Eggs get time to shine

BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Thursday, April 05, 2012
4/05/12 at 3:39 AM

As Easter approaches, the pace picks up at the Fisher family egg farm near Bristow.

It's the big weekend for eggs, after all.

They will be whisked, fried, scrambled and poached for area brunches. And children - eager for a visit from the Easter bunny - look forward to dipping boiled eggs in colorful dyes.

A few lucky eggs - sporting their Sunday best - might even aspire to an appearance at an old-fashioned egg hunt.

Helton P. Fisher started the Creek County farm on 80 acres of rolling land a few years before statehood. The family acquired more acreage, but much of the surrounding terrain was untillable. So to make a living, two of Fisher's grandsons, Ernest and Russell Fisher, started producing eggs at the farm in 1958.

"I was born at this place. My dad raised grain and cattle. His dream was that his sons would take over, but we needed more money than what was coming in," Ernest Fisher said.

They started with 700 chickens in an old hay barn and an egg delivery route.

"I wanted to do something that was mine, and I love the farm. It was my first interest, and I really got into the chicken business whole hog sometime around '61 to '63," Fisher said. "Gradually, I put more chickens in each house. At one point I dreamed we would have somewhere in the area of 80,000 chickens, which is considered small now compared to the big farms."

Over the years, Fisher has seen the cage-farmed eggs go in and out of favor. There was a time when eggs from caged chickens were preferred because consumers believed it was cleaner. Now, many customers prefer the cage-free eggs, so the farm has expanded the number of cage-free chickens.

Fisher's son, Mark Fisher, has taken the lead in the family's egg business. Up until eight years ago, the eggs were collected by hand. But now, thankfully, the collection has been automated, he said.

Fisher's Eggs - one of the state's biggest independent egg farms - has 25,000 chickens producing about 20,000 eggs a day. And every week, the eggs are delivered to about 50 Tulsa grocery stores and area restaurants.

Farm to table

One of the Fisher family's customers is Palace Cafe, where the Sunday brunch is the busiest time of the week - especially at Easter.

"We go through a ton of eggs," said James Shrader, chef and owner of the restaurant at 1301 East 15th St. He uses about 75 dozen during the week and the Sunday brunch. But that number jumps to 135 dozen with the addition of the breakfast burritos the restaurant makes for the Cherry Street Farmer's Market, which starts again April 14.

Shrader buys from Fisher's Eggs because it's a local company.

"They also offer cage-free eggs, and that is what we use here," Shrader said. "When I saw their operation, I was pleasantly surprised."

Shrader also believes the fresher, locally farmed eggs taste better.

For its brunch, the Palace Cafe offers several egg dishes including Huevos Rancheros, Benedict Florentine and Green Eggs and Ham. Shrader also uses the eggs for the fresh challah bread in the Palace Cafe's version of French toast.

"It is our busiest time every Sunday. At Easter and on Mother's Day, we do a bit more business, but what is really different is that we have more families, and we have to plan accordingly. There are bigger parties, and people stay a little longer because this may be the one time a year when they can get together and have a good time."

Natural appeal

If they don't end up in your omelet, there's a good chance eggs might get to be a piece of Easter art. Ernest Fisher said the practice of egg dyeing has seen a resurgence in the past few years.

"There has been a revival of Easter egg coloring in the last 10 years. I think it is the same philosophy of not wanting caged eggs. They want things to be natural," he said. "People seem they are buying more real chicken eggs for dyeing than they did for a while."

And coloring Easter eggs the natural way is en vogue. Popular foodie haunts such as Food Network, Serious Eats and Bon Appetit have recently featured stories about using colorful foods and teas to dye eggs.

Whole Foods grocery store in Tulsa - which also sells eggs from Fisher's Eggs - suggests using boiled lemon or orange peels to make a yellow dye; cranberries, beets and raspberries to make red or pink dyes; spinach for green; and hibiscus tea for purple.

"People are realizing that the dyes aren't good for you," said Lorah Gerald, a marketing specialist for Whole Foods.

That's why all foods made at the store are colored with natural ingredients. They also have kits containing natural dyes if someone does not want to prepare the fruits and vegetables to make dye, she said.

"I am also noticing that more people are using paper for Easter grass because it can be recycled," Gerald said. "Or, we have live wheatgrass containers that can be set down into the baskets. They are a beautiful, vibrant green."

And even though the dyed eggs are picture-perfect, don't expect to see them at many modern-day egg hunts. Except, perhaps, served deviled on a plate.

"The plastic eggs have made a pretty big impact, so people don't usually use the dyed eggs for hunts," Mark Fisher said. "It is just easier, and kids want to find something in them."

So the Easter bunny may be bringing the chocolate eggs to town. But for the real thing, we can thank the Fishers.

Get your baskets ready for last Easter egg hunts

Missed the egg hunts last week? Here are some more.

Thursday

Lacy Park, 2134 N. Madison Place

6-6:30 p.m.

Everyone ages 1-12 is invited to hunt for candy- and toy-filled eggs. Bring a canned food item to be donated to the food bank. And be sure to bring a basket.

Free. For more information, call 918-596-1470.

April 7

Centennial Park, 15301 E. 86 St. N., Owasso

11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

A helicopter and 50,000 eggs will be a part of the massive "Owasso Egg Drop." The event, presented by Lifepoint Baptist Church, will also feature a magic show and inflatables. There will also be a hunt for kids with special needs. Drops set to begin at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Registration is an hour and a half before the drops begin. And for $30, you could get a ride in the helicopter.

Free. For more, call 918-408-5072 or visit tulsaworld.com/eggdrop

O'Brien Park, 6149 N. Lewis Ave.

10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Kids 12 and younger will be divided by age group for this day-before-Easter egg hunt. Through 1 p.m.

Free. For more, call 918-591-6008.

Chamberlain Park, 4940 N. Frankfort Ave.

Noon

The Easter bunny will be at the hunt for kids age 1-8. Donations of canned food items will be accepted to benefit the food bank.

Free. For more information, call 918-591-4155.

Guts Church, 9120 E. Broken Arrow Expressway

11 a.m.

Guts Church is hosting an Easter egg hunt for those with special needs. Eggs, games, food and prizes will all be part of the event, and the Easter bunny will be in attendance.

Free. For more information, call 918-622-4422.

Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum, 6421 E. 36th St. N.

8 a.m.

Zoo Friends members are invited to "Zoobilee." Kids up to age 12 will be divided by age group. Bring a basket. Members can also bring guests.

$5 per person in advance, $6 at the door. For more information, call 918-669-6600.

Will Rogers Downs, Claremore

1:30 p.m.

Kids 10 and younger can hunt at the event in front of the grandstand area of the race track. Bring your own baskets.

Free. For more information, call 918-283-8800.

Hunter-Dwelley Stadium, 205 East B St., Jenks

10 a.m. to noon

The Jenks Ministerial Alliance will host the annual Jenks Community Egg Hunt. Kids up to sixth grade will be divided into three age groups. Bring your own baskets.

Free. For more information, call Harold Phillips at River Oaks Christian Church at 918-299-3366.

April 8

Family Fellowship Church, Town West Shopping Center, 5600 W. Skelly Drive

11:30 a.m.

A helicopter will also make an appearance at Family Fellowship Church, bringing the Easter bunny with it. About 1,200 eggs will be available, some filled with candy and about 10 percent filled with money. Open to kids ages 12 and younger. The hunt starts right after the church service.

April 14

Hicks Park, 3443 S. Mingo Road

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Dogs and their handlers will find all sorts of treats and prizes in their eggs during the Doggone Egg Hunt. The hunt begins promptly at 11 a.m. All dogs must be on a leash.

Free. For more information, call 918-669-6355.

Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

A full egg crate awaits shipment to a retailer at the Fisher's Eggs facility outside Bristow. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World

Hundreds of chickens stand in their enclosure at the Fisher's Eggs facility. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World

Mark Fisher walks past an egg-packing machine at Fisher's Eggs. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World

Debbie Bryant looks for damaged eggs as they roll over a device called a candler, which shines light through the eggs to make finding imperfections easier. MATT BARNARD / Tulsa World

Sous chef Trey Wilson cracks an egg at the Palace Cafe. The restaurant typically goes through about 75 dozen eggs each week. MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World

Chef James Shrader, owner of the Palace Cafe, buys from Fisher's Eggs because it's a local company and because he believes that fresher, locally farmed eggs taste better. "They also offer cage-free eggs, and that is what we use here." MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World

Dylan Miles, 8, and his mother, Sara, examine the eggs Dylan gathered during the LaFortune Community Center Easter Egg Hunt. KAREN M. KINNEY / Courtesy photo

Violet, 3, waits patiently as her sister Lauren, 16, opens the eggs she gathered at the 24th annual LaFortune Community Center Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. KAREN M. KINNEY / Courtesy photo