They're good for your garden, eat unwanted insects, and make a pretty good omelet. They are chickens, raised in your own back yard.
Hundreds of Valley residents will rise before the rooster this Saturday to join the third annual Tour De Coops, "A tour of the chicken coops in the City of Phoenix and surrounding areas," says Elaine Berlinger. She plans to join the tour to make a final decision on whether to set up a coop in her own backyard. "I am taking my time making sure that, not only myself, my husband, my children, they all need to participate."
Not everyone is as cautious about buying chickens as Berlinger, says Bryan White, a co-coordinator of this year's tour, "We have some people who go to the State Fair and have a few too many beers and end up with goats!" He says those who take the tour can visit 21 different coop locations across the Valley to see what it's like raising chickens in just about every scenario, "whether it's in a rental situation, someone who's been in the business for years, a school setting, or an upscale home in the center of Phoenix."
Caroline Van Slyke has a plush half acre in the Arcadia neighborhood where she raises French Poulet Rouge chickens direct from Pennsylvania Amish country. "They are prized by restaurants, but we're not selling any. We're keeping them in the freezer." For her toddler, David, it means no hormones, just fresh chicken at the end of the month. At the other end of their lot, the family collects fresh eggs from eight hens housed in a stylish, recycled barn. "I'm a commercial and residential interior designer, so form and function go through everything," says Van Slyke, who says the crystal chandelier and a brightly colored painting inside the hens' barn help set the mood, "Happy chickens lay better eggs."
Not only do they lay fresh eggs, White says the chickens, "Control insects, till the soil and deposit poop releasing rich minerals in the Arizona dirt for a healthy garden."
2011年12月1日星期四
2011年11月20日星期日
Vision now in 'position of strength'
Enough with the chicken coops, Gregor, get back to business.
That's the message from political scientists, who say Vancouver's green mayor has earned the right to stay the course - but caution he should pay more attention to real-world economic issues.
"Vision can now deal from a position of strength," said veteran University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff.
"He's got a more-than-comfortable majority, but I think voters want to see him get to work on some real bread-andbutter economic issues."
Robertson will have seven Vision councillors playing his tune, with two NPA councillors on his right and a Green councillor on his left.
"I believe that's 14 campaigns she's run, and the first time she's been elected," University of B.C. political science professor Michael Byers said of Green Party veteran Adriane Carr, who squeaked into the final council spot at the final polling station.
"She's got great name recognition. "If anyone was going to get elected as an independent, it was her."
Ruff said Occupy Vancouver made lots of headlines, but he credits Robertson with adapting his message during the daily Occupy attacks from NPA challenger Suzanne Anton.
"We were preoccupied with Occupy, and the NPA became obsessed with it, but I don't think the electorate was as interested," said Ruff.
Robertson made a strategic Occupy move - getting an enforcement order - before the election. But the potential bombshell - a violent showdown with protesters - won't happen until this week.
Byers credits Robertson's changing perspective on Occupy with defusing the NPA attacks.
"I think from a political perspective Gregor played the Occupy timing quite cleverly," said Byers.
"Ideologically, I think he supported Occupy.
"But he was getting beaten up on a daily basis, so he moved to the middle.
"That's good politics."
While the NPA painted Robertson as fixated on bike lanes and chicken coops, Byers believes the public was more concerned with making sure someone collects the garbage.
"The bike lanes and the chicken coops are the things that attract attention, but people are voting for good government," he said.
"They might not like the bike lanes, but it's only when you get something like [former mayor Sam Sullivan's] garbage strike that people want to vote you out."
Robertson won't have things as easy as last term - the NPA's Elizabeth Ball and George Affleck will be watching if he moves too far left, and, contrarily, Carr will be watching if he moves too far right.
"Adriane Carr will act as a conscience for Gregor if he starts to stray away from his green initiatives," said Ruff.
That's the message from political scientists, who say Vancouver's green mayor has earned the right to stay the course - but caution he should pay more attention to real-world economic issues.
"Vision can now deal from a position of strength," said veteran University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff.
"He's got a more-than-comfortable majority, but I think voters want to see him get to work on some real bread-andbutter economic issues."
Robertson will have seven Vision councillors playing his tune, with two NPA councillors on his right and a Green councillor on his left.
"I believe that's 14 campaigns she's run, and the first time she's been elected," University of B.C. political science professor Michael Byers said of Green Party veteran Adriane Carr, who squeaked into the final council spot at the final polling station.
"She's got great name recognition. "If anyone was going to get elected as an independent, it was her."
Ruff said Occupy Vancouver made lots of headlines, but he credits Robertson with adapting his message during the daily Occupy attacks from NPA challenger Suzanne Anton.
"We were preoccupied with Occupy, and the NPA became obsessed with it, but I don't think the electorate was as interested," said Ruff.
Robertson made a strategic Occupy move - getting an enforcement order - before the election. But the potential bombshell - a violent showdown with protesters - won't happen until this week.
Byers credits Robertson's changing perspective on Occupy with defusing the NPA attacks.
"I think from a political perspective Gregor played the Occupy timing quite cleverly," said Byers.
"Ideologically, I think he supported Occupy.
"But he was getting beaten up on a daily basis, so he moved to the middle.
"That's good politics."
While the NPA painted Robertson as fixated on bike lanes and chicken coops, Byers believes the public was more concerned with making sure someone collects the garbage.
"The bike lanes and the chicken coops are the things that attract attention, but people are voting for good government," he said.
"They might not like the bike lanes, but it's only when you get something like [former mayor Sam Sullivan's] garbage strike that people want to vote you out."
Robertson won't have things as easy as last term - the NPA's Elizabeth Ball and George Affleck will be watching if he moves too far left, and, contrarily, Carr will be watching if he moves too far right.
"Adriane Carr will act as a conscience for Gregor if he starts to stray away from his green initiatives," said Ruff.
2011年4月24日星期日
Uber-Green, Urban Couple
In the heart of Seabright, twin biodiesel fueled VWs sit in the driveway of Dee and Daniel Wright’s home. But, driving eco-friendly vehicles is just the beginning for this uber-green, urban couple.
“Every week, I teach fifth and sixth graders how they can reduce their impact. I tell them about saving energy, little things they can do every day, like putting on a sweater instead of turning up the heat, and opening the blinds instead of turning on the lights, carpooling, riding their bikes, saving water, things they can reuse, saving animals, not buying endangered products. Every week I tell them these things, and I try to practice what I preach,” said Daniel, who is a field instructor at Walden West, an outdoor education program in Saratoga. “Reusing and reducing is our philosophy. It happens to be economical. It’s a little more effort, but financially, it’s easy.”
The couple’s backyard is large for Santa Cruz, accommodating a chicken coop, tool shed, four raised beds, a hammock and a sitting area surrounding a fire pit made from a repurposed clothes dryer insert.
Their winter garden is abundant with organic onions, greens (sprayed with soap water to protect against aphids), carrots and Brussels sprouts. Orange, lime, peach and banana trees also grow in their yard.
Daniel made two compost tumblers from repurposed barrels, and constructed raised beds with scrap redwood he procured through Craigslist. While his toolbox is relatively small, Daniel is a fearless DIYer. He borrows tools they don’t own and collaborates with like-minded friends for ideas and gardening solutions.
Blanche, Dorothy and Rose, their three chickens, are named after the housemates and friends from the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.
“Chickens always seem to have old lady names, so we thought it would be fun to name them after the Golden Girls,” Dee said.
Both Dee and Daniel grew up in the suburbs and had no childhood experience growing vegetables. They are mostly vegetarian, but occasionally eat sustainably caught fish. The Wrights like growing their own organic food.
“Every week, I teach fifth and sixth graders how they can reduce their impact. I tell them about saving energy, little things they can do every day, like putting on a sweater instead of turning up the heat, and opening the blinds instead of turning on the lights, carpooling, riding their bikes, saving water, things they can reuse, saving animals, not buying endangered products. Every week I tell them these things, and I try to practice what I preach,” said Daniel, who is a field instructor at Walden West, an outdoor education program in Saratoga. “Reusing and reducing is our philosophy. It happens to be economical. It’s a little more effort, but financially, it’s easy.”
The couple’s backyard is large for Santa Cruz, accommodating a chicken coop, tool shed, four raised beds, a hammock and a sitting area surrounding a fire pit made from a repurposed clothes dryer insert.
Their winter garden is abundant with organic onions, greens (sprayed with soap water to protect against aphids), carrots and Brussels sprouts. Orange, lime, peach and banana trees also grow in their yard.
Daniel made two compost tumblers from repurposed barrels, and constructed raised beds with scrap redwood he procured through Craigslist. While his toolbox is relatively small, Daniel is a fearless DIYer. He borrows tools they don’t own and collaborates with like-minded friends for ideas and gardening solutions.
Blanche, Dorothy and Rose, their three chickens, are named after the housemates and friends from the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls.
“Chickens always seem to have old lady names, so we thought it would be fun to name them after the Golden Girls,” Dee said.
Both Dee and Daniel grew up in the suburbs and had no childhood experience growing vegetables. They are mostly vegetarian, but occasionally eat sustainably caught fish. The Wrights like growing their own organic food.
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