Hey everyone! I am a vegetarian and am trying to cut eggs and dairy out of my diet. So far, cow milk has been easiest (cause of the great alternatives), cheese has been so-so (probably in part due to the so-so alternatives), but, ignoring for the moment processed foods that contain un-vegan ingredients, eggs are very difficult to give up for me (can't make tofu in a basket!). I have stopped cooking mass-produced eggs for myself, but I do miss them on many mornings.
My question is, what is the verdict on eating eggs from a local small-scale farmer, bought at a farmer's market? I wouldn't buy meat from one because of the trickiness of the slaughterhouse situation, but is there anything you know about locally-produced eggs? For the record, I am attempting to change my dietary habits not because I think it is inherently bad to keep animals on a farm for the purpose of producing animal products, but rather because I think the dominant system right now is bad in all sorts of ways. I know that this is a position a lot of vegans may not agree with, so please bear with me at least for the time being on this matter!
Any thoughts on specifically whether it is possible to be reasonably sure that the hens that laid these eggs are given good lives? Thanks for your time.




