Comments on: Urban Farming Hassles

By: Douglas

Douglas — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:28:38 +0000

I have been an urban farmer for years, but for 2010, I am going to add chicken farmer to my resume.

I am starting small (4 chickens) and we’ll see where this leads me
Douglas´s last blog post …Leftover Turkey Soup

By: Sheri @ Moms for Safe Food

Sheri @ Moms for Safe Food — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:59:36 +0000

We have four chickens. Our city allows up to 10, no roosters as long as they’re 35 feet from neighboring homes. Months after we got them I found out that our HOA does not allow them, but I’ve had no complaints from my neighbors and they’re the only ones who can see them. I was reading recently about how 10 chickens make about the same waste then a forty pound dog. They’re cute, sweet, and we got our first egg today! Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.
Sheri
http://momsforsafefood.org/Blog/Entries/2009/11/27_What_I_am_Thankful_for.html

By: Diana@Spain in Iowa

Diana@Spain in Iowa — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:48:11 +0000

I have 7 chickens in my backyard and LOVE them! I live in Des Moines, Iowa and am pretty excited how much in favor our city is to the local food movement
Diana@Spain in Iowa´s last blog post …Guest Post: Rebecca Subbiah from Chow and Chatter, Nantes Market

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:53:33 +0000

We grew tomatoes in our front yard in San Jose. Right up to the sidewalk. No one complained. (But we made sure we planted green tomatoes so that no one would steal the ripe ones!)
Nate´s last blog post …Honey-Glazed Yams

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:08:07 +0000

The nearby town of Oak Creek, Colo. is in the process of re-writing town ordinances that govern chickens in town. Read: http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/nov/12/oak-creek-residents-want-keep-chickens-fertilize-g/ and http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/nov/13/oak-creek-town-board-allows-family-keep-3-hens/. I think the the choice is either try to change the rules or find a place with rules that fit your lifestyle. Or in true renegade style just do it.

By: Extreme Fitness Results

Extreme Fitness Results — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:29:44 +0000

My office has taken the initiative to plant a backyard garden, where we’re growing arugula, peppers, squash, corn and more. It’s not the biggest garden, but it’s an experiment, a start in trying to be more eco-friendly and nourish ourselves with organic, naturally grown vegetables. And so far it’s going really well! You can see some pictures and read about it here and here on our blog!
Extreme Fitness Results´s last blog post …Health Benefits of Yoga

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:45:04 +0000

I would like to say as someone living in a HOA that when we bought here eight years ago we thought we were Suburban Yuppies. We had no idea that within a few years of having kids we would want anything else. We are making plans now to leave and find some land.
Getting our HOA changed is near impossible. We can have well kept gardens. Right now I have two boxes of veggies going and some fruit trees so it’s not as bad as some places.
We can’t own livestock or collect rain water or have a compost bin outside or dry clothes outside. Though very discreetly we are learning ways to do all of those things.
The thing I hate the most though is how cooped up my kids are. When we bought here we had no kids. A few years later we had five (through adoption LOL). I hate that our house is too close to the neighbors, the irrigation pond, and the street to really let them get outside and play.
Julie´s last blog post …A Fall Tour

By: Carmen

Carmen — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:07:58 +0000

San Francisco allows up to 2 hens, no roosters. They have to have an approved enclosure no closer than 150ft from the nearest house (It think). The real trick is finding a place big enough to keep a couple hens. There is a local organization that advocates urban farming. They offer classes on keeping chickens and ducks, making compost, gardening in our multitude of sub-climates, etc. All in all, not a bad city to try to keep it in your own backyard!

By: momzoo

momzoo — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:00:34 +0000

I have 8 hens in my backyard, currently it is illegal to have them, but we are working with the city to get the ordinance changed so it is legal. Education is the key, most people think “chickens, ewwwww!” and don’t undestand that hens are quiet and if kept clean don’t smell.

By: Clare

Clare — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:20:31 +0000

Most HOA’s rules are set up by a lawyer, and if you read through the whole handbook they should have given you upon purchase of your property, you will likely see that it takes a large percentage, if not 100% consent from members, on any given issue to have changes apply. It would most likely go up to a vote of the full membership via mail.

Might be just easier to operate undercover.