My name is Humpty Dumpty.
This was my favorite spot, high up on the wall.
I know, it's an odd place for an egg to be, but I loved being close to the birds.
Then one day, I fell. (I'm sort of famous for that part.)
Folks called it "The Great Fall," which sounds a little grand.
It was just an accident.
But it changed my life.
from After the Fall: How
Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
written and illustrated by Dan Santat
Roaring Brook Press, 2017
National Egg Day is June 3 every year. Not to be confused with World Egg Day which occurs on the second Tuesday in October every year. Why have two? I think that’s a chicken-and-egg question.
I don’t claim to be exclusionary, but when I learned that National Egg Day fell on a Tuesday this year, and a Tuesday that was looking for a topic, well, here we are. The universe’s perfect solution to my blog post problem!
As a matter of fact, eggs have been called the perfect food. But so has milk, and now avocados are vying for the title.
So are eggs more perfect? Yes, according to the American Egg Board (AEB). Eggs are a complete protein; they contain all nine essential amino acids. Tofu, lentils, most beans, ancient grains like spelt, teff, quinoa, and amaranth are also high in protein, but some of the 9 essential amino acids are missing. Eating a variety of plant-based protein solves that problem.
Eggs are also a good to “egg”cellent source of Vitamins A, B12, B2, B5, and D, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron, folate, the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, and choline.
According to its website, incredibleegg.org, “The American Egg Board was created by an Act of Congress in 1976 at the request of America’s egg farmers…” They continue, “For more than 40 years, … the AEB [has been] 100% farmer-funded, and those funds directly support the research, education, and promotion necessary to market eggs.”
Their website is incredibly thorough in presenting the nutritional benefits of eggs by providing links to current and recent scientific articles.
The conclusion of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study also reports that “[e]ggs are highly nutritious, accessible, and affordable. …”[t]hey have a positive or neutral impact on health markers and do not pose a risk when eaten regularly as part of a balanced diet.” Eggs are also the most environmentally sustainable source of animal protein. The NIH article continues, “the balance of evidence points towards eggs being nutritious, healthy and sustainable, rather than risky.”
Affordable, you might ask? Even at $5.00/dozen, eggs are still a good value compared with other animal proteins. Here's a comparison from the USDA published in April 2025.
No denying it, even though chickens can’t fly, the price of a dozen eggs has soared recently. Since February 10, 2025, over 50 million laying hens succumbed to bird flu while the demand for eggs stayed high.
Farmers are working hard to protect their flocks from infection. It’s a top priority. Their livelihood depends on it, and it can take six months or more for an egg farm to completely recover.
Meanwhile, the USDA, FDA, and the CDC all tell us that with the safeguards in place, the current risk to the public is low. People rarely get bird flu, but those who do are generally people who must work closely with infected birds, and are not wearing protective equipment (masks and gloves).
The infection can reach wild birds like gulls, ducks, geese, and even our backyard birds. As a precaution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cleaning bird feeders and bird baths regularly. Wear disposable gloves and wash your hands when you’re finished.
Report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to the state or federal government by calling the USDA’s toll-free number 1-866-536-7593.
Funds to develop an mRNA vaccine similar to the one used against COVID-19 were awarded in July, 2024, but those funds were withdrawn at the end of May, 2025, due to RFK Jr.'s skepticism, despite evidence that the vaccines are safe and [have] saved millions of lives worldwide. (CBS News May 29, 2025)
Archaeological evidence shows that people have been eating eggs since the Neolithic Period (from 10,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE) when Stone Age people transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture and domestication. And in 1911, 2,000 years later, Joseph Coyle of British Columbia invented the modern egg carton.
There has been much well-deserved controversy regarding egg farms. Just the name “egg farm” instead of chicken farm emphasizes the “product” rather than the live being that “produces” it. “Cage-free” and “free-range” are designations used to describe a less restricted environment for laying hens.
Each of us needs to decide where our own personal balance falls. For me, eggs are an important part of my diet. I choose to support a less restrictive environment for the hens by buying cage-free eggs.
I remember to thank the universe, Mother Nature, and the hen herself for her gifts.
So, which did come first? Well, it depends. If you’re talking about biology, evolution plays a part. The first identifiable, separate species-specific chicken had to be inside an egg, so the egg must have come first.
If you're talking philosophically, though, it’s a conundrum. You're on your own.
I’m finishing up The Ungrateful Refugee mentioned last week. It’s a very readable, realistic, and important comment on society. Recommended.
And, as a follow-up to last week, Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, won the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling éclaircissement, a noun defined as a clearing up of something obscure. He earned more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.
FB: Sensitivity warning: Today’s post is about eggs. Vegans, read at your own discretion.
This was my favorite spot, high up on the wall.
I know, it's an odd place for an egg to be, but I loved being close to the birds.
Then one day, I fell. (I'm sort of famous for that part.)
Folks called it "The Great Fall," which sounds a little grand.
It was just an accident.
But it changed my life.
from After the Fall: How
Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
written and illustrated by Dan Santat
Roaring Brook Press, 2017
National Egg Day is June 3 every year. Not to be confused with World Egg Day which occurs on the second Tuesday in October every year. Why have two? I think that’s a chicken-and-egg question.
I don’t claim to be exclusionary, but when I learned that National Egg Day fell on a Tuesday this year, and a Tuesday that was looking for a topic, well, here we are. The universe’s perfect solution to my blog post problem!
As a matter of fact, eggs have been called the perfect food. But so has milk, and now avocados are vying for the title.
So are eggs more perfect? Yes, according to the American Egg Board (AEB). Eggs are a complete protein; they contain all nine essential amino acids. Tofu, lentils, most beans, ancient grains like spelt, teff, quinoa, and amaranth are also high in protein, but some of the 9 essential amino acids are missing. Eating a variety of plant-based protein solves that problem.
Eggs are also a good to “egg”cellent source of Vitamins A, B12, B2, B5, and D, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron, folate, the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, and choline.
According to its website, incredibleegg.org, “The American Egg Board was created by an Act of Congress in 1976 at the request of America’s egg farmers…” They continue, “For more than 40 years, … the AEB [has been] 100% farmer-funded, and those funds directly support the research, education, and promotion necessary to market eggs.”
Their website is incredibly thorough in presenting the nutritional benefits of eggs by providing links to current and recent scientific articles.
The conclusion of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study also reports that “[e]ggs are highly nutritious, accessible, and affordable. …”[t]hey have a positive or neutral impact on health markers and do not pose a risk when eaten regularly as part of a balanced diet.” Eggs are also the most environmentally sustainable source of animal protein. The NIH article continues, “the balance of evidence points towards eggs being nutritious, healthy and sustainable, rather than risky.”
Affordable, you might ask? Even at $5.00/dozen, eggs are still a good value compared with other animal proteins. Here's a comparison from the USDA published in April 2025.
No denying it, even though chickens can’t fly, the price of a dozen eggs has soared recently. Since February 10, 2025, over 50 million laying hens succumbed to bird flu while the demand for eggs stayed high.
Farmers are working hard to protect their flocks from infection. It’s a top priority. Their livelihood depends on it, and it can take six months or more for an egg farm to completely recover.
Meanwhile, the USDA, FDA, and the CDC all tell us that with the safeguards in place, the current risk to the public is low. People rarely get bird flu, but those who do are generally people who must work closely with infected birds, and are not wearing protective equipment (masks and gloves).
The infection can reach wild birds like gulls, ducks, geese, and even our backyard birds. As a precaution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cleaning bird feeders and bird baths regularly. Wear disposable gloves and wash your hands when you’re finished.
Report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to the state or federal government by calling the USDA’s toll-free number 1-866-536-7593.
Funds to develop an mRNA vaccine similar to the one used against COVID-19 were awarded in July, 2024, but those funds were withdrawn at the end of May, 2025, due to RFK Jr.'s skepticism, despite evidence that the vaccines are safe and [have] saved millions of lives worldwide. (CBS News May 29, 2025)
Archaeological evidence shows that people have been eating eggs since the Neolithic Period (from 10,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE) when Stone Age people transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture and domestication. And in 1911, 2,000 years later, Joseph Coyle of British Columbia invented the modern egg carton.
There has been much well-deserved controversy regarding egg farms. Just the name “egg farm” instead of chicken farm emphasizes the “product” rather than the live being that “produces” it. “Cage-free” and “free-range” are designations used to describe a less restricted environment for laying hens.
Each of us needs to decide where our own personal balance falls. For me, eggs are an important part of my diet. I choose to support a less restrictive environment for the hens by buying cage-free eggs.
I remember to thank the universe, Mother Nature, and the hen herself for her gifts.
So, which did come first? Well, it depends. If you’re talking about biology, evolution plays a part. The first identifiable, separate species-specific chicken had to be inside an egg, so the egg must have come first.
If you're talking philosophically, though, it’s a conundrum. You're on your own.
I’m finishing up The Ungrateful Refugee mentioned last week. It’s a very readable, realistic, and important comment on society. Recommended.
And, as a follow-up to last week, Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, won the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling éclaircissement, a noun defined as a clearing up of something obscure. He earned more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.
FB: Sensitivity warning: Today’s post is about eggs. Vegans, read at your own discretion.
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