remarkable eggs

Moscow, Idaho

By Terri Schmidt, Co-op volunteer writer

Denise Wetzel developed ReMARKable Eggs for her son Mark. The chicken and duck egg production business began in 2020 about the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Saturday Market became less viable, so Denise and Mark began a home delivery plan. Customers would put coolers outside their doors where the Wetzels could leave eggs. Home delivery was a hit and they still offer that service today, along with selling at Saturday Market and bringing duck eggs to the Co-op.

Mark Wetzel has autism and the business gives him an opportunity to work with a regular routine that fits his abilities. Denise learned about customized self employment in an intensive training class for parents. She recognized Mark’s enjoyment of feeding animals and his love for the outdoors would be a good fit with caring for poultry. His favorite parts of the business are filling the water pool for the ducks and delivering eggs around town. He also fills feed containers for the birds. Denise helps with gathering and washing the eggs and Mark sorts them into cartons.

ReMARKable Eggs provides free range space for the ducks and chickens. The main coops are stationary, but have large paddocks that get moved every couple of days to new grassland. In winter, they utilize a fodder system where they grow wheat seed in long channels hydroponically. When the sprouts grow over four inches tall and have a mat of roots, they are lifted out like sod and placed in the coops for the birds, who attack the fresh greenery with gusto. When the days begin to shorten, the birds lay less eggs. To give them the 14 hours of light they need to keep producing, artificial lights are used through the darker months.

ReMARKable Eggs raises mostly Novogen chickens, a hybrid they get from the Jenks Hatchery in Oregon. The ducks are mostly the Golden 300 breed, another hybrid. The business just purchased four adorable Welch Harlequin ducklings. The hope is to eventually breed them to make the operation more self sustainable.

Free range eggs are healthier for us to eat. They contain less cholesterol and saturated fat and higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and beta carotene. Denise believes that benefit comes from the birds eating lots of healthy greenery. Duck eggs are a little bigger and richer than chicken eggs. Denise said they are preferred by pastry chefs because they have a different kind of protein that makes baked goods rise better.

Chickens have a 2 ½ - 3 year lifespan. This fall the business will be processing the mature birds to sell as stewing hens. Denise grew up on a farm in Kansas. Starting when she was about five years old, she observed her parents and aunts butcher and prepare chickens. Recently she refreshed her memory with a you-tube tutorial and feels so confident she is planning to invite others out to learn the procedure.

The Wetzel family also includes Denise’s husband, Henry, and their other son Joshua. Henry works in the wheat breeding program at WSU and has his own side business in sustainable pest management of turf grass. Joshua works in the deli at Winco. Denise’s business, ReMARKable Farms, sells flowers, and homemade jelly, jam, and flavored apple cider vinegar. They are a busy family!

To learn more about ReMARKable Eggs and ReMARKable Farms check out their webpage: www.remarkablefarms.com and facebook page www.facebook.com/Remarkablefarms