Which is the lesser evil?

[gabbyraja]

Assume your family has allergies, food and environmental, which you presume to be somewhat related to consumption of GMOs, thus you're trying to eradicate them in your diet on your quest to heal your family's allergies/illnesses. However, you're also bordering low income and on an extremely tight food budget feeding 8 people. You're new to TF (this year) and at the moment you can only find 2 sources of eggs.

1. Pastured, but not organic. The chickens are most definitely fed soy, which is pretty much guaranteed to contain GMOs, and you know that eggs from chickens fed soy are found to contain soy. Plus, the chickens probably aren't all that healthy if they're being fed GMOs. However, who knows how much of the feed they are really getting at this time of year when they are pastured? These are $2.50/doz

2. Organic "free range" eggs in the supermarket. Almost definitely fed organic soy, so presumably non-GMO soy. However, also unlikely to be living on pasture and getting nice good bugs and weeds to eat. Also, probably much less "fresh" than the eggs in scenario 1, where they are collected the day you buy them. These are $6/doz.

The more I learn it seems the more concerned/confused I am, so I could use some WWYD advice here. At the moment I've been going with option 1, but want to make sure I'm making the best choices, of course.

Thanks!

[SuburbanHippie]

If I was really on a quest to eliminate GMOs, I would go for the organic eggs.  $6/doz though is insane!  Have you tried looking on localharvest.org?  Our grocery store has organic eggs for $3.89/doz and the farm we buy our raw milk from sells pastured, organic eggs for $4.50/doz.  I can't fathom paying $6, but if you really need to avoid GMOs you're going to have to sacrifice in other ways.  Eating less eggs perhaps?

[Koalamom]

I see you are in Michigan. What about looking on craigslist for eggs. I was already on craigslist so I pulled this up quick. Local, free range AND organic for cheap:
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/grd/2384553072.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/grd/2354611641.html
Or check out your local farmers market. They are in abundance at ours now.

[mommy212]

Try eatwellguide.org for some more options. My vote is option 1

[Piglet68]

You say to assume that there are food allergies and health reactions to GMO, so in that case really Option 2 is the only one. 

However, even though I avoid GMO as much as I can, in your situation I would choose Option 1. That's because I value a good source of Omega fatty acids from pastured animals. But I don't have reactions to GMO.

If it's cheap protein sources you are looking for, you might consider expanding your tastes: have you ever had rabbit? Rabbits are very easy to raise, even in the suburbs, produce prolifically, are inexpensive, can be harvested after only a few weeks. If you have them out on grass (backyard?) they'll be very healthy and very cheap eating. Then you can buy the expensive eggs and not rely on them as a major protein source (i.e. they'll last longer).

[Bantams]

Ack!  My mouse slipped and clicked on "Organic" - I meant "Pastured". 

Any home-raised hen will be raised in a healthier, happier environment than the caged commercial hens.  Keep in mind that if a chicken is allowed to eat bugs, grass, veggie scraps, etc, she will eat far less commercial feed.  A confined chicken eats 100% grain (also, chickens are omnivores, not "vegetarians" so they should not be just subsisting on grain), while a free-ranger might eat grain as 1/4 or less of her diet.  Of course it depends on the farm and how they allow their chickens to roam, but it would be easy to find out. 

[Bantams]

Everyone - I just realized that depending on which choice you vote for, that choice then shows up as "Option 1".  You might want to refer to your choice by "pastured" or "organic".

[Chicky2]

I wish you were nearby.  I can't seem to give away our eggs fast enough, let alone sell them.  We keep finding more piles, and we keep finding more hens sitting on clutches and making more chickens, lol!  And Ugh, too, believe it or not, although I realize my problems could be far worse.  We eat ALOT of eggs.

Originally Posted by Piglet68 

You say to assume that there are food allergies and health reactions to GMO, so in that case really Option 2 is the only one. 

However, even though I avoid GMO as much as I can, in your situation I would choose Option 1. That's because I value a good source of Omega fatty acids from pastured animals. But I don't have reactions to GMO.

If it's cheap protein sources you are looking for, you might consider expanding your tastes: have you ever had rabbit? Rabbits are very easy to raise, even in the suburbs, produce prolifically, are inexpensive, can be harvested after only a few weeks. If you have them out on grass (backyard?) they'll be very healthy and very cheap eating. Then you can buy the expensive eggs and not rely on them as a major protein source (i.e. they'll last longer).

Can't argue w/this post, since I raise domestic meat rabbits, and LOVE them.  They are THE BEST source of protein, as they are lower in fat, and higher in protein than chicken breast.  And way more tasty.  And way more tender.  MMMMMM.  I will never eat chicken breast again unless we have an old hen, and that's going in the stew pot....

My vote would be pastured for sure, for reasons already mentioned (they eat way less grain).

[capewell5]

i would vote for the first source.  Chickens who are allowed pasture and free range will eat a lot of bugs, grass, greens, etc.  The feed is more of a supplement.  Now of course this varies from source to source so you would have to know how much access to the outdoors they get, if greens are given, etc.  We raise our own chickens and organic feed just isn't an option (ours is soy free though) for us but they get greens daily, access to tons of bugs, etc.

Also most organic soy is now considered to be contaminated with gmo.  The USDA actually does not require testing for gmo levels in organic soy (or anything).  It is left up to the farmer and/or buyer.  There are farms that have had up to 20% gmo contamination that still have USDA Organic Certification.  Just some food for thought since you think its the GMO & it very well could be.  I have major issues with gmo & its presence in the world.  Good Luck!

[greenmulberry]

Pastured chickens eat very little feed, except in the winter when there is nothing to browse. And the eggs are so much healthier when they have been able to be on pasture!

When My chickens are free ranged, they eat almost no feed.

[Smokering]

Well, I'd go for pastured chickens, but that's more of an ethical decision than a health one. I don't suppose there's any chance you could keep a couple of your own hens? It might pay to hunt around for a third option, from a friend/farmer's market/whatever, to get the best of both worlds.

[yummus]

I voted incorrectly, hence this post. I would go for the organic just to stay away from GMO yucko. Like others have said look around in your area. Check out some CSA's and see if they do egg shares...

[mamaboss]

Pastured for sure! We have four hens and I can tell their eggs are better than any I've had from the grocery store-- organic, "free range" or whatever other label they might get. The yolks are almost orange they are so rich rather than pale yellow. I agree with other posters, they hardly eat any of their grain, it's mainly supplemental. And the veggie scraps, bugs and whatever else they dig up turn out eggs that will be so much more nutritionally dense than eggs from an organic grain-fed hen.
 

Originally Posted by capewell5 

...

Also most organic soy is now considered to be contaminated with gmo.  The USDA actually does not require testing for gmo levels in organic soy (or anything).  It is left up to the farmer and/or buyer.  There are farms that have had up to 20% gmo contamination that still have USDA Organic Certification.  Just some food for thought since you think its the GMO & it very well could be.  I have major issues with gmo & its presence in the world.  Good Luck!

F*&%$#*! Monsanto.

[Koalamom]

Originally Posted by mamaboss 

F*&%$#*! Monsanto.

[nigellas]

Pastured.  My hens free range all day and hardly eat any feed during the summer.  Also, I rthink even organic soy is GMO .  M.

[BubblingBrooks]

I know many of you see $6 a dozen and find that to be very steep. However, let me give you an inside perspective.
We feed whole barley, sunflower seeds and fish meal to our chickens. They free range as well.
We sell lots of eggs for $5 a dozen, and still cannot come close to covering part of the cost of feed.

[Chicky2]

I've never actually calculated the cost of feed vs. eggs we get, but I'm quite sure $5/dozen wouldn't cover ours either.  I give eggs away to friends just because I want them to have better eggs, and don't want to bother w/selling them, although I'm sure we could.

[junipermuse]

Originally Posted by BubblingBrooks 

I know many of you see $6 a dozen and find that to be very steep. However, let me give you an inside perspective.
We feed whole barley, sunflower seeds and fish meal to our chickens. They free range as well.
We sell lots of eggs for $5 a dozen, and still cannot come close to covering part of the cost of feed.

6 dollars a dozen doesn't seem bad at all to me if you're talking about pastured eggs. I pay 7/dozen for pastured (our whole foods has three different brands of pastured eggs in addition to all the regular organic and "free-range" eggs as well). At the farmers market they average about 7/dozen as well. However for supermarket organic I think 6 dollars is pretty steep. I live in a very hcol area and I can't imagine paying 6/dozen for supermarket organic

[BubblingBrooks]

pastured and free range are the same thing if its not a CAFO. Its not possible for them to be fully feed free. What feed they are given is the deal
breaker. We are non certified organic, and soy and corn free.

[GrassFedBeauty]

Get the pastured eggs.  You are not putting the GMO's into your body directly and because of this, they are not as worrisome.  Besides, when chickens are free to scratch around and eat bugs, they don't really eat that much supplemental feed like soy or grain.  In addition, the health benefits that you will receive from eggs that are loaded with omega-3's and other nutrients far outweighs the benefit of eating nutrient deficient eggs just because their mother's didn't eat GMO feed.