The Elmore County Food Pantry now has fresh farm eggs, and a Tallassee resident is the one supplying them.
Fern Bel Compton said one thing that comes up with raising chickens is excess eggs. Some chicken raisers remedy this by feeding the eggs back to the chickens, but Compton realized she could donate the eggs instead.
“I want to encourage other people in the community that are cooking up their eggs and feeding them back to the birds — which the birds don’t really need; it's just a treat — that they can donate their eggs to the pantry and help humans,” she said.
Compton raises a variety of chickens including Silkies, Brahma, Easter Eggers, Jersey Giants, Australorp, Barneveld and a Silver Sebright. All the chickens produce different eggs, some chocolate brown, others cream or blue in color. With each of her cartons, Compton also includes instructions on how best to keep the eggs.
Compton started her raising with a chicken brooder, but now the chickens raise the other chickens. Her chores don’t take much more than 30 minutes. Although she does have a blind chicken that gets extra cage cleanings.
Fern Bel Compton raises a variety of chickens. Some including Silkies, Brahma, Easter Eggers, Jersey Giants and Australorp. All of which produce different colored and sized eggs.
Every evening she collects the eggs and she usually has around five dozen to donate to the pantry each week. The last couple weeks, she hasn’t had as many eggs to donate with snakes being an issue, but she continues to supply the pantry regardless.
In addition to donations, Compton also sells her eggs for $3 a dozen and tries to keep the price affordable. At one point in her life, Compton and her mom were homeless and she said ensuring people have access to nutritious food is a priority of hers. While the cost of eggs in grocery stores has gone up, she kept her price for eggs the same.
“I never did it for the purpose of selling eggs; I just like the birds,” she said. “They are pets, and each has their personality.”
Compton hopes more people will donate to the food pantry, even if it’s not eggs. For those who can, she said setting aside part of the grocery budget to buy food for the pantry can go a long way. The food pantry Facebook page also gives updates on what food it needs.
While Compton and her family have become part of the community, Compton is originally from California. Her family was living in Panama City before coming to Tallassee, evacuating during Hurricane Michael.
Her husband, a retired chief from the U.S. Space Force, returned briefly to help clear fallen trees after the hurricane, but they ultimately decided to stay in Tallassee.
“We chose to move up here; it just felt more like home,” Compton said.
She and her husband have nine children together. Compton said she knows that can sound overwhelming, but they take it one step at a time. Despite the busyness, Compton said community outreach is important to their family and donating to the food pantry is one small act that can go a long way.
The Elmore County Food Pantry was started in 2008 and now helps over 520 families monthly. The pantry is located at 515 W Boundary Street in Wetumpka.