The Morning Egg Basket
On Daily Rhythms, Organic Eggs, and the Return on Showing Up
Every morning on our 17-acre farm starts the same way. Walk to the coop, gather what the hens left overnight, and carry back a basket that looks like a painter’s palette — soft blues, warm browns, pale greens, and creamy whites.
Our chicken story started in 2020 when Steve built our first small coop. I was hooked almost immediately. The following year, when we blended our families and created DIY Designer Homestead, raising organic hens became part of the foundation of daily life here.
Caring for chickens is not passive. They need fresh food and water every day. Coops need cleaning. Minnesota winters require extra attention to keep birds healthy through long stretches of cold. The work is steady and consistent.
But the return is just as steady.
Fresh eggs gathered that morning. Bright orange yolks that stand tall in the pan. Breakfast made from food that came directly from your own land.
For us, that connection — tending the animals, gathering the eggs, and cooking for the people around our table — sits at the heart of Fresh Roots Living. It’s a reminder that some of the most satisfying parts of daily life come from simple systems we care for over time.
If you raise chickens, you know the routine. If you’ve been thinking about starting a flock, it may be one of the most practical ways to begin producing real food at home.
Cari Ann Carter is the best-selling author of Are Your Roots Right? Rightsize Your Space. Reclaim Your Life. and a multi-faceted entrepreneur with a passion for intentional living, design, and home.
She leads the Cari Ann Carter Group, bringing over 28 years of experience in real estate, design, build, and renovation, and is the creative voice behind DIY Designer Homestead.
Through Fresh Roots Living, she shares practical ideas for cooking, gardening, entertaining, and creating a home that supports your next chapter.