Of Algerita and Eggs
I put on my red alligator shoes and slogged out to get you guys a picture of the Algerita of yesterday's post.
First, we have to consider the word "slogged."  When it rains on a chicken farm the barnyards do not have mud- no, no.  I do not know what the stuff is called and probably you probably do not want to study on it overly long.....
but, I choose to call it "sloggy stuff."  Thus, rubber shoes and slogging.
It was nap time for the geese and ducks, they were laying here and there about their yard. No one was happy to see me. Apparently, having their nap interrupted did not go over well and both ganders were hissing like crazy at me-oh, well!
But, I do think it was worth the trip. Isn't the Algerita beautiful?  The bees were very busy harvesting the pollen, making a lovely droning hum. The sweet smell of the flowers seemed particularly strong after the morning rain and the branches were full of song birds when I first entered the yard. There is nothing as lovely as the song birds adding their voice to the quacking and honking of the barnyard fowl.  Do not let anyone tell you it is quiet in the country-at least not in our country!
The area below the Algerita is a very popular egg laying area.  On the west side is an old tire with some hay in it which has been commandeered by the geese-you can always count on a goose egg or two there. That is the first place Zane goes when he "picks" eggs because he prefers to eat goose eggs.
On the east side there is a protected area that is a favorite of the ducks, always a dependable "harvest" there.  Sure enough I was able to head back to the house with a goose egg, a duck egg and a chicken eggs (found in some random place in the big barn).
This started me contemplating on eggs.  People really don't know enough about the eggs they eat!  Did you know that 100% of eggs from Big Ag production laying houses are contaminated with salmonella?  That's why it's so important that you keep them refrigerated and handle with care. Whereas, eggs you get from us or other family farms can be kept in a bowl on the cabinet.
Did you know that hens from those Big Ag laying operations never touch the ground?  I won't even go into what happens to those poor girls but you really ought to check it out for yourself if you are going to eat their eggs.

Our ladies, and gents, spend their days wondering about the chicken yard.  Honking, quacking and courting.  They lay their eggs where they want to and make us find them.  They eat some bugs and whatever greenery they haven't already destroyed.  In the interest of full disclosure, we do not pasture our fowl all the time.  They may be turned into an area of vegetation on some days and they have some experiment crops of clover and alfalfa to enjoy.  We supplement them with organic scratch, no additives.  However, many families do use the free range or pasture method which is probably preferable, but not practical for us.

You might notice the goose egg is covered with mud and the chicken egg has bits of hay sticking to it.  That is because our fowl don't sit in a cage all day dropping eggs into a shoot that rolls them into something else. Our birds are out and about being, well...birds.  The mud washes off!
While I am waxing poetic on eggs-one more little lesson on eggs.  The farmer has 30 days to get his eggs to the store and the store has 30 days to sale the eggs to you.  That "use by" date is probably 60 days from the laying date.  Sixty days, hummm....salmonella contaminated, mass produced eggs from Big Ag or fresh eggs from happy girls raised by family farmers. You weigh your choices- and hop on down to the farmer's market or call your favorite family egg producer and eat REAL EGGS from happy, healthy fowl!
Yes, this was not exactly a post on herbs.  But, I think you will find that as you become interested in plant medicine it leads very naturally into what is healthy for our bodies and our world! 
Have a happy, healthy day and be thankful for the plants and animals that provide for our nourishment!