Duck eggs and Homemade bread!

Well, it has been awhile since we last posted. What a year this has been. The pandemic has certainly kept us on our toes. The scramble to keep inventory in our store has been a challenge, but we made it through. Thank you for your continued support! You helped 50 extra pigs this year find a place to call home when conventional farmers had no place to turn.

Now you can find many of the delicious items you love consistently in stock. That isn’t to say they will always be in stock, we only raise so many animals at a time, that’s our MO. In addition to great tasting pork, grassfed beef and pasture rasied chicken and eggs, we are adding two new products to our on farm store.

Duck eggs and homemade bread now available!

Our middle son, Jonnie, has loved ducks for a long time and wanted to try his hand at raising some this year. So with a little 4H livestock auction money in his pocket, he purchased ten Silver Appleyards this February. Appleyards are a dual purpose breed. They are good for both egg production and meat. Jonnie bought a straight run (meaning he could get any combination of males and females). He ended up getting five males and five females.

Over the summer the ducks lived in one of our mobile chicken coops until he (and Tim) was able to build a nice duck house with a run. Now the ducks move along the pasture in their home and still have access to the outside and fresh grass each day.

About a month ago, the females started laying eggs. Jonnie is selling his duck eggs for $8 per dozen or $4 per half dozen (prices are always subject to change, check our Current Prices page for up to date details).

Do duck eggs taste different than chicken eggs?

Not really. They are bigger than chicken eggs, about double the size. This means you get a much bigger yolk. The bigger yolk makes the eggs creamier, great for baking and making omelets or scrambled eggs.

Jonnie hopes to use his duck egg profits to not only build his flock but to invest in some photography and rock climbing equipment. He has the dream of being an adventure photographer.

Homemade Breads at Zweber Farms

While he was starting his business, I was making plans to start another venture of my own too. Tim has been telling me for years to sell the bread I bake. I bake for enjoyment and didn’t want it to be “one more task.” But in February, I got my MN Department of Ag Cottage license. I now can sell baked goods safely and legally. I had planned to roll out this new venture in March, but then CoVID. With the flour shortages, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get the flour I needed, so I put the venture on hold.

A couple of weeks ago, I started baking in earnest again. If you are a fan of our Facebook page, you saw the announcement. Now on Wednesdays and Fridays (and sometimes other days if I have time), I am baking fresh loaves of bread for you to purchase. Artisan loaves are now selling for $6 per large loaf and $4 per baggete (prices are always subject to change, check our Current Prices page for up to date details).

Not only are these loaves lovely to look at, but they are also lovely to eat. Simple ingredients of wheat flour, salt, yeast, and water. No sugar, no preservatives.

If you are interested in duck eggs or homemade bread please give us a call or email us to arrange a pick up time. We are still doing appointment only pick ups from our farm store. That will keep us all safer doing this CoVID pandemic.

~Emily