words: carly rigley. photographs: william shaw
who produces them EGGS There’s something really nice about looking out to a feathered flock of happy hens roaming around our fields, says Robin Thompson, the Managing Director of Bridge House Farm Ltd in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire. The family-run farm supplies free-range eggs to Asda through Noble Foods. ‘We have 30,000 free-range laying hens who go in and out of the sheds via pop-holes, and they’re free to wander and forage on the surrounding grass and fields during daylight hours,’ Robin says. GreaT qualiTies of free-ranGe eGGs Robin ensures that his free-range hens are healthy, happy and fed a wholesome diet mainly consisting of grains. The result is delicious-tasting, high quality Asda Free Range Eggs with excellent shell consistency and rich golden yolks. They’re
a good source of protein and a medium egg contains less than 80 calories.
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eGG ProDuCTion The nesting areas can hold up to 120 birds. ‘Once eggs are laid, we collect them from a belt that runs underneath and outside the building,’ Robin says. Each week the farm supplies around 170,000 free-range eggs to Noble Foods. The eggs are then sent to a packing centre, destined for Asda stores. enjoy your eGGs aT home Eggs are very versatile. ‘I like to eat mine poached on toasted breakfast muffins,’ says Robin. A simple way to test that your egg is fresh is to put it in water: generally, if it sinks then it’s fresh – if it floats then it’s not. And for maximum freshness, store eggs in their box, in the fridge.
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1 Robin Thompson has been working at the farm for 30 years – he says as well as producing eggs, they also rear pigs and grow cereals. 2 The hens are fed seven times a day. And as creatures of habit, they know exactly when the feeds are, so gather around at certain times for it! 3 The egg shells are stamped with the British Lion Quality mark, detailing the farming method and the site’s unique code so they can be traced back.
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april 2013 | asda.com/magazine | 17