Every now and then I sell eggs to local folks. Usually people are happy to give us a few empty egg cartons when they buy the eggs from us, but we don't always have enough cartons on hand for the number of eggs I collect from the lady chickens. I want people to know where they're getting their eggs, and that gets lost when store-bought egg containers are used.
So...... I placed an order for new paper pulp (100% recyclable) egg cartons to use with future egg sales. Because I feel that every egg carton should be properly "embellished", I designed and ordered printed labels for the cartons as well. The labels are similar to business cards that I will adhere to the top of each carton. I think the new cartons will be a hit with our customers! I already think they're just peachy!!
Hopefully, the chickens will start earning at least their feed, eh?
In the photo of the eggs above, there are brown shelled eggs which could have been laid by any number of our hens. The Turken hens lay nice brown eggs, our Cochin hens lay nice brown eggs, and we have some "mixed breed" hens that lay brown eggs as well. There are a couple of small white eggs in the bowl. Those were laid by Peeper, a small golden colored Bantam hen. They're the smallest eggs we get here on the farm. There are also a few green shelled eggs in the bowl! These were laid by the same kind of Bantam hen as Little Brown Hen. Later this fall I'll also have eggs from Cuckoo Maran and Welsummer hens (the day-old chicks will be here June 19th!!). Their egg's shells are a rich, chocolate colored brown. Should be fun!
Anna, I love Celo, she is most beautiful calf I have even seen, she is just adorable. And your Lauhoff farm namecard are wonderful, Mrs Hen is swimming! she is not hatching eggs! ahh, you sell all the eggs .... she lays eggs in the morning and swimms in the afternoon....LOL
Edna
Posted by: Edna Siu | June 13, 2008 at 11:08 PM
I'd come buy your eggs just to get that beautiful carton--and who could resist chocolate eggs that don't melt!
Posted by: Doris | June 08, 2008 at 05:48 PM
What a great picture of your eggs! Your recycled cartons had my feeble brain swirling with ideas. How about giving a carton to someone with a little organic soil and some seeds and then they plant their seeds in the egg cups and when they start to sprout, cut the cups apart and bury the whole thing in a bigger pot or planting box. The lid of the box could be used for a tray under the egg cups! Oh, I can see a box decorated now.
Thanks again for sharing!
Posted by: Melissa Cash | June 05, 2008 at 07:35 AM
I love your label you created for the eggs! There is nothing better than fresh farm eggs!
Posted by: Michelle | June 04, 2008 at 05:19 AM
Fabulous label! Those chickens should be proud! Fresh eggs are the best!!
Posted by: Danielle | June 03, 2008 at 05:54 PM
Lovely label! Wish I were close to you so I could buy some, too!!
Posted by: Danita (Moberkitty) | June 03, 2008 at 05:47 PM
What a beautiful idea for an egg carton. I envision people buying your eggs (or more accurately, your hens eggs) just to get one of your cartons!
I never knew you could get a chicken to lay chocolate eggs!lol
Posted by: Doris | June 03, 2008 at 05:03 PM
I love the photo of the eggs! All the posts of the animals have been wonderful - your cards are always delightful and I just love reading your blog! The "calling" card for the eggs is great! Have a wonderful day!
Posted by: Trixie | June 03, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Anna - you are truly a kindred spirit! I love how you incorporate your art and photography into everyday life. The labels are a perfect example...they are just great!
Posted by: Cheryl Robinson | June 03, 2008 at 10:54 AM
What an adorable way to package your eggs.
I love your blog and can't wait to read it every day. I am a neighbor in Louisiana.
smallcity
Posted by: smallcity | June 03, 2008 at 03:02 AM
my children were in 4H and we had 25 chickens and one rooster called Cream for his pretty white feathers ....those eggs where the best tasting in the world! We built the chicken coop ourselves and thought it was a " palace a poulin"....your pic brings back such memories! Thank you! DD
Posted by: Doreen | June 02, 2008 at 07:58 PM
Hey girl - ADORABLE label!! But now I'm sad - because you're like an hour and a half away and I want some eggs that are organic! So does my mom! Next time you come to Austin will you come see me and bring us some eggs? There are few things in life better than a fresh egg!!
Posted by: Lydia Fiedler | June 02, 2008 at 06:03 PM
What a cute egg carton label! I'd be happy to buy farm fresh eggs from you if I lived in the area. One thing I've always wondered (since my experience with eggs is limited to good old white ones in the supermarket) is there any difference in taste for brown eggs? Or even among various white eggs?
Posted by: Lisa | June 02, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Boy I wish I lived close to you to buy those fresh brown eggs. I purchase organic brown eggs from my supermarket but how much nicer it would be to buy fresh eggs right from the farm. Love the labels for the eggs! Your customers are lucky!!!
Posted by: Ellen | June 02, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Duh ... I just googled the "bantam hen" ... mine was a white Bantam! LOL.... I loved her ... so sweet. I'd love to have another.
Posted by: Milissa | June 02, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Anna,
We have chickens too ... we started with 16 and now are down to just 3.... something was snacking and we just weren't fast enough sometimes ... anyways ... we had a chicken that laid green eggs too ... but we never knew what kind she was .. we aquired these chickens when we bought our house and property ... she has since passed and we want another one ... she was the best chicken ever ... do you have a picture of the one that lays your green eggs? I just wanted to know if she was the same as yours ... I would at least know the breed since you just told me! LOL....
Posted by: Milissa | June 02, 2008 at 03:56 PM
Wow! I wish I lived in Texas so I could get eggs from you and your cute little chicks. The label is perfect!
Posted by: Q | June 02, 2008 at 02:38 PM
Oh my Anna this is soooo cute, I buy my eggs from a neighbor friend, and she has her own label as well. Don't tell her but yours is SOOOOOo much better!
HUGS
MichelleO
Posted by: Michelle Oatman | June 02, 2008 at 02:06 PM
What a sweet idea! Makes your egg cartons stand out! :)
I'm used to ducks laying green eggs, not chickens! thanks for the photo. :)
Posted by: Shala | June 02, 2008 at 02:02 PM
Love the labels; love the hen's swimming suit. What am I missing? Why is she swimming? Sorry.
Posted by: Judie C. | June 02, 2008 at 01:57 PM
You make me miss having chickens, Anna~ big time! I now buy from a friend, but I don't think her hens are nearly as happy as yours are! :)
When we did have chickens - they MORE than paid for their feed - so I bet you will too! I wish I was close enough to buy some yummy fresh ones from you!!!
Have a super duper day!
Posted by: QC | June 02, 2008 at 01:53 PM
I wanna buy eggs from YOU! I buy my eggs from Aunt Diane (she's a bit closer by a couple thousand miles) and they're mostly brown, but some are green (do you know how much fun it is to tell someone I baked with green eggs?!). Your label is super awesome.
I hope Alan appreciates the marketing and advertising skills you've brought to the farm. Maybe he should take a turn at polishing your pedestal...
Posted by: nise | June 02, 2008 at 01:43 PM
I get farm fresh eggs from my sister and LOVE the different colors they come in. Also, the yolks are so orange that our scrambled eggs are gorgeous!
I love the phrase on your labels - "free-range beauties"! and the bathing beauty pictured there too!
Lucky chickens!
Posted by: Leticia Fournier | June 02, 2008 at 01:07 PM
Great label! And I think it's funny when Americans get excited about brown eggs - here in England, it's a novelty if we get a white egg! ;)
Posted by: Helen | June 02, 2008 at 01:02 PM
Yeay! Egg pictures! :) I'd asked for that when you showed the chickens off. Your picture is lovely, Anna!
And that label is perfect! With a label that pretty, the carton should be Tiffany's blue. LOL
Posted by: Bev | June 02, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Oh my goodness, Anna! May I come buy eggs at your farm? I'd pay whatever just to look at one of those darling labels each time! And what beautiful colors of eggs your girls lay!
Posted by: Shellie Daniel | June 02, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Those eggs look yummy! I can remember when I was little, we went down the road to a farm and got fresh eggs! They were white but still tasted good! I love your new egg labels...so cute!!
Posted by: Viv (VivLyn) | June 02, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Ah, I wish I lived near there, I'd buy them for sure! Cute packaging!
Posted by: Jennifer Welter | June 02, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Beautiful photo of the eggs and such a cute label! - Now me I'm a "city" girl and everytime I've eaten eggs from my brother's place (they live in the country) and have chickens I haven't really cared for them. Guess I just prefer the store kind. I do enjoy your chicken tales and photos though.
Posted by: Ida | June 02, 2008 at 09:21 AM
The eggs are beautiful!! It's great that you have purchased egg containers and made an adorable label to put on them - a real eye catcher, BTW! It's all so professional!
Posted by: Cindy H. | June 02, 2008 at 08:20 AM
I'd buy your eggs. The labels are way cool. Besides, I like all the shades of brown they lay. Can't wait to see the "chocolate" shells.
Posted by: diana | June 02, 2008 at 08:10 AM
The eggs in the bowl look beautiful. I remember a wire basket to gather eggs.
Posted by: Laurie in MN | June 02, 2008 at 07:35 AM
That label would definitely get me to buy your eggs if I were nearby. Too cute!
Posted by: Novell | June 02, 2008 at 07:33 AM
Love your label, fantastic, how nice to get farm fresh eggs.
Posted by: flossie | June 02, 2008 at 07:17 AM
What a cute label but I must say that I think your photo of the eggs is sooooo cool. I don't know why but it just really strikes me as a beautiful photo.
Thanks for sharing!
~Kathy
Posted by: Kathy Tabbers | June 02, 2008 at 07:11 AM
Your label is GREAT! I love it...and do also wish I could buy eggs from your amazing hens! What a beautiful bowl of eggs you have there...Thanks for sharing your awesome labels with us...I'm sure everyone is going to be SO impressed! :D
Posted by: diane mcvey | June 02, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Hey I love that carton label design! So neat and I think it's great that you have enough to sell, I would always prefer to buy "factory direct" (lol) instead of at the store!!!
Have a super day Anna!
Hugs
Julie
Posted by: Julie Phillips | June 02, 2008 at 06:21 AM
Very cute labels...your customers should love them.....
Posted by: Kellie | June 02, 2008 at 06:15 AM
OMG! I love your business cards! I wish I lived nearby... I would definitely buy my eggs from you.
Posted by: Miss Boo | June 02, 2008 at 05:51 AM
Love your labels!! We get fresh brown eggs from our pastor who bought chickens last year. ANother perk of living in the country.
Posted by: Tracy Harp | June 02, 2008 at 05:40 AM
Beautiful eggs - beautiful labels! Such a great idea!
I have a question for you ... do you put your fresh eggs in the refrigerator or keep them at room temperature? Someone told me recently that they keep longer on the counter than in the fridge! Just curious what you do!
Thanks - love your blog - my kids and I really loved the baby cows recently!
Posted by: Tisha | June 02, 2008 at 05:20 AM
that is SO cool! I gave the link to my local egg lady :) She actually has it managed that the chicken are self-supporting through her egg sales which is very cool! Of course, sometimes we all h ave to eat a lot of eggs, and sometimes there are not that many :) but such is life!
Posted by: Etha | June 02, 2008 at 05:03 AM
I LOVE your blog!!! I learn so much about farm life!! The labels are awesome!!!
Posted by: Patti C. | June 02, 2008 at 05:02 AM
Oh, I wish I lived close enough to buy some - you can really tell the difference in farm fresh eggs!!! Your label is adorable!
Posted by: MichelleH in NY | June 02, 2008 at 04:57 AM
Anna, anna, anna. How are you? I've been lurking around your posts and felt the need to compliment your egg photo. It's so simple and lovely and calming somehow. The label is ADORable! Love, love, love.
I wish I lived closer. I'd buy fresh eggs! Closest I get is organic free range eggs from the grocery store up the street.
-k-
Posted by: Kelli | June 02, 2008 at 04:51 AM
That label is the cutest thing! What fun packaging for your farm's eggs! I LOVE brown eggs. My mama swears they are the best eggs for baking! What a treat for your customers~
Posted by: kathleen | June 02, 2008 at 04:45 AM
I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea that eggs came in any other color but WHITE until I moved to Massachusetts. They had Brown and White eggs at the grocery store. I'm an Okie and you would think I would know better. ARGH!
I guess that's why I get such a kick out of your blog. See, you can teach an "old dawg" new tricks. You mentioned once that you were entering some of your photos....and then you didn't say what happen. I bet you won!!! I LOVE your pictures.
Posted by: Kerry Fitzpatrick | June 02, 2008 at 01:08 AM
If I were a hen, I certainly would work extra hard to have my eggs placed in such cute packaging!!!
Posted by: Beth | June 01, 2008 at 11:28 PM