I love eggs. Has anyone ever asked you that cliché question: if you were stranded on an island and could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Well for me, it would definitely be a cheesy fried-egg sandwich. Or a soft-boiled egg with toast. Or my personal favorite, a toad in the hole — (some people call this a robin’s nest, but it’s the same idea — a piece of toast with a hole cut out in the middle for the egg. A delicious and nutritious snack.) Anyway, that being said, I was personally overjoyed to hear that SMC is now serving organic eggs from a local farm, just down the road in the Red Feather Lakes / Livermore area. This is great news for many reasons — it’s a step towards more sustainable food practices at SMC, a way for us to support a local business and create connections with our surrounding community, and the eggs taste delicious.

In light of this recent development, a group of our staff from the kitchen and beyond took a field trip to the source — the home of The Mountain Chicks.

The Mountain Chicks business was founded by Maya, 16, and Rosa, 14. In 2009, they started raising a few chickens for fun, selling eggs outside of the Western Stock Show and at a local farmers market. From there they went on to create a business, winning a Young Entrepreneur contest last May through the Larimer County Workforce. They currently care for 120 chickens of four different breeds (Red Sexlings, Black Sexlings, Ameraucanas, and Welsummers), with names like Friend, Goldie, and Nacho Grande. The chickens lay about 4 dozen eggs a day, which are distributed to roughly 20 consistent customers in the Fort Collins & Loveland area, including employees of Colorado State University, and now our very own Shambhala Mountain Center. In addition, they sell homemade baked goods which can be ordered through their website. Their business is based on the freshness and integrity of their ingredients, and supporting the local community.

After our drive through a series of winding roads we arrived at their beautiful mountain valley home. Maya, Rosa, & family introduced us to the chickens, who seemed about as happy as chickens could be, exploring the land freely, bathing themselves in the soil, and occasionally letting us pick them up. Considering that most of our food comes from states, even countries, away, it was refreshing to see where the eggs we’ve been enjoying are actually coming from, and to connect with the good people that are making it happen. I’m going to go make a fried-egg sandwich now. Thank you, Mountain Chicks!

Maya & Rosa

For more information, visit: http://www.themountainchicks.com/

About the Author

Rachel Zetah Becker is an artist / designer / occasional poet / & aspiring astronaut. Her interests include adventure, human spirituality, fried egg sandwiches, and saving Planet Earth.
See more of her work here: www.rachelzbecker.com