With the recent recall due to possible salmonella contamination leaving egg-lovers in a scramble, I’m sure many are now wondering where to find non-tainted eggs.

Luckily, there are still some small, local farms left all over the country that will be more than happy to have your business.

fresh eggs in a basket - photo from HomeSweetFarm

And the good news is, farm-raised eggs are healthier for you then eggs gleaned from corporate owned mega-farms, where chickens are penned up on top of each other in deplorable conditions — conditions that led to the national salmonella outbreak we now have on our hands.

Most small farm raised eggs however, are laid by hens that are allowed to roam and graze freely, hence the phrase “free-range” chickens.

According to tests done by Mother Earth News comparing farm-raised eggs to commercially raised eggs, the farm-raised eggs contain:

You can even see the nutritional difference between the eggs.  Can you guess which egg below is from a small farm, and which one was laid by a chicken on a corporate owned farm?

If you know what color beta-carotene is — the same nutrient that gives carrots their orange color — you can easily tell that the egg from a small farm is the one on the right.

While farm-raised eggs are usually more expensive than store-bought eggs — around $5 a dozen, compared to around $3 a dozen for commercially produced eggs — their taste and nutritional content makes corporate farmed eggs pale in comparison.

And when you eat eggs, cheese, milk and other products from small local farmers, not only are you eating healthier, you’re also helping to support local businesses!

Many family farms have unfortunately been shut down by these larger, mega-corporate farms, and the few that are left are struggling.

I’d like to see more Americans return to buying not only poultry products, but dairy and grass-fed meats from small farmers as well, like our parents and grandparents did.

To find a small, family owned farm near you in any state, check out Eatwild.com’s national farm directory.

If you can’t get to any of the farms listed in the directory, here’s a list of family owned farms all over the country that will ship to you, so there are no more excuses! Support your local farmer and start eating healthier today!