Barb Palermo has worked tirelessly to try to bring about a return to common sense in a very unforgiving and wearying setting, the labyrinth that is public policy making in the City of Salem, Oregon.
The current recall of eggs nationwide -- some half billion or more -- due to salmonella concerns brings home again
a) how insane the industrial food system is
b) how wasteful it is
c) how vulnerable it is
So it's important that we permit ordinary people to go back to what was a pretty common practice everywhere (and in Salem until the 70s!) -- keeping a few hens for eggs and garden upkeep services.
The current backyard hens proposal by the city is a screwy Rube Goldberg set-up of rules driven by unnecessary paranoia and outright race and class bias, but none of that is Barb's fault or the fault of any Chickens in the Yard stalwarts, most of whom live in West Salem (where the neighborhood association overwhelmingly supports backyard hens, and where the City Councilor, Dan Clem, has adamantly opposed them).
CITY folks have devoted themselves to helping the rest of us, and we should be grateful. The image above will be on the new version of CITY's extensive research report on the ins and outs of backyard henkeeping. If you feel like tossing a few bucks into the hat -- and getting some cool swag in return -- you can do so here.
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4 comments:
I'm concerned that CITY may cave to the proposal to have an ordinance that imposes unreasonable costs to have backyard chickens. The staff recommended ordinance requires an annual license at $67.50, plus the cost of an annual inspection ($100 or more I would guess). Better to pass no ordinance this year than to swallow something like this. It won't be easily undone. Just say no to unreasonable costs. Better to wait for a different Council next year that might be persuaded to have no fees like most Oregon cities.
Ack! You beat me to it. I may post about this yet. This is obviously the last straw -- it is clear that the time for backyard chickens has come.
I love the graphic! And I can't wait to have chickens (just hoping the dog will adjust well).In the meantime, we should keep buying our local eggs directly from farmers we know here in the valley, who eat their eggs themselves. Salem Saturday Market, Salem Public Market, Wednesday Market...there's just no need to buy mass-produced eggs when we have the bounty around us.
I agree with Amecameca. Especially as, I believe, ALL surrounding cities that allow chickens do not require silly fees and unreasonable restrictions. Insert sad chicken face here.
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