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There is trouble in the village and it all started when a fox stole Henriette’s rooster.
Let me explain. Henriette is our neighbour, she would be the wife of the amazing dancing Henri. She has always kept chickens and when we have a cake to bake or a soufflé to put together hers is the gate to knock at. Her eggs are large, fresh, dated by hand and sell like hotcakes.
Her chickens were an even tempered bunch, laying happily until last Christmas Day when a fox snatched her rooster! Henriette was sad, Henri grabbed his gun and went to look for the fox and her pretty hens went into mourning and stopped laying.
By coincidence, at the other end of the village, the young farmer Sebastien purchased some beautiful young chickens as a present for his wife. I know, I know not everyone’s idea of the perfect gift but here we have our country values to defend.
Sebastien’s chickens turned out to be des poules extraordinaires and before long were laying so well that he was into egg overflow situation. Having heard that Henriette’s chickens weren’t doing their stuff he helpfully put up a sign outside the gate offering eggs for sale each Saturday morning from 9 to 12.
His eggs are large, fresh, dated by hand and are selling like hotcakes.
In the meantime Henriette acquires a replacement rooster, her hens are happy and Henriette is back in business.
You can see where this is going.
What started as a simple chicken coop crisis has become a diplomatic situation.
As it is impossible to knock at either Henriette’s or Sebastien’s gate without being seen, the village folk find themselves with divided loyalties. Do we remain faithful to Henriette in which case Sebastien’s new found source of income will dry up as suddenly as it started, or do we continue as clients to Sebastien and risk the wrath of Henri?!
Who would have thought that the appetite of a winter fox could cause so much disruption? In the village I hear whispered conversations discussing the merits of the opposing eggs. The shop has decided to have no part in the egg war and has turned to a new outside supplier. Sebastien seems to have some powerful lobbyists, but Henriette has the vote of the older generation on her side. All part of French village life.
And me in all of this? I now buy a dozen eggs from both gates!
As if life weren’t already complicated enough!
55 comments
Love this! In my favorite market here in Paris, there are two vendors, side by side, of roasted chickens. I always feel like I'm crawling guiltily by one to purchase from the other…but in this case, the chickens cooked in goose fat win!
I'd do exactly the same Sharon. Can't hurt people's feelings. See you soon. Deidre.
Looks like it's egg on the menu in your village. Perhaps you should run a competition in blogland, as to who can come up with the best egg recipe, then have an egg fete with said recipe on the menu to celebrate the winner.
That would mean all parties would sell out and perhaps even create a crisis in the other direction by way of an egg drought…..Oh perhaps not!!!!!
PS That means you've come full circle. It's kind of like the chicken and the egg ha ha ha….an unsolvable dilema!!!!
Love this story!
We have chickens too! When i have to much, I give the eggs away….
greetings from the Netherlands
Heidi
How wonderful to have fresh eggs! And you are very correct to purchase from both roosters!
Buying from both is the only answer. Boy – having chickens is a slippery slope. My sister in law started with a few chickens and now has ducks, geese, all sorts of chickens AND two alpacas…to keep the foxes out. Maybe you should suggest that to Henriette. I love village life but it can be very complicated.
PS – I can't seem to leave wordpress comments on any blogger site. Must use my poor cat's old blog (she died a few months ago…)
Oh how I wish this were the problems we face around here…how refreshing!
I LOVE this post !!! It's exactly the photo of a french village ! May be you should buy your own chicken to get your own eggs ans not have to choose ! Thanks for this noice moment of reading, I laughted a lot.
We have two generations of chickens in our chicken coop. The old stopped laying and the new chickens provide us with more eggs than we need. Soon, as the weather gets warmer, our old chickens will lay again. As it is, we have too many eggs now. We will make more trips into town and leave eggs by the door.
This is so french!!! my parents deal with the same type of situation all the times, my father is however a great diplomat! they have however had warfare on their hands by using the "wrong plumber" I restored an old (16th century) house and was almost chastised for my village for being "too americaine…" I had to resign as project manager and my father took over as my lack of diplomacy and understanding of hierarchy and rules created complete havoc in the village… You have to love it though.
What a lovely post! I too would have to buy from two different roosters.
Debbie
I love that the village is small enough that egg shoppers would be seen wherever they went. I think you've reached a good compromise.
Ah ah!
Ilarious Sharon….
oh my….you are right: a bit from one a bit from the other one!
Just be sure not to eat to many eggs darling!
Fra
Wonderful post. You had me smiling from the first rooster.
I love that story! Lucky you and your bounty of fresh eggs! Fun to hear the goings on in a French village.
I totally understand the hen, rooster, fox as I have all three making my life an adventure! But we have the same competition with honey! The best bees and their sorces, my orchards or theirs….alas I wouldn't have it any other way!
Nice story. Bad fox. xo Jenny
Yes, of course you must be loyal to both! Awww, the whole thing is charming, really. And yes, I can imagine Sebastien bringing some chickens home to his wife as a gift; they are farming people and farmers I have known have often wanted livestock of a certain type. I once knew a lady who was in love with her cow, who was a real prize winner. Country life is wonderful. 🙂
Wonderful story! I have just recently found your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed it! Keep up the good work!
What a great story. I would do exactly as you have…keep the peace by buying some from both! 🙂
Karen
This is SO French, as Francine said. Of course, you MUST remain loyal to the original egg-sellers, but when you need more hop on down the road to the new people. Or alternate. Or eat more eggs…which means baking more, higher cholesterol, and spending a few $$ you didn't need to spend. C'est la vie, mon amour…
What a great story! I can see that diplomacy is going to dictate a change of menu at your table. Lots of omelets, cakes and other egg related recipes. 😉
As a city girl with little farm experience… I doubt I have ever eaten a farm fresh egg, not to mention one that had been fertilized. :-O
You made me smile with this story! This is exactly the type of problems I would love to have! You are doing your best… half and half.
Love this story! Reading along I thought…buy from both. When I scrolled to the end of the story, that was your solution as well.
Well done! Doing your part to keep the peace in the village.
-Jill
It would definitely be helpful had they purchased two different breeds of chickens. lol. But of course you must stay loyal to Henriette.
I think that this is a far more interesting dilemma than the constant discussions of economic meltdown! Perhaps there should be a European Union Roundtable discussion or perhaps like the reality shows, there could be a new one entitled "Survival of the Chicken Coop" – alliances being formed, pecking contests, sly foxes creeping around…..
What a dilemma. I would have done exactly what you are doing. One dozen from each!
You have the best solution. Diplomacy among neighbors is the key to good relations. And all those fresh eggs make you the winner after all!
We feel the same about our chickens here. We could not live without them. They provide so much for the family. Although I take my hat off to you for being able to use 2 dozen eggs every week. disselbrett
Love this story! Sounds like a predicament I would find myself in! C'est la vie!!(hope my French is correct for "This is life!") :)))
Poor Henriette, I would be devastated if a fox took one of my flock! Did Henri catch the fox?
A lovely charming story, thanks for sharing!
xox Kerry
Living out in the country where lots of my friends have chickens…Along with the chickens come the issues like these…..Sad but true….. I don't think I could raise them for that reason. Skunks, Raccoons, Coyotes and even bigger birds…….. It's not as easy as it seems….. My heart goes out to Henriette……I say just make more egg dishes and buy fom both!!!!!Maryanne;)
Yes, I'd be buying 2 dozen eggs too to keep everyone happy! Happy to know there's now a abundance of fresh eggs in your village, I'm looking forward to them! My sister used to have chickens, goats, pheasants, etc., but most of them got swept away this past fall by Hurricane Irene here in New England. She was really heartbroken and now doesn't have any place for new animals. Luckily, I've been able to get organic eggs through my daughter. She works for a natural foods distributor. My husband & I have talked about keeping chickens & I've finally found great plans for a coop that might get built this spring!
I know nothing about country life or chickens unfortunately, but this story is so charming. And it only means, of course, that there will be arising a new need for eggs to fill the surplus production! Nature has here ways. LOL
Oh my, it is so true, isn't it? Here it is not so much a question of eggs but who is your goat cheese lady–a very heated question. Not to mention the many restauratns that I can't try because of how I would be shunned by their neighbors where I have gone in the past. At times how I long for the invisibility in NYC!
Souffle for dinner?
What a dilemma for all the villagers. You've chosen a great solution, hope your family loves eggs!
Reckon this is the beginning of a charmin' novel– Write the book Sharon!
Really love this view into village life. How wise you were to be loyal to both egg vendors.
Oh yes, a novel would be wonderful. I enjoyed this egg debarcle immensely. We are planning on setting up a chicken coup again. Some layers and some silky bantams. I cant wait, especially after reading this post and seeing the lovely photos. Keep us posted on what happen next please.
Sharon, this is such an interesting story, also for me living in a small village. I have run into that problem when buying fruit from our local farmers. I have lived here for over thirty years and everyone knows each other…even the smallest movements do not go unnoticed.
You did the right thing…N.xox
So the solution is to make more souffles and just remember….. Henri has a gun!
~Bliss~
You are a wonderful example of kindness and thoughtfulness!! Happy baking… xo HHL
Too funny! My husband and I want to bring hens onto our farm, but just realized that our neighbours might be "oeuf"fended! Thanks for the heads up:) xob
Sharon, It seems you will be doing much more baking in the future with all these eggs to use! Very diplomatic approach.
You might like to share other snippets of your french life I have tagged you on my blog.https://magnoliaverandah.blogspot.com.au/
What a fun story! Lovely fresh eggs from two…what a dilemma! I think you made the best choice!
A french dilemma Sharon… but in the reading so totally adorable… Sounds like your menu's are high in protein right now… xv
That is a dilemma. l would also be buying from both to save ' ruffled feathers ' !
What a charming story!
I think buying eggs from both supplies is the diplomatic solution!
I would do just what you're doing, a dozen from each gate. Oh the problems of the French countryside! I love this delightful story…………..more please.
~Emily
The French Hutch
Thanks for my morning smile. The trials of living in a small place have been recorded here perfectly. Have fun sorting it all out.
Cute post. Check us out either on facebook (where I just shared the link to your blog with 3,200 other chicken keepers!) https://www.facebook.com/FreshEggsDaily or our blog https://fresh-eggs-daily.blogspot.com/.
Love this story and especially the way you have written it. I just had to read it aloud to my husband! I can picture this as a beautifully illustrated children's book….just a thought.
If everybody took turns buying from both…well everybody would win:)
Great post!
indeed that would have been my fix as well. good on you miss french country home.