purchased from an organic producer.

The Ranch is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week and also offers delivery service.

Heirloom Farmers Markets

Heirloom Farmers Markets operates five farmers markets in southern Arizona: Green Valley, Udall Park, Oro Valley, Rincon Valley, and Rillito Park.

Not only will you find artisan products, various produce ,and baked goods here, but farm-fresh eggs, too. One vendor you’re likely to find at the Rillito market is Zamudio Eggs, which hails from the wide-open spaces southeast of Tucson in Elfrida.

Photo courtesy of Heirloom Farmers Markets via Facebook.

Santa Cruz River Farmers Market

Every Thursday afternoon (October to April from 3-6 p.m.; May-September from 4-7 p.m.) the Santa Cruz Farmers Market is in full swing, selling fresh fruits and vegetables, and eggs, too. This is also a great spot to enjoy cooking demonstrations, try food samples, and find specialty ingredients you won’t find in grocery stores. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.