FREE RANGE EGGS ARTICLE BY AMANDA ZAMUDIO, PHOTOS BY JESSICA ZAMUDIO
The Zamudio family has owned chickens since 1983 and kept enough to supply their family stocked with fresh eggs. In 2010, their daughter Amanda started helping out a colleague selling pork at the Heirloom Farmers Market in Tucson. She thought it would be a great idea to sell the eggs her parents had at the family farm to accompany the breakfast bacon. What started out to be a small side gig for a college student turned into Diamond Z Farms Eggs that includes several more chickens and a lot more product. Dee Ann has always dedicated her life to raising her children on the farm and helping out with the daily duties while her husband Gilbert was away. He worked as a high school agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor for 39 years and has recently retired and helps with the operation. They also raise Boer goats and other livestock animals that keep them busy with day to day duties. Their children Michael, Joseph, Amanda and Jessica all enjoy the same lifestyle and help out when they are home. Michael, Amanda, and Jessica have
followed in their father’s footsteps and are also agricultural science teachers and FFA advisors. Each day the couple has several things they must accomplish in order to keep the 800 laying hen operation running smoothly. First they start with feeding and watering the 200 chicks and young pullets they are raising to be laying hens. In the late morning, the hens are let out to range after they have laid for the day. At this time, you can find Dee collecting eggs while Gilbert is replenishing the feeders with about 250 pounds of feed and cleaning out the birds’ automatic watering system. After the eggs are collected they are taken into the Egg Room where they are washed, sanitized, rinsed, dried, classified, and refrigerated. Food safety is extremely important and all the steps are followed to ensure their product is safe and wholesome. The Arizona Department of Agriculture comes bimonthly to inspect the facility and to ensure the couple is following all the rules and regulations set forth by the state. The free range eggs that Diamond Z Farms offer are mostly sold at the Heirloom Farmers 10
Market on Sunday at Rillito Park. The business also sells eggs to the popular breakfast restaurants Prep & Pastry and Feast in Tucson. The eggs are known for their large bright yolks and fresh taste to many consumers. There is no nutritional advantage when comparing a free range egg to a commercially produced egg but a taste difference can be identified. Dee Ann has always loved birds and she thoroughly enjoys watching them grow and lay eggs. Her hobby has grown into a full time business and she now finds joy in seeing her regular customers each week and visiting with them. Her husband and she have developed close relationships and friendships with some of their customers. Zamudio Farm Fresh Eggs will continue to grow and expand so they can fulfill the demand of their growing customer base. At this time they are not large enough to expand to other markets and hope to increase the number of their laying hens in the next year. CONTACT DIAMOND Z FARMS: 4423 West Courtland Road, Elfrida, AZ 85610 gvzamudio@gmail.com (623) 695-0290
