chickeneggBY JULIA BROWN • Fresno Farmers Market • October 15, 2009

This is an age-old question that might never be answered. Although vendors at the Fresno Farmers’ Market may not have the answer to this question or why the chicken crossed the road, but we sure do have a supply of fresh brown eggs.

Eggs have been consumed by humans since the beginning of time, before recorded history: Ostrich, quail, duck, goose, even turtle eggs and the more popular chicken egg that most of us eat today. In ancient Rome, the egg shell was crushed on the plate before eating to prevent evil spirits from hiding in the egg.

Eggs contain and provide several vitamins and minerals and are one of the few foods that contain vitamin D along with vitamins A, B6 and B12, iron, protein, potassium, calcium, folic acid and the list goes on.

One large egg has only 75 calories and half of those are in the yolk, while the egg white contains no cholesterol and little if any fat. The color of the egg shell is caused by pigment deposits as the egg is forming. Generally, chicken breeds with white ears lay white eggs and chickens with red ears lay brown eggs. However, there is no evidence of nutritional difference between the two.

White eggs are thought to be more mass and industrially produced, while most prefer fresh-from-the-farm brown eggs.

So whether you like yours pickled, deviled or sunny side up, the goodness of a fresh brown egg can’t be compared. Come, make the drive out to the country and let the venders at the Fresno Market supply all of your farm market needs.

Homemade bread and noodles, pies, cakes and cookies, fresh Amish butter and yogurt, locally grown fresh produce, flowers and herbs, jams and jellies, home decor items like birdhouses, hand poured soy candles, hand loomed rugs, pillows, floral wreaths and the list keeps going. Make the trip to the Fresno Market and stock up your pantry shelves with homemade goodness, your family will be glad you did and so will your wallet.

We all look forward to seeing you soon. And like always the coffee will be ready and waiting for you and it is always free.

The Fresno Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday in May to November at the Old Fresno Schoolhouse, rain or shine. For more information, call (740) 545-0849.