The Star Tribune is asking readers which 2011 image is their favorite photograph of the year (you can find the ballot here). The choices are a treasure trove, and I can't pick just one.

Instead, I'll play photo editor and offer my own.

My colleague Tom Wallace snapped it while we were visiting Khaiti and Andrew French's fascinating farm in western Wisconsin, where the couple raises several hundred Khaki Campbell ducks.

That's Khaiti -- note the duck tatoo on her left arm -- and some of the farm's gorgeously pearly, extraordinary-in-every-way eggs.

Find the story here.

And Happy New Year!