The Story Behind the Amish Farm
Location and History
Walnut Ridge Farm spans 125 acres in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. A small stream runs through the center of the farm, leading to Seneca Lake. On either side of the stream are two hills—one covered in grassland, the other with a wild walnut grove, giving the farm its name, “Walnut Ridge Farm.”
According to the farm’s owner, Sam, his grandfather moved to Seneca County in 1981, following Stoltzfus Fus, the founder of the Romulus Amish community. After years of study, his grandfather selected this walnut grove as the perfect place to raise chickens.
The Secret to Amish Nutritious Eggs
Walnut-Fed Chickens
The walnuts from the grove are rich in protein, carbohydrates, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and various vitamins. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. It is said that the chickens peck at wild walnuts year-round, enhancing their antioxidant capacity and immunity.
Soil and Feeding Habits
The farm’s sandy soil is perfect for chickens, who love to dig with their claws to find food. The soft ground protects their feet from injury. The farm also raises earthworms indoors, then releases them onto the grasslands for the chickens to feed on. Earthworms are packed with vitamin C, and the eggs laid by chickens that consume these worms have double the Omega-3 content of regular eggs.
Unique Egg Quality
The yolks of these eggs are bright orange, scoring over 10 on the color index, compared to the average score of 7 for regular eggs. The farm uses premium chicken breeds like “NovaGen” and doesn’t keep any roosters. Because of this, their eggs are called “Pullet eggs,” or what the Chinese refer to as “Yunying eggs.”
What Are Yunying Eggs?
Yunying eggs are produced by hens that have never mated with a rooster and have never been given hormones. These naturally raised hens lay eggs that are more nutritious than regular eggs. A 50-gram Yunying egg contains 6-7 grams of protein and 5-6 grams of fat. The amino acid profile of the egg protein is well-suited for human needs, with an absorption rate of over 98%, making it extremely nutritious.
A Natural, Pollution-Free Environment
Amish Life: No Electricity, No Cars
Walnut Ridge Farm is far from any roads, and the Amish lifestyle avoids electricity and cars. This ensures that the chickens live in a peaceful, pollution-free environment, which contributes to their high-quality eggs. Witnessing 10,000 chickens running freely on 125 acres of pasture is quite a sight. In summer, they seek shade under the walnut trees, and in spring and fall, they bask in the sunshine and drink from the farm’s stream. As a result, the eggs produced are rich in vitamin D.
Stew Chickens
Hens are typically slaughtered at around ten months of age. These hens, known as “Stew Chickens,” are what the Chinese refer to as “old hens for soup.” Having spent their lives pecking at wild walnuts and earthworms, the meat of these hens is especially flavorful, with bones that have become extra firm from running across the pastures. Their skin is also notably chewy, making them perfect for stews.
A Special Secret for Amish Farm Guests
Here’s a little secret: If you receive a box of unevenly sized eggs from the farm owner, you’ve truly lucky and become an honored guest. The owner explained that when a hen lays an egg, the eggshell is coated with a thin liquid that dries and forms a protective membrane. This membrane acts like a placenta, protecting the egg.
Market eggs, which are all uniform in size and neatly arranged, are washed and sorted by machines, which destroys this protective membrane. Such eggs have a shelf life of only about one month. In contrast, the farm’s eggs are never machine-processed and are placed directly into cartons. When stored in a cool place below 45°F or in a refrigerator, these eggs can last for more than three months.
Amish农场背后的故事
Walnut Ridge Farm 占地125英亩，位于纽约上州手指湖地区，农场中间有条小溪通向Seneca lake，小溪两边有两座小山丘，一边是草地，一边是野核桃林，故称“核桃岭农场”。
核桃岭农场的土鸡和原生态土鸡蛋在该地区非常有名。是拥有“American humane”原生态认证的原生态牧场。据农场主Sam 述说：1981他的爷爷跟随Stoltzfus Fus (Romulus 阿米什人社区创始人）来到Seneca县，经过多年的考察他爷爷选择了这片核桃林作为养鸡牧场。
核桃有丰富的蛋白质和碳水化合物，含有丰富的铁/钙/磷，等各种维生素，核桃中含有Q3脂肪酸属于多不饱和脂肪酸，据说活鸡长年啄食树上掉下来的野生核桃可以提高抗氧化能力和免疫力。
该农场属于沙土性质的土壤，鸡的习性是用爪子趴土寻食。松软的土地不会伤害鸡的爪子。农场主在室内养殖很多earthworms ，然后放养在草地里让鸡啄食。earthworm 含有大量的维生素C，啄食earthworms 的鸡所下的蛋Omega3含量是普通鸡蛋的一倍，普通鸡蛋的蛋黄色彩指数是七，而他农场的鸡蛋蛋黄是桔黄色，色彩指数达到十以上。农场选用优良的品种“NovaGen”整个牧场没有一只公鸡。所以他们称自己的鸡蛋是“Pullet eggs”即是中国人所说的“云英蛋”。
【云英蛋是指从生下来的雏鸡开始成长到种鸡或产蛋前，从未与雄鸡配过种，未打过任何激素，土生土长的农家鸡所生产的蛋，未经受孕所下的蛋吃了后功效比普通鸡蛋好，一个50克的云英蛋含有蛋白质6-7克。脂肪5-6克。鸡蛋蛋白质的氨基酸比例很适合人体生理需要，易为机体吸收，利用率高达98%以上，营养价值很高】
农场远离公路，而阿米什人又不用电/不开车。让鸡每天有个很好的睡眠质量和零污染环境，一万只鸡奔跑在125英亩的牧场上非常壮观。夏天躲在核桃林里乘凉，春秋沐浴在阳光下，喝着小溪里流淌的泉水。所以他们农场的鸡蛋含有丰富的维生素D。 一般母鸡长到十个月左右开始宰杀，他们称自己的母鸡“Stew Chicken ”即中国人所说的“老母鸡炖汤”长年啄食野生核桃和earthworm 的老母鸡肉质特别美味，整年在草地上奔跑骨质特别硬，所以他农场的老母鸡炖汤更加鲜美。鸡皮非常有嚼劲。
告诉你一个秘密，虽然我出生在农村，但从来也没有这样的认识： 如果你有幸能得到农场主送给你一盒大小不一、没有什么看相的鸡蛋，那你就真的成为了他的贵客。主人说，母鸡下蛋时，蛋壳表面有一层液体，见光风干后贴在壳上就如动物的胎盘保护鸡蛋，肉眼是无法看到的。市场上大小一致、排列均匀的鸡蛋，都是经过清洗，然后用筛选机筛选后装盒，这样就破坏了表面的保护膜，这种鸡蛋的保鲜期最多只有一个月。他们农场的鸡蛋不经任何机器处理直接排放在蛋盒里，如果存放在45度以下的阴凉处或冰箱里可以保存三个月以上。