Chicken Tracks: Nature's Eggs at Hasty Acres

According to the American Egg Board,

"Eggs are a naturally nutrient-dense food, which means they have a high proportion of nutrients to calories. One large egg has only 75 calories and provides 13 essential nutrients in varying amounts. Eggs are an excellent source of choline and a good source of the highest quality protein and riboflavin. Many of the egg’s incredible nutrients are found in the egg yolk, including choline, folate, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin D. The yolk also includes healthy monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats and almost half of the high-quality protein found in eggs."

Mother Earth News says that hens - such as the spoiled girls at Hasty Acres, may be 'better than the average bear', (in egg-speak!):
"Eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:
• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene"

The following American Egg Board site gives egg recipes. One particular recipe looked yummy enough to munch off the page:

Breakfast Biscuit Quiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Makes: 10 mini quiches

What You Need
2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped ham
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 EGGS
2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. (12 oz.; 10 biscuits) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Here’s How
1. HEAT oven to 350°F. COMBINE cheese, ham and green onions in small bowl; mix well. BEAT eggs, milk, salt and pepper in medium bowl until blended.
2. SEPARATE biscuits; press or roll each into a 5-inch round on lightly floured surface. PLACE 1 biscuit in each of 10 greased muffin cups, leaving the 2 cups in center of pan empty. PRESS biscuits firmly against bottom and sides of cups and form rim at top.
3. SPOON 2 Tbsp. cheese mixture into each cup. POUR IN egg mixture, dividing evenly.
4. BAKE in center of 350°F oven until filling is set and biscuits are deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. REMOVE from pan; serve warm.

Please let us know here on trails of nature, your success (or not) with this recipe. We want to know what our readers think.

We truly enjoy our 'girls' here at Hasty Acres. If you are in an area that allows keeping of hens, give some thought to raising 3 or 4 of them for your improved diet and added enjoyment of life.

Next time on Chicken Tracks, we'll look at some of the popular breeds and their different rates of egg production.

Have to run and throw my pretties some vegetable leftovers from last night's soup.


"HURRY UP! Mom's got scraps!"














"I'm first!"





Til next time, Nature prevails.

Nature's Perfect food; The Perfect EGG at Chicken Tracks on the Trail

The American Egg Board has this to say about the 'lowly' egg; "WHAT’S IN AN EGG? Eggs are rich in nutrients and a very affordable component of a healthy diet. They contain, in varying amounts, almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans as well as several other beneficial food components. In fact, egg protein is of such high quality that it is a standard against which other proteins are compared. Take a look at the nutrition statement and see what you get in today’s incredible, edible egg."



Under sunny, warm, breezy Colorado skies, our 6 healthy, free-ranging pretties, here at Hasty Acres, keep us stocked with all the incredible eggs we need - and then some. Just ask Mr. George over at www.orisgeorge.com. He will gladly explain just how to perfectly cook our perfect eggs; Donkey and Mule aficionado, published numerous times in The Brayer and other mule publications, Mr. George has recently taken up the art of egg-cooking. But I digress.

Hens don't always lay eggs and Roosters don't have the least inclination. But more about that on the next Chicken Tracks on the Trail.

Nature prevails.

"You are Not Alone".

Synchronicities surround us, if we open our minds and hearts. Even at 62, I do not comprehend the "truth" that creates and surrounds us every day - here and to the ends of the Universe. But I do see - more and more - that if I am in need of support or a life-lesson or guidance of any kind, it always seems to appear out of 'nowhere'.

Please enjoy the linked article by my friend, writing buddy and leader-of-the-pack of my writer's club. Sometimes, (as I think we all do on occasion), "Charger", wears her angel wings. This 'found me' when I needed it.

Nature prevails, sometimes incognito...

CHICKEN TRACKS...Next Stop on Trails of Nature

We're finished on the kitty trails; the kitties are settled in. Time to set out on another Nature trail.

"DID SOMEONE SAY TABLE-SCRAPS?"










Hasty Acres lays claim to the best incredible-edible-eggs - according to Oris George from The Backroads of Yesterday. Why, only Thursday, Mr. George gave my Acewriters writing group, a detailed explanation/presentation/specific rendition of the simple cooking, cooling and serving process for the perfect egg! This perfect egg is born - ONLY - at Hasty Acres.

Here at our spacious country dwelling, our six, feathered beauties enjoy the amenities necessary for prolific, perfect egg production. They have free range - which adds grasshoppers and other delectable bugs to their diet, creating bigger, brighter yolks. For breakfast, our pretties get a bowl of hen scratch (grain) to supplement their egg-layer pellets. Scratching in our bulb bed fills their afternoons. They thoroughly enjoy themselves, and my garden soil gets aerated, energizing any lazy worms (they have to be fast to out-dig our pretties)! Given a chance to return to their primitive way of life, they produce their best eggs.

Did I mention they donate free fertilizer all over Hasty Acres?! We do have to occasionally chase them away from the front door - fertilizer on the front steps seems to agitate Mrs. Barn Builder, for some odd reason...

But back to the perfect egg....next time on Chicken Tracks.

Tip of the day; "An egg is its own perfect container!" (courtesy of Don)

Nature prevails.