Chicken Feed Recall


Purina released a recall on poultry feeds distributed in the Pacific Northwest.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 16, 2014 – The Purina Animal Nutrition LLC feed plant in Portland, Ore., has initiated a limited recall of certain poultry feeds due to the potential for lower-than-expected vitamin and trace mineral levels. The products were distributed to retailers in Oregon and Washington. 

 

Allstate Insurance and Chickens


Allstate Insurance recently covered Chicago’s urban chicken trend! Check out the article for a great infographic on regulations for local municipalities.

Arizona House Votes on Bill to Require Cities to Allow Chickens


Calling it an issue of “economic freedom,” an Arizona House panel voted Tuesday to force cities to allow residents to have poultry.

Read more here. 

2014 Classes and Appearances


Interested in taking a class with Home to Roost? Here are my upcoming events. Not able to attend? Contact me for an in-home session. 
3/23
Chicago Botanic Garden, Basic Chicken Keeping and Coop Building classes: go to http://www.chicagobotanic.org/education/adulted and search on “chickens”
 
5/24
Oak Park Conservatory: chicken keeping class: http://www.pdop.org/parks-facilities/oak-park-conservatory/
5/31
Oak Park Conservatory: chicken health class: http://www.pdop.org/parks-facilities/oak-park-conservatory/
Class on keeping your birds healthy, as well as advice on what to do in various scenarios.
I’ll also be offering a chicken health class in July with Angelic Organics Learning Center; date TBD.

Soil in the City Conference, June 29-July 2, 2014


June 29 – July 2, 2014

The theme of this conference is “restoring our available urban land and optimizing local resources, while protecting environmental and human health and enhancing socio-cultural dialogue.” The conference will focus on three themes: (i) Urban Gardening, (ii) Green Infrastructures, and (iii) Greening Brownfields. This conference is for anyone working with planning, designing, constructing, and/or maintaining urban infrastructures and outdoor areas, including engineers, landscape architects, designers, biosolids management leaders, contractors/consultants, developers, builders, city planners, arborists, foresters, urban gardeners, researchers, and educators.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, 160 E Huron St., Chicago, Illinois 60661

Early registration ends April 15

For more information and to links to registration, click here.

Agenda: Soil in the City 2014 Program with Tour Description

Growing Cities Film Screening, Sunday, March 9, 2014


Growing Cities Film Screening & Discussion
Sunday, March 9, 2014 – 3-5pm
West Suburban Temple Har Zion
1040 N Harlem Ave,
River Forest
FREE!
Reserve tickets at www.eventbrite.com

Please join us for a film screening and discussion of Growing Cities, which chronicles filmmakers Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette’s road trip to meet the men and women who are challenging the way this country grows and distributes its food, one vacant city lot, rooftop garden, and backyard chicken coop at a time. Join them as they discover that good food isn’t the only crop these urban visionaries are harvesting. They’re producing stronger and more vibrant communities, too.

After the film, two Chicago urban agriculture activists featured in the film will participate in a 30-minute Q&A discussion. They are Harry Rhodes, Executive Director of Growing Home, and Ken Dunn, Founder and Director of The Resource Center and City Farm.

Learn more about the 29 other films in the One Earth Film Festival: www.oneearthfilmfest.org

Chicago’s Good Food Festival, March 13-15, 2014


Join the Good Food movement!

Come to the Good Food Festival at the UIC Forum in Chicago. 

The purpose of the Good Food Festival & Conference is to link some of the best local farmers and family-owned producers of food and farm products with the public, trade buyers and leaders in the field to foster relationships that facilitate the growth of local food systems. FamilyFarmed.org now works with many of the nation’s largest buyers of local food including Whole Foods Market, Sysco, Compass Group, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Goodness Greeness, and others to connect them with local food sources.

Home to Roost will be speaking on Saturday, March 15, at 12:30 and 2:30. Check out the Raise Your Own minisession schedule and more of the scheduled events.

Coop-Building Class, March 8, 2014


This class will cover location, materials, parts of a coop, dimensions, and design considerations.

Chicken Hitch-Hiker!


One day Zag the chicken decides to roost in an odd place, and, like Mary’s little lamb… makes it to school! Then it becomes a habit. Read more here. 

 

Aurora, CO*, approves chickens!


Congrats to Aurora, Colorado*, for moving forward with a chicken-keeping ordinance!

Aurora City Council voted 6 to 4 in approval of the measure.  Ward IV Councilwoman Molly Markert and Ward V Council Member Bob Roth voted against it, citing their wards’ opposition to backyard chickens, along with At-Large Councilman Pierce and Ward VI Councilman Bob Broom. – See more at: http://www.aurorasentinel.com/news/city-council-chickens-feb-24/#sthash.Rb4sLuuV.dpuf

*We had initially reported this as Aurora, Illinois. However, this is Aurora, Colorado – no less deserving of congratulations!