Fresh Food Blogging With Amanda

Introduction

Hello! Amanda, here!

Like many people in our world today, I have been aware of the importance of eating good food for years. We all do what we can to accomplish our view of what healthy eating and living is. Whether it is buying aluminum free deodorant, eating vegan, drinking diet beverages, going fat free, eating non-GMO or USDA organic, increasing time outside or taking supplements, there are so many things to change. How do you choose? This blog will hopefully shed some light on many topics around food, and you can make the informed decision of what is right for you! Especially topics that have to do with farming practices and the FDA’s secrets that they don’t want you to know! It may also challenge you to break mindsets and traditions that government and society have taught us when it comes to what is safe and healthy. I am not an expert by any means, but I am passionate. For my blogs, I will combine research and first-hand knowledge about farms in Lancaster Co. and York Co., PA., and we will learn together! Without further ado, welcome to the first ever blog from BVP Market.

Cage-Free vs. Free-Range

While walking through the cold dairy section of the local supermarket, I scan the shelves for the healthiest sounding options: cage free, free range, organic, local, and so on. Then, I look at the price and try to decide if I want to ignore the higher cost this week. For years I would always just pick one that has ‘free’ in the name because I like to support the cause. Free the chickens! How can you think that’s not a good idea? Just the other week while sitting on my couch, I wondered what is difference between cage free and free range chicken eggs?

I pulled out my smart phone to look it up, and I was shocked at what I discovered. In several articles that I found on the internet, I read that cage free chickens do not require access to the outside. They are kept in an indoor facility where they have limited space to move around. They have barely enough space to spread their wings, but they are not confined to one cage. Although they have more space than a caged chicken, they still deal with overcrowding and are deprived of natural sunlight. So much for freeing the chickens! Suddenly, cage-free was not something I wanted to root for anymore.

Free-range was my last hope for a good cause that I can get behind! According to an article from organicvalley.coop, free-range is not a USDA-regulated term. Knowing how free-range chickens are kept really depends on the individual brand. The good news is that chickens are not kept in a cage! As a matter of fact, they have access to the outside. However, many chickens are not comfortable venturing outside. So, in reality, many chickens will stay indoors for most of their life, just like the cage-free chickens. The space outside is usually fenced in and small. It gives them access to fresh air but not grass or dirt. I’ve also seen this first-hand with my husband while driving around Lancaster County. We have seen chicken houses with the doors wide open and not one chicken to be seen outside.

At this point, I’m having a hard time deciding which variety is worse. There is nothing free about either of these! They both sound pretty bad when you find out what they truly mean. It’s easy to imagine that the health of the chickens would be pretty poor. They are likely living among their own filth and not eating the insects that they would naturally go for. These chickens are also likely to be deficient in nutrients like vitamin D due to their lack of sun exposure. We all have a right to know what we are buying and ultimately putting into our bodies. Not many people can say that they know how their food is raised. Fortunately, our customers can say that! The chickens at Buffalo Valley Pastures are kept outside all year round and guarded by a white dog. How adorable! They forage for bugs and insects, get plenty of sunlight and exercise. Now, that sounds like a happy and healthy chicken! There is a mobile chicken coop at the farm for laying eggs. That’s about as close to indoor living as they get. So, at the end of the day, I have found a way of living for chickens that I can celebrate! Although, we do not recommend eggs for shipping at this time, our farm fresh eggs are available for pick up at the farm and delivery at our up and coming drop locations.

Stay tuned for more blogs as Amanda ponders other thoughts like... Are chickens vegetarians? Why is the US one of the few countries in the world that washes their eggs? What does the organic chicken label really mean?

“What Are Cage-Free Eggs? The Difference Between Cage-Free And Free-Range.” The Humane League, January 12, 2021. accessed January 24, 2022.

Rootstock Editor. “What Do Cage-Free, Free-Range and Pasture-Raised Eggs Mean?” Organic Valley, June 13, 2019. accessed January 24,2022.