Ewww. Jackie, I'm sorry. I haven't experienced a rotten egg in a long, long time. Actually, eggs left out or getting old seldom get rotten, they mostly dry up, according to my extension service. To get rotten requires bacterial or fungal contamination. So that egg may have had a tiny pinhole or crack in it which allowed bacteria in. Eggs are laid with a protective film which keeps bacteria out. Eggs shouldn't really be washed until they are to be used, although any residue can be wiped off. Commercial egg producers do wash the eggs and some egg companies spray or oil the shells after washing to "refresh" that barrier. So, how long is an egg "fresh"? The eggs you buy at the store are already a couple of weeks old, probably more, because they are graded, packed, shipped and stored before someone picks them up off the shelf. My own somewhat arbitrary requirement was that they should be used within a month. Refrigeration does allow you to keep eggs longer, but even then I maybe push 6 weeks. The extension service says 3 months! Most European countries do not allow the washing of eggs which are sold commercially, and most don't allow refrigeration of those eggs either. Now, we're talking raw eggs, not cooked eggs. So your rotten egg could be the result of an egg being stepped in when a couple of hens were arguing over a nest, or being dropped a bit too hard into the basket/bucket when it was gathered, or knocked against another one while cleaning. I doubt it was rotten because it was too old, because, as said, they mostly dry up. The egg solids get smaller and the air pockets in the shell get bigger, which is why a stale egg will float and a fresh one will sink in a bowl of water. You have to have the introduction of that bacteria or fungus, etc., to have a rotten egg. I am very careful with handling and storage and don't wash fresh eggs until I'm ready to crack them, and I haven't had a rotten egg in at least 20 years. I've had a few where the white runs all over the pan, clearly not quite so fresh, but still not rotten. Darn, that stinks about the zucchini bread, in the most literal sense. Ugh is right. Annie

Liz, here you are! Annie's Salsa Recipe ⢠8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained ⢠2-1/2 cups onion, chopped ⢠1-1/2 cups green pepper, chopped ⢠3 - 5 jalapenos, chopped ⢠6 cloves garlic ⢠2 teaspoons cumin ⢠2 teaspoons ground black pepper ⢠1/8 cup canning salt ⢠1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped ⢠1/3 cup sugar ⢠1 cup 5% apple cider vinegar ⢠2 cups (16 oz.) tomato sauce ⢠2 cups (16 oz.) tomato paste Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Pour into hot pint jars leaving 1/2" headspace, seal and process in a boiling water canning bath for 15 minutes. Adjust for your altitude. Makes about 6-7 pints.

morz, I went over there and answered the questions, thanks for the heads up! Annie

LindaC, I was less concerned by what was in that shell than by what was on it. Commercial eggs have been cleaned, but free range eggs have not. The risk is slight, but if those chickens are laying eggs all over the place, not just in nests in their safe (and hopefully clean) coop, then there could be e coli from the deer, plus numerous other things. I'd be far more careful cleaning them than I would eating them. bcskye, I got the Buckeyes from a place called "Backyard Chickens". They were the only place I could find heritage breeds that would let me get an assortment instead of requiring that I buy a larger number of the same variety. They are mailed to me the day they hatch, and my mortality rates are very low, I lost 2 out of 24, one Salmon Faverolle (which are notoriously fragile) and one Silver Laced Wyandott. They are a bit more expensive than going to Tractor Supply or somewhere similar but I got to choose the breeds and the time I received them. The white "frankenchickens" that I sometimes grow for meat, those I just get locally during "Chick Days" at the local co-op. Annie