Rose and Thorn, 10050 Bodega Highway, 3 miles west of Sebastopol

In today’s Mouthful column there is a new feature, launched last week, a hidden gem farm stand. The feature will appear weekly and there will be a companion blog entry, with photos, as well.

Here’s this week’s hidden gem.

If you drive on Highway 12 between Sebastopol and Freestone, you pass Rose and Thorn, a whimsical little gift shop with playful touches you don’t usually find in retail stores: A sitting garden, a shelter for wild life, bird houses, roses, goats and chickens.

But it is eggs that qualify Rose and Thorn as a hidden gem farm stand. Owner Carole Coler-Dark keeps about 70 beautiful and happy hens.

Two happy hens at Rose and Thorn

Currently, she is getting about a dozen eggs a day, a number that will increase rapidly as days lengthen and warm.

Rose & Thorn eggs are $5 a dozen.

On January 18, Rose & Thorn will close for six weeks. But the hens don’t take the time off and so eggs will remain available. If you’d like some, call 823-9467 and leave your name and phone number. Carol will call you back, take your order and give you details about exactly where she’ll stash the eggs.

Rose and Thorn will reopen in March.