Alberta Egg Farmers - Organic and Small Flock Listing

Eggs. We all (well, ok, most) eat them, love them and find them as a staple of our diets. So we've taken some time to compile a (somewhat) spread out list of Alberta Egg Producers who view a holistic and natural way of chicken brooding, raising and laying.

Why? We have a growing concern for egg production. The thousands of birds who sit their entire lives inside a cage or barn, without sunlight and in cramped conditions. These birds also endure massive antibiotics and injury due to these close quarters.


We wish to promote the smaller farmers who use free range, free run and organic methods of egg production - because not only are the eggs better for you, the lives of the chickens are the primary focus instead of how many eggs they'll produce.

We contacted Egg.ab.ca to get some information on what being CFIA certified means, and why there aren't more of these farms around;

"The way the egg industry operates across Canada, is that individual egg farmers sell their egg to graders (they operate the CFIA-certified grading stations), who then clean, grade, package and sell the eggs to grocery stores and restaurants.  In Alberta, most eggs are graded by Burnbrae or Sparks Eggs.  All free-range or organic eggs would be from one of those graders, or provided by them to the grocery stores for their private label eggs.

At the end of 2015, about 2.4% of eggs laid in Alberta were from farms using free-range hen housing.  I’m not sure what % of those farms are producing organic eggs (free-range housing is a requirement for organic eggs, along with the requirement to use only certified-organic feed). 
There are basically two reasons why free-range/organic hen housing is not more widely used in Alberta: first, only about 4.5% of eggs sold at grocery stores in Alberta is free-range or organic; second, Alberta’s climate is not ideal for free-range housing (we import the missing 2% of free-range/organic eggs from BC egg farms).  Most of the year, when it’s too cold for the birds to be outside, the free-range/organic housing is converted to free-run housing.


Of course, there are some registered egg farms in the province that grade their own eggs and sell direct to consumers, usually at farmers markets.  One such farm that produces organic eggs is Sunworks Farms"

 -David Webb


Marketing and Communications Manager
www.eggs.ab.ca

A LIST OF ALBERTA EGG FARMS

Here is a compiled list of certified, and non-certified or unknown certification of smaller, local farmers you can contact and purchase from. 

To clarify; just because a farm isn't "certified" and "inspected" doesn't mean you should immediately discount them. There is a whole plethora of mandates, rules, inspections and money that needs to be transferred from one hand to the next in order to get that blessed certification.
So, go out and visit them! Take a look at their farm and practices!  
We want to give you as much information as possible, then allow you to decide what's best for you and your family!

We have included links to all websites and/or contact pages so you may see where they are located, where you may buy their eggs and ordering, delivery information. 

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CERTIFIED


Sunworks Farms Edmonton and Calgary AB - Also sold at many Farmer's Markets

"Our laying hens are cage free and raised with lots of room to run all throughout the year. Hens have wonderful instincts and are happiest when they are allowed to do what is natural to them, pecking and scratching the ground to look for grubs, seeds and bugs."






 

Sparks Eggs Sold at most retailers like AG Foods

•    Free Run Eggs - Hens in open, cage-free environments produce free run eggs

•    Grain Fed Eggs - Hens that have been fed a special grain diet produce grain fed eggs

•    Omega 3 Eggs - Omega 3 eggs have been produced by hens fed a fortified multi-grain diet in order to enhance essential nutrients like Omega 3
•    Omega Choice with Lutein/Zeaxanthin Eggs - Omega Choice eggs have enhanced levels of omega-3, DHA omega-3 and anti-oxidants lutein/zeaxanthin
•    Organic Fed Eggs - Our Organic Fed eggs are laid by hens fed 100% certified organic feed

 


Farmer’s Finest 

The Farmer’s Finest brand features four Grade A egg products to meet consumer interest in healthy lifestyle and intelligent food choices. Farmer's Finest eggs consist of four products to meet consumer interest in healthy lifestyle and intelligent food choices.
•    Comfort Coop Eggs -  Hens in larger cages with freedom to express natural behaviours produce Comfort Coop eggs

•    Organic Eggs - Hens fed 100% certified organic rations produce Organic eggs

•    Free Run Eggs - Hens in cage-free environment roaming freely in an open concept barn produce free run eggs

•    Free Range Eggs - Hens roaming freely in an open concept barn produce free run eggs

•    Free Range Eggs - Hens roaming freely with access to the outdoor produce free range eggs

Sunshine Organic Farm Edmonton Region - see website for markets 


"We currently offer Pasture raised Beef, Chicken, Turkey, and Pork. Our laying hens are outdoors during the summer months and in a spacious barn during the cold  months. Eggs are available year-round."

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NON-CERTIFIED / or UNKNOWN CERTIFICATION

 

Diamond Valley Farm  Okotoks, AB 


 

"Our birds have water which is mixed daily with certified organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.   Their feed is custom mixed on the farm which includes certified organic wheat, peas, black oil sunflower seeds, flax and soy. This is supplemented with natural or certified organic alfalfa, kelp, garlic, probiotics, zeolite, diatomaceous earth and micronutrients.   As with all our animals, our birds are anti-biotic and hormone free."





Bowden Farm Fresh Chickens Bowden, AB 


 

"NOT Force Fed, Antibiotic Free, Naturally Grain Fed, No Additives Or Preservatives, No Growth Promotants and, No Animal By-Products! Government Inspected & Processed at Alberta Approved Plant # 127 at the Tschetter Colony located in Irricana, Alberta!Family owned and operated business since 1982!"




Chatsworth Farms Vermillion, AB 


 

"Our main egg layers are our Isa Browns (which lay brown eggs), White Leghorns (which lay white eggs) and the Ameraucanas (light blue eggs). Our dual purpose breeds are Rhode Island Reds, Buff, Lavender, and Chocolate Orpingtons; and few barnyard crosses."








Hoven Farms Eckville, AB 


 

Hoven Farms- Organic Beef Producer- Organic Beef, Chicken and Lamb- Local, Organic, Sustainable food 
Hoven Farms is a 4th and 5th generation family farm located west of Red Deer. Our hens live in a free range system on our farm. They are fed a non gmo ration mixed with organic barley grown on our farm. We will be selling our eggs through the Sylvan Lake and Red Deer markets this summer. Visit Hovenfarms.com to get the latest info on our eggs, our farm and how we grow your food.

 





R Farm Lacombe Lacombe, AB 


 

 "In 2010, Rebekah and Markayla (who were 6 & 8 years old at the time) wanted to start making some money. Since they don’t live in town, delivering newspapers or shoveling sidewalks was not a possibility. Instead, they decided to buy layer chickens and started selling eggs. MaRe’s eggs stands for Ma-Markayla and Re-Rebekah. It is pronounced MAR-e’s Eggs.  In April 2010, the girls bought 10 chickens with their own money and continued to buy chickens until they had over 50 hens. Their business grew and grew and there was more demand then supply for their eggs."

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If you know of, or are a chicken and egg producer there is a FANTASTIC site called Small Flock Poultry Farms Database! They need ALL your information so they can have a pin pointed and comprehensive map of all of the small flock chicken farmers!

Thank you to everyone who gave us permission to use their imagery and information. Please CONTACT US is you wish to have your information removed (for any reason).

If you are an EGG PRODUCER, and we have somehow missed naming your farm, please CONTACT US immediately so we may remedy this by adding you to this list!

Also - if you are a CONSUMER and would like to find out who your CLOSEST egg producer is, contact us and we will do our darndest to help you find someone!