As you may know, legalizing backyard chickens and other farm animals is one of my pet causes (no pun intended). Here's a fantastic article on urban farming and livestock:
So why isn't everyone living this locavore dream of having organic, free-range eggs for nearly nothing, right from their own backyard? Well, for one thing, it's illegal.
But as the local food movement becomes more popular, city dwellers such as Chris and Cara are questioning the rules against urban farming. City chickens can give us eggs and, when the laying years are over, meat. Backyard goats can yield milk, meat and weed control; bees in rooftop hives can both feed us and help local flora; and fish in unused swimming pools or water filtration plants can give us a supply of lean protein.
It's the logical extension of the proliferation of backyard, rooftop and communal gardens that grow tomatoes, lettuce and squash. After all, we eat more than just vegetables. But to get more livestock feeding hungry urbanites on a truly local level, bylaws, attitudes and farming models will have to change. Or, more precisely, revert back to what they once were.
Forming and participating in food policy councils is one way to work on legalizing urban farming in your community. I quite agree with the article's tip of starting with chickens:
The urbanization of agriculture starts with chickens. They're inexpensive, require less work than a dog and give you daily, delicious eggs and eventually meat. They eat bugs, chew up rocks and irrigate the soil when they dig, making them a common fixture in apple orchards.
For more info on raising backyard chickens, check out BackyardChickens.com. |
