Archive for the ‘Urban agriculture’ Category

17 Apr

Iowa City Joins the Backyard Chicken Movement

Posted by chickenwoman in Laws, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .


I got a call yesterday from the University of Iowa and spoke to a reporter who documented the Iowa City chicken-keeping efforts in this article, published online today (4/17/2012).

This movement was seeded by a former chicken keeper from Albuquerque who wanted backyard hens at her new home.

“Everyone comes to the table with different reasons [for urban chicken keeping],” said LaBadie, who organized several chicken-keeping groups in Albuquerque. “… But it’s not like it’s a brand-new thing. They’re allowed in New York City, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and larger urban areas. I feel like they could work in Iowa City.”

Go, Iowa!

 

13 Apr

Garden Designs for the Urban Chicken Farmer

Posted by chickenwoman in Chicken stuff to buy, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , .


If you’re looking for a resource to help you design a garden that will work well with your hens, Free-Range Chicken Gardens may be a good resource. From the book’s website:

In Free-Range Chicken Gardens, award-winning garden designer Jessi Bloom covers everything a gardener needs to know, including chicken-keeping basics, simple garden plans to get you started, tips on attractive fencing options, the best plants and plants to avoid, and step-by-step instructions for getting your chicken garden up and running. For anyone who wants a fabulous garden where colorful chickens happily roam, this essential handbook is the guide that will bring the dream home to roost.

Enjoy, and happy gardening!

11 Apr

Chickens and Property Values

Posted by chickenwoman in Laws, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , .


One of the common complaints of village boards when considering allowing chicken keeping is “But property values will go down.”

Urban Chicken Advocates of Nashville (UCAN) examined the property values of cities that allow chickens and determined that there seems to no direct correlation between chicken keeping and property values. To read the article, click here.

8 Apr

Lead in Backyard Eggs

Posted by chickenwoman in Chicken care, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , .


Yes, there is a small risk of lead in backyard eggs, especially in buildings constructed before 1978. For more information, see this article.

If you live in Chicagoland and are concerned about lead levels in your soil, contact Susan Kauffman, who tipped me off regarding the lead in eggs issue. She runs a soil analysis service and offers a soil sampling service.

8 Apr

Billings Blog Counts Its Chickens

Posted by chickenwoman in Urban agriculture.


We’ve all been wondering how many places are raising chickens. Well, the Billings Backyard Hen Initiative has tabulated them! Check out this amazing post!

(And, yes, it looks just like my blog, but, no, it’s not my blog. You still need to come here for the original Home to Roost Urban Chicken Consulting!)

6 Apr

The Boston Globe Sings the Praises of Backyard Eggs

Posted by chickenwoman in Urban agriculture.


An article on the benefits of pastured backyard eggs.

…The most striking difference between eggs laid by factory-farm chickens and those laid by chickens foraging on pasture is the color of the yolk. Eggs from Stony Brook have golden to deep-orange-colored yolks, an indication of the higher amounts of beta carotene in the chickens’ diet. Compared with a factory-farm egg, a pastured chicken egg tends to taste richer and have an “eggier” flavor and a creamier texture. A good analogy is the difference between a hothouse winter tomato, which is often hard and pale red, and a deep red tomato picked at the height of summer…

And I love their description of bantams at the end!

 

3 Apr

The Zero-Waste Home Advocates for Backyard Hens

Posted by chickenwoman in Urban agriculture.


Check out this post on green reasons for raising chickens. Alas, local ordinances foiled their fowl proclivities.

27 Mar

Benefits of Chickens in Breaking Insect Pest Cycles

Posted by chickenwoman in Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , .


Check out this video that describes how poultry rid the garden of insect pests.

7 Feb

Canadian Right to Food Trial

Posted by chickenwoman in Laws, Local food, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .


Piggybacking on my 1/26/2012 post, there is a legal argument over the right to local food in Calgary, which was sparked by backyard hens. Chickens are no longer a pivot point in the argument; it has now encompassed larger issues that involve municipalities determining what their residents consume. Read more here. 

3 Feb

March 24, 2012: Backyard Chicken Basics Workshop with Home to Roost

Posted by chickenwoman in Chicken care, Events, Urban agriculture. Tagged: , , , , , , .


It’s that time again!

Come join Angelic Organics Learning Center and Home to Roost for a class on raising chickens!

Basic Backyard Chicken Care

March 24, 2012 10:00am – 1:00pm
chicken

Farm fresh eggs from your own back yard?

YES!

Please join us for a workshop on best practices for Basic Backyard Chicken Care in Chicago and surrounding communities.

Raising chickens as pets and for eggs is LEGAL in Chicago – and part of our growing local food and urban agriculture scene.

Keep yourself, your chickens, AND your neighbors happy – from daily needs and year-round care to relevant city regulations.

Our instructor is the informative and engaging Jen Murtoff of Home to Roost Urban Chicken Consulting.

You will leave the workshop with the knowledge, recommendations, and resources you need for your own home flock – and you’ll make connections with other chicken enthusiasts in Chicago.

Actual costs of workshops are close to double our workshop fees. If you are able, please consider making an additional donation to help cover the full cost of your workshop.

Price: $35.00
Location: (Likely) Christy Webber Landscaping/Rancho Verde
445 N Sacramento (turn into road and go east)
Chicago, IL
Enter from Sacramento (445 N) and follow the road east until it doubles back on itself. Park curbside and come on in.

For more information and to register, go to the Angelic Organics Learning Center site page.

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