Fresh from the Farmers Market: Brown Beauties Straight from the Farm

Shepherd Farm is the only vendor at Tuesday's farmers market that sells free-range eggs.  Patch found farmer Bob Shepherd in a corner booth, busy setting up and laying out dozens of the brown beauties.

The Fillmore-based farm raises over 600 chickens year-round, letting them roam around their certified organic orange grove, thus earning the free-range classification.

Chicken feed

Bob and Barbara Shepherd have been raising red star hens in their 18-acre property for almost two years now. Large, resilient and known to be very good egg producers, the red stars graze on grass and weeds all-day long.

“We also feed them oats, flax and other grain food,” says Shepherd of the hens’ diet regimen.

March to September are peak egg-laying months, with the younger hens producing almost an egg a day. The older hens are not as “productive,” according to Shepherd, averaging an egg every five to seven days. However, the older hens eggs are typically larger in size.

The hens, being photosensitive creatures, slow down during the shorter days of winter and lay fewer eggs.

Not all eggs are the same

“Free-range eggs have a higher nutritional value, because they’re better fed,” said Shepherd, citing one of the many positive attributes of free-range eggs.

“You can definitely tell the difference between these free-range eggs and the regular ones you typically buy at the store,” said local nutritionist and chiropractor Risa Potters, a regular customer. The yolks are richer-looking and come in a deeper shade of yellow, she said.

Shepherd's eggs come in five sizes: medium, large, extra large, jumbo and extra jumbo, with prices ranging from $4 to $6 per dozen.

He usually brings 100 dozen to this farmers market, but does not sell everything by the end of the day. He estimates that he sells an average of 35 dozen eggs on a good day when the weather is nice and there is a sizable crowd.

While their shelf life is six to eight weeks, the eggs are best eaten within a week for optimum flavor and quality, according to Shepherd.

Get Shepherd Farm’s free-range eggs from your local farmers market, at select stores and at their Fillmore farm on 805 Pasadena Ave. Call 805.524.2189 for more information.

*The Agoura Hills Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays, from 1 to 6 pm, at 28914 Roadside Drive, in the Whizin Market Square parking lot.