Thomason Family Farm

Circuit Court Ruling

2011-02-28T06:25:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we got word from the Circuit Court that the lower court ruling was sustained. In effect, what this means is, barring some other stay, the surplus animals have to find another home. I can keep the 4 legal chickens but the ducks, goats, and the other 6 hens are not allowed. Still considering a direct appeal to the City Council but I have been busy with so many other things that I have not been able to get to that yet.

In the meantime, I will still be doing another chicken workshop through Project Grow, follow this link to sign up http://www.projectgrowgardens.org/classes-events. Not sure if it has been added yet but the date is April 30 and starter kits of 4 chicks and the other essentials will, once again, be available.

Goats Day in Court

2010-10-07T03:57:00.000-07:00

Our attorney David Santacroce of the U of M Law Clinic made an eloquent appeal to Judge Donald Shelton that the Ypsilanti City animal control ordinance had been unlawfully enacted. The basis for this is our belief that the Michigan Right to Farm Act states that no municipality shall prohibit agricultural activities without first getting the permission of the Michigan Agriculture Commission.

As with many legal cases, the outcome of ours hangs on the interpretation of a word or phrase. In this case it is whether the RTFA requires municipalities to obtain the permission of the MAC. As lawyers like to say, "Ambiguity is our friend, it is how we make our money!" No lack of ambiguity here. Fortunately for us, Prof. Santacroce and the students of the clinic have been able to argue this case pro bono, at no cost, to us. Otherwise we would never have been able to take it this far.

The outcome remains uncertain; we will not have a written opinion from Judge Shelton for 30 to 60 days.

Goats Have Their Day in Court

2010-10-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

Well friends, tomorrow is a big day. We go to court on an appeal of a lower court ruling about the Ypsilanti City animal control ordinance. I will report on the out come once their is a decision!

Urban Farming Notes May 8, 2010 - Local Food Production Infrastructure

2010-05-08T06:51:00.000-07:00

Not surprisingly, as food production came to rely on the availability of cheap fuel and energy for importing and transportation, local processing infrastructure gradually disappeared.

My friend Earl, from whom I buy alfalfa, grows 500,000 pounds of grains on about 200 acres near Saline, Michigan. He has to truck all of it, 30,000 lbs at a time to Toledo, Ohio, an hour away, where there is a grain elevator and a mill. He used to be able to take it to an elevator in Bridgewater, a mile and a half away. He has no idea where his soybeans, oats, corn, or wheat go from there, For all he knows they are turned into animal feed, or shipped to Russia, or bought by the U.S. Government, rot in a warehouse or processed elsewhere and eventually shipped back to stores in Michigan.

In terms of sheer raw food weight, what he grows in one year would only meet the needs of the population of Washtenaw County (350,000 souls) for less than a day. This is based on my estimate that it takes about 2 lbs of raw food per day to feed the average American. The USDA estimate is much higher - 4.5 pounds - which may be right given the fact that 1 in 4 people in America is considered obese. Try to visualize 700,000 pounds of food being consumed per day and that is just our county!

If you take 2 lbs as an average and there are roughly 307,000,000 people in the U.S. and 6,700,000,000 in the world, that adds up to 614,000,000 pounds of food consumed in the U.S per day and 13,400,000,000 pounds of food (6,700,000 tons) consumed in the world per day - more or less. (More likely, there is more food consumed per capita in the U.S. and Europe than elsewhere in the world.) In other words, what Earl and 26,800 other farmers his size produce in one year would be able to feed the world (in terms of weight only) for just one day. 4,891,000,000,000(4.8 trillion) pounds of food is roughly what it takes to feed the world for one year or 9,782,000 farmers growing the equivalent of what Earl grows in a year.

I am drawing attention to these numbers because if we are going to re-localize our food supplies as much as we possibly can, we have to think in terms of volume but also in terms of the infrastructure that is needed to do it. Eating out of one's backyard garden is one thing but having access to locally raised dairy and meat and grain is another.

How can we redevelop the local infrastructure?

Urban Farming Notes May 2, 2010

2010-05-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos and notes from the agri-tour presented by Simby Agri Tours this past weekend. Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21602484@N07/sets/72157623861624719/show/

Urban Micro Farm Tour
May 1, 2010

What We Do – We are a USDA registered farm raising small-scale livestock and produce for our own needs – sometimes referred to as subsistence farming – but also for sale through local farmers’ markets, wholesaling, and direct marketing. The FSA (Farm Service Agency) of the USDA as well as other agriculture groups see small and urban farms as key to making food supplies more regional again.

We currently raise several varieties of kale, chard, lettuce, spinach, onions, garlic, herbs, brassicas (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, etc.), some squash, tomatoes, wine grapes, peas, beans. We also raise Lion Head Dwarf rabbits (for sale as pets and for their manure), Mini-Nubian goats (for milk and manure), and several breeds of chickens and ducks (for eggs and manure).

How We Do It - We use intensive bio-dynamic, no-till, and Square Foot Gardening methods. All of our composted manure goes back into our gardens here and at two other sites.

Why – Urban farming initiatives are an effort to reintegrate basic food growing systems on a scale that almost anyone can use. By demonstrating the possibilities and experimenting with new techniques, smaller animals, plants, and systems we continue to learn and help others to “try on the shoes.” We say, “if the shoe fits, wear it.” No one has to replicate everything we are doing but you might find one piece of it that makes sense for you and try it on for size. We are also interested in seeing how much capacity we have in a small space so every year we try to do a little more. We also try to use the space we have as effectively as we can and to grow things here that are most suitable to the soil conditions, and the amount of light.

Estimates of how much uncooked food it takes to feed an average person range from 2 to 4.5 pounds per day. That adds up to between 730 lbs and 1,642 lbs per year. Much of that food does not come from local sources (within 100 miles). We believe that a great deal of that food can be grown or raised locally thereby saving money, giving us more control over what we eat, and reducing waste. Not only that but it is fun and challenging!

We also feel that it is important to challenge existing laws that reflect an anti-agriculture mentality. We have helped to change the ordinances in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor over the last few years and share our experience with people from all over the country. We are currently in court – on appeal – over the enforcement of an animal control ordinance and interpretation of the Michigan Right to Farm Act.

Where – Downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan, all over the country and the world. One of the restaurants that was nominated for the James Beard Award this year is a bar and grill in Birmingham, Alabama that serves fresh produce exclusively from an urban farm there.

Who – Family members, neighbors, and friends are involved. One adult daughter and three of her friends just moved in across the street so that they could be more directly involved with the farm. One of them manages the green house for example. Another neighbor manages the rabbits. Another comes over to work in exchange for vegetables.

When Did We Start – We moved to Ypsilanti 23 years ago bringing our bee hives with us from Ann Arbor where we had been living for 12 years. Ever since we moved here we have been re-claiming the soil and augmenting it with organic matter from our compost. We started raising farm animals here 3 years ago.

Some Online Resources:
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/, http://www.biodynamics.com/, http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/new_farm, http://www.cityfarmer.org/, http://ooooby.ning.com/, http://www.microecofarming.com/, http://urbanhomestead.org/, http://www.growinghope.net/, http://www.madonnahouse.org/restoration/2008/07/apostolic_farming_in_a_city.html, http://www.urbanchickens.net/

Urban Farming Notebook - March 29, 2010 - Poultry in Motion & Laughing Tree Farm Bakery

2010-03-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

Poultry in Motion delivered 2 dozen assorted 10 day old layers to Laughing Tree Farm & Bakery near Hart, Michigan this weekend. We also helped them to build a new chicken coop which will soon be used by the chicks who are currently being housed in a brooder in the barn.

Hilde & Charlie (aka Laughing Tree Farm & Bakery)are quickly approaching the completion of the commercial bakery they have been working on for the last year. It is very exciting to watch the oven come together and to talk with them about the recipes they have been developing over the years for various types of sourdough breads. Hilde always seems to be working on a fresh batch of bread or is experimenting with some new variation or ingredient!

Look for the bakery to be online within the next few months!

Urban Farming Notebook - March 20, 2010 - Poultry in Motion

2010-03-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

We had a great workshop on raising urban poultry here this morning. The peeps arrived in time yesterday - by mail - and the people who had placed their orders had the pick of the chicks.

I always get a kick out of picking up the box of chicks from the Post Office. The workers there are amused by hearing the peeps in the box.

Here is a copy of what the handout looked like.

A-maizin’ Chickens
Project Grow - Urban Chicken Keeping Workshop
March 20, 2010 10 AM ~ 12 PM
Instructor – Peter Thomason
http://thomasonfamilyfarm.blogspot.com
Ypsilanti, Michigan
peterthomason@comcast.net 734-678-5584 mobile

Introductions, Overview, Questions

1. Caring for Baby Chicks – 1 to 4 weeks
• Heat, light, high-protein food, water, TLC, baby grit, ordering chicks

2. Young Pullets - 4 weeks to 21 weeks
• Heat, light, high-protein food, water, TLC, grit, food scraps, hay
• Feathering in

3. Pullets / Layers – 21 to 78 weeks
• Layer crumble, grit, scratch grains, dirt, bugs, TLC, food scraps, hay
• Basic biology
• Egg production

4. Seasonal Issues / Needs –
• moulting, protein requirements, diet, light, heat and cold
• egg eating, feather picking

5. Social Issues / Needs –
• space, roosting, pecking order, violence in the hennery
• MASH unit

6. Safety and Security –
• coops, enclosures
• predators
• laying boxes

7. Manure -
• Nutrient rich, high in Nitrogen
• Manure tea
• Mitigating odor
• When to clean the coop

8. The Chicken Life Cycle -
• Life expectancy 4 – 7 years depending on breed
• Egg laying drops off dramatically after first moult
• Natural causes of death

9. Additional Information –
• Websites: City Farmer, Urban Chickens, Backyard Chickens, Thomason Family Farm, etc.

Possible Breeds included in Starter Pack:
Isa-Brown, Rhode Island Reds, California Grey Leghorn, Barred Rock, Araucana, Buff Orpingtons, Black Sex-Links, Black Australorps, Golden Laced Wyandottes, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Light Brahmas

Urban Farming Notebook - March 16, 2010 - Local Economics

2010-03-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a great example of how local economics can be promoted in a community. Sorry, don't know why the link is not live, you will have to copy and paste!
http://www.thinklocalfirst.net

Urban Farming Notebook - Spring Chicks March 10, 2010

2010-03-10T17:17:00.000-08:00

There are still a few spots left in the class I am giving on March 20th on raising urban chickens. Follow this link to register http://projectgrowgardens.org/classes.htm

If you are interested in ordering a small flock of chicks let me know and I can arrange for you to pick them up here. Since hatcheries have a minimum order size of 15 - 25 this should help you out. I will place a large order and you can get the number you want from me along with feed, litter, and a water dispenser.

If you take the class, I will be going over all of the details with you.

Urban Farming Notebook - March 2, 2010 - E.F. Schumacher

2010-03-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

I watched "Coming Home" the other night, a new movie by Chris Bedford about the E.F, Schumacher Society and local economics. It is well done and very interesting.

http://www.localharvest.org/dvd-coming-home-37-minutes-C12708

What many people do not know about Schumacher is, that late in life he became Catholic. He attributed his decision in part to the influence of 20th Century Catholic Social teaching (beginning with Rerum Noverum published in the 1890s)about the rights of workers.

http://www.osjspm.org/majordoc_rerum_novarum_official.aspx

Urban Farming Notebook - Farming and Land Conservation - February 19, 2010

2010-02-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

Made a visit to the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy headquarters in Superior Twp yesterday and talked with the staff there about the process of helping local small farmers change from conventional growing methods to sustainable agriculture. http://www.smlcland.org/properties_washtenaw.php

This seems to fit within their statement of purpose even though most often we think about land conservancy efforts being focused on creating / preserving green space and thwarting reckless development.

If we are going to safeguard our local food supply and the health of local agriculture there is much that needs to be done to help farmers move to more sustainable practices. It is a big undertaking and will take time but can be done.

Urban Farming - Increasing Your Capacity While Improving Your Soil - February 18, 2010

2010-02-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

An exciting year lies ahead as the urban farming movement gathers momentum. It is astonishing to see how many people are getting on board with the idea that we can grow our own food locally and inexpensively.

This year we will be adding several varieties of Michigan mushrooms to our growing space. We will continue to focus on leaf vegetables that do well in the high nitrogen soil we make with our animal manures.

We will also be into year three of growing a limited number of wine grapes. Last year they were surrounded by garlic and had the most interesting and complex flavor I have ever tasted.

The challenge that I would like to extend to all urban farmers is to grow as much as you possibly can - in a healthy way of course - in a small space. This idea of increasing the capacity of a small space is especially important and challenges us to utilize our resources prudently and efficiently.

Last year, when I temporarily had 45 chickens, my daughter Aubrey laughingly accused me of running "an urban micro-eco cafo" (confined animal feeding operation). We eventually sold most of the chickens (we only have 8 at present) to people starting their own urban henneries.

The idea is not to cram more into a space than is sustainable but to maximize the capacity. I say this because so much of agriculture is wasteful and creates such a large carbon footprint. Good stewardship requires doing things well and with care.

Square foot, bio-dynamic, no-till, and other planting methods can help to maximize the yield of a small area while improving the health of the soil and protecting its structure.

Winter 2010 - A Time to Mourn

2010-02-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

Margot Adler, a long time friend and correspondent at NPR NYC, lost her husband John this week to cancer. John was the eldest son of my parent's best friends when we lived in Baltimore in the late 1950s and 60s. John's parents died tragically in a plane crash and his siblings came to stay with us for a while until they could resettle with family members.

Margot has faithfully covered developments in urban agriculture for many years, see for example http://www.cityfarmer.org/nydestroy.html and I am grateful for her reporting.

Our condolences go out to Margot and her son Alexander during this difficult time of loss.

City Farmer News

2010-01-23T07:38:00.000-08:00

It was a nice surprise to see our place featured in the January 2010 post of the Vancouver-based City Farmer website http://www.cityfarmer.info/2010/01/18/the-thomason-family-urban-farm-michigan/

lots of exciting things happening here in Ypsilanti!

Winter and Spring 2010 Workshops and Classes

2010-01-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010!

We will be offering several workshops and classes in the coming months on various aspects of urban homesteading and farming. If you are interested in a class on raising urban chickens, Project Grow is coordinating a class here on March 20. Follow this link to register http://projectgrowgardens.org/classes.htm scroll down to "Other Gardening Classes."

Ann Arbor Rec and Ed will be offering another workshop here in early May on urban farming. It is not posted on the website yet but you can let me know if you want to register for that and I can direct you to the right person.

If you would like to organize your own workshop with us for a specific date, let me know and I will give you all of the particulars. The optimum group should be no more than 20 and can include children.

The workshop could be general e.g., we cover a lot of topics or, it can be more specific - we cover a few in more detail.

Here is a partial list of topics that can be covered: everything you need to know about raising urban chickens, raising city goats, raising city rabbits, optimizing the space in your backyard, where to get the stuff you need, raised bed bio-intensive vegetable gardening, growing vegetables all year long in Michigan, composting A - Z, greenhousing, and much, much more. Saturday mornings are best.

Hope this is a great year for you,

Peter

Ypsilanti City Council Approves Backyard Henneries

2009-07-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

After a three year effort by local food and farming advocates, on July 21, 2009, the Ypsilanti City Council, in a unanimous 5 - 0 vote, approved the keeping of hens in urban backyards. For more details visit http://ypsiciti.com/section/News/-article-1013.html

Mini-Nubian Breeding bucks for sale

2009-06-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

We currently have three (3) - 2 month old bucklings for sale. These Mini-Nubians come from a good line of milkers out of our breeder and their grand-sire is well known. Contact Peter at 734-482-2438 or peterthomason@comcast.net for prices and more information.

Free Registration to Indiedibles

2009-05-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Right now you can register for free with Indiedibles at http://www.indiedibles.com/ and watch cool videos about urban farming. In the "How To" section there are sessions on cold frames and greenhouse plant starting by us. In the "Stimulus Package" there is an introduction to our family and a discussion about what we are trying to do with cooperative urban agriculture. There will be more pieces done throughout the year, I hope you enjoy them and tell your friends!

May 2009 - The Vision Expands

2009-05-02T06:18:00.000-07:00

I am terribly behind posting new photos and information. Between the normal stuff of daily life with a large family, Becky's and my other jobs, trying to expand our growing capacity, transplanting 10,000 vegetable starts, preparing for goats to be born, and trying to figure out how to make room for 60 rabbits, I just have not gotten to it...BUT I WILL KEEP TRYING!!

This year, our daughter Aubrey has taken on the role of farm manager. She brings a lot of passion to the job as well as a wealth of wisdom and experience that are unusual for a 24- year old. She has traveled the world, spent a summer internship at Spannochia http://www.spannocchia.org/ , been involved in the renaissance of artisinal cheese making in the U.S. , and worked for Zingerman's http://www.zingermans.com/ for 7 years. She will be running our downtown farm market stand selling our produce and cheeses that she makes under the Zingerman's brand name. We are very excited to have her on board! She joins Rebecca, me, and Jil as the other part-time staff and has already helped plant more stuff tan we have ever had in the ground before by this date.

Also, we are very excited to publish this link to indiedibles http://www.indiedibles.com/ a venture headed up by our friend Michael Peters to promote and to support urban micro farming. For only $5 a month, you can get access to cool videos that provide practical advice on a whole host of topics. Their first visit here was in February and they will be documenting our work throughout the year. One of the things that will be explained in the shows is our vision of urban micro eco-farming as a cooperative community enterprise for utilizing fallow land, increasing our growing capacity, and restoring fertility to our local soil. Follow the link and subscribe!

Grass-fed West Michigan Beef & Downtown Farmers Market

2009-04-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out the excellent grass-fed West Michigan beef we will start supplying to our beloved Ypsilanti Food Co-op beginning this week. The animals are lovingly raised near Hesperia (North of Muskegon) by our dear friends Bill and Patrice Bobier on their two-hundred acre farm.

One of the reasons grass-fed beef is more expensive is that the animals are not fattened in crowded, unhealthy feed lots with GMO corn. Grass-fed animals are healthier but they are leaner and smaller with a hanging weight per side of around 250 pounds as opposed to their much heavier conventionally-raised counterparts. Grass and forage is the main stay of their diet, as it is naturally for cattle. We think the meat has a better taste and consistency from this more humane and healthier way of raising them. Though it does cost more we think it is worth it - both for them and for us - so we eat less of it and use it more like a protein condiment! Try it, we think you will like it too. There will be ground beef, steaks, roasts, stew meat and even soup bones if you need them. The supply is limited so get it while it lasts.

We are also looking forward to the opening of the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market in May. We will again have a stand there and be selling our fresh vegetables and Zingerman's locally made cheeses. By early May we will have our own locally grown greens for sale. See you there!

Collective Urban Micro Farming

2009-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to a new article in the Detroit Metro Times about our urban micro farm and what we are doing new this year.

http://www.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=13878

Early April 2009

2009-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just noticed that it has been nearly a month since my last post. We have been busy here and life has a way of getting in the way of blogging - so to speak. Rebecca has been off work since February on a medical leave so that has been a big concern. She has gotten some good care though and seems to be improving, plans to be back to work this month. She and Jil are making progress on the rabbit business, sales are up, especially through a local pet store, Pet City, owned by our friends Annette and Stuart Collins. We have some really cool Lionhead rabbits...

A big event this Spring was the coming of the greenhouse courtesy of Amanda Edmonds and Growing Hope. We got all of our March starts seeded with the help of a class of 1st and 2nd graders who have come to learn and to help for the last two weeks. Collectively they planted over 1200 seeds! We now have 50 or more flats and troughs going with 3000 - 4000 seeds started.

Other news is that we are the subject of a yearlong documentary / instructional film series being produced by Michael Peters of indiedibles http://indiedibles.com/ . One of the cool things they are doing is advocating for urban farming while providing "how to" segments on everything from building cold frames to how to plant really small seeds and a bunch of things in between. I will let you know when the first piece is complete and available for viewing, it will be very soon, we have already previewed the final rough draft.

What else? Our daughter Aubrey, a cheesemaker for Zingermans and a member of the board of directors of Growing Hope has agreed to take on the role of farm manager for the Thomason Family Farm. She is helping us to take the urban farming venture to the next level of growing enough fresh and storage crops for our 5 households. By utilizing unused urban yards (unused in the sense that they are just growing grass lawns) we expect to have about 1/4 of an acre or more under tillage this year. What we don't need for ourselves we will be selling through our co-op, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op, or the downtown farmers' market in the KeyBank parking lot. From our stand at the market we plan to be selling our veggies, Zingermans cheeses, and some other items so look for us there! It looks like it will be a fun season.

Let's see, we also thinned out our flock of hens, down from 37 to 24 this week. We decided that was a number we were comfortable with so we donated the extra pullets to Dawn Farm http://www.dawnfarm.org/index.htm l. Manager Rick Weirich graciously took them in to help their cause.

I will try to get some photos posted soon, way behind on that. Goat kids due in a few weeks, hope to get video of that for you and write more about our collective / cooperative approach to growing more food in an urban setting and restoring fertility to the soil.

More soon!

Appeal Update

2009-03-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

As of this moment, we are actively pursuing the appeals process of our case "The People of the City of Ypsilanti v. Thomason" in which we are challenging the legality of the existing animal control ordinance. Ironically, I really think that by and large, "the People" are not opposed to what we are doing. What the process entails right now is a lot of legal maneuvering and setting of court dates for hearings, discussions, etc. We are deeply grateful to Professor David Santacroce and his students at the U of M Law Clinic for their help and their passion for winning our case. I encourage you to follow this discussion of civic life, you can read it at a local blog hosted by Mark Maynard http://markmaynard.com/?tag=urban-chickens .

Whatever the eventual outcome of the case, the good news is that there has been a groudswell of interest in urban agriculture over the last three years and many city residents now want to have a voice in shaping the policy. We are strongly encouraging Mayor Paul Schreiber to listen to knowedgable citizens and not to simply rely on the input of city staff and attorneys in formulating a new ordinance. Whether that happens through an ad hoc citizens' committee or a more formal Urban Agriculture Commission remains to be seen. Either way, it is important that the mayor and the council listen to what people are saying about the importance of food security and the place of agriculture in urban life. If you want to send him your thoughts he can be reached at Mayor@cityofypsilanti.com , his name is Paul Schreiber. To his credit, Mayor Schreiber has asked the city staff to look into writing a modified ordinance that would allow chicken raising and beekeeping - so far. We would like it to be even more inclusive but an email thanking him for being open to this and encouraging the formation of a citizens' advisory group would be in order, I think.

City Council Meeting on Tueday Feb 17th, 2009

2009-02-18T03:09:00.000-08:00

No real surprises at the meeting last night but there was clearly a lot of support. The city council approved the first pass on the amendment to the existing animal control ordinance, a provision that simply incorporates legal language deferring to the protections granted by the Michigan Right to Farm Act. There was also extensive discussion and a great presentation by our friend Amanda Edmonds on the virtues of urban farming.

In brief, if our appeal is successful the current ordinance will be nullified and any new one that in any way tries to limit the protections of the RTFA will have to have the permission of the Michigan Commission of Agriculture as stated in the law. The good news is that we have come a long way in the three years since we first tried to amend the ordinance. There is tremendous support for what we are doing and willingness on the part of council (if somewhat reluctantly) to consider the whole issue - a little fire under the feet never hurts now does it? The main reason for filing an appeal now (instead of waiting until Judge Tabbey renders a final decision in my case) is simply that we believe that his interpretation of the RTFA is wrong and must be challenged. Stay tuned!

Our Decision to Appeal Ypsilanti v Thomason Ruling

2009-02-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

I met with our attorneys from the U of M Law Clinic yesterday, and was very pleased to find out that they are going to represent us in our appeal of Judge Tabbey's ruling on our challenge of the Ypsilanti City Animal Control Ordinance. We believe that there are some really questionable interpretations of languauge and the law in his ruling and continue to be puzzled as to how the city attorney knew about the outcome weeks before it was made public. At that time, he (the city attorney) notified the city council that "the city had prevailed" in the case, and used it as an occasion for introducing an amendment to the ordinance that would add some Right to Farm Act language into it that appears to give deference to state law though it really fails to clarify anything. The first public hearing of the proposed amendment is this Tuesday and will include a presentation on urban agriculture by our dear friend Amanda Edmonds of Growing Hope and me. Members of the public will also have a chance to speak then and at the second public hearing. We were never granted these public hearings when we attempted to amend the ordinance three years ago - even though we followed the city's rules for doing it - but were denied that kind of due process by then mayor Cheryl Farmer.

Anyway, the city will most likely proceed with its proposed amendment, though I do not know for sure, even with litigation pending. If we win on appeal, the ordinance will be nullified since it will be shown to have been enacted contrary to the requirements of the Right to Farm Act. If this happens, the slate is, in effect wiped clean, and we can truly have a new community-wide discussion of the place of agriculture - of all kinds - in our city. This is very exciting not just because I, and many others, love our urban micro farm, but because it represents a large step forward in creating a sustainable and healthy future. In the meantime, if the city proceeds with trying to amend the existing ordinance, I encourage you to attend the city council meeting Tuesday night and voice your support for urban farming!

By the way, a big thank you to the more than three hundred visitors to this blogsite last week. We appreciate your stopping by and your interest in what we are doing!

Latest From the Ann Arbor News

2009-02-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to the latest news article. Please fill out the survey if you haven't done it already. On another note we have been approached by an independent film production company that wants to document our urban farming efforts through the seasons. They have asked if we would be willing to be the subject of their first podcast on March 1st and want to come next week to start filming.

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2009/02/growing_hope_nonprofit_pushing.html

Court Ruling on Ypsilanti v. Thomason

2009-02-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

As you may know by now, Judge Tabbey's opinion on our motion to dismiss our case came down on the side of the existing Ypsilanti ordinance. You can read the whole thing here on this blogsite if you want by going to https://share.acrobat.com/adc/adc.do?app=org and clicking on the document called, "Decision on Motion to Dismiss." We think his interpretation of several key issues is questionable and are weighing the value of an appeal. However, if we can simply get the city engaged in a community-wide discussion of the value of urban farming and sustainable local agriculture there will be no real need for an appeal. The link to a survey by Growing Hope below will help to gather information and to gauge support for a better public policy. Please take the survey and get as many others to take it as you can. I will keep you posted on developments but there is a city council meeting currently scheduled for Feb 17th during which the city attorney is planning to introduce an amendment to the animal control ordinance which will incorporate some language deferring to the Right to Farm Act protections. Unfortunately it still leaves many things vague and does not protect what we are already doing. There is need for much community discussion and the support of those who believe in urban agriculture. There may be need for a write in campaign, either by email or postcard; I will keep you posted!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pj-dQ-ivCZlO0jFXNU0hISQ&hl=en

Mistake by Ypsilanti city Attorney Causes Alarm

2009-01-22T03:55:00.000-08:00

Despite reports by the Ypsilanti City attorney's office that our case, Ypsilanti v. Thomason had been decided and that the city had prevailed, NO decision has been rendered and the District Court Judge has NOT published an opinion. How this mistake happened is baffling, to say the least, especially since the attorney's office even circulated it as fact to the city manager and the mayor. They even went so far as to write a proposed amendment to the existing animal control ordinance and to schedule it for council review on February 17th. Huh?

Update on Ypsilanti v. Thomason

2008-11-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

Well friends, we had our day in court yesterday and Annica, our student attorney from the U of M law clinic, did a wonderful job of representing us. She made a very clear statement and answered questions in support of our motion to dismiss the city citations based on the wording of the Michigan Right to Farm Act. We are currently awaiting a ruling by district court judge Kirk Tabbey and expect it to be issued in the next few weeks.

We will keep you posted - Happy Thanksgiving!

Farm News - Ypsilanti v Thomason and Lionhead Rabbits

2008-10-17T03:32:00.001-07:00

For those of you following our legal case with the city, we go back to court November 18 to formally present our motion to dismiss the charges. We filed the motion on Monday the 13th of October and are in a period during which the city has two weeks to respond and we have a week to counter their response. We really appreciate the support we have gotten from all of you, we'll keep you posted!

On another note, it's a typical farm scene here these days as we finish harvesting potatoes, tomatoes, basil, squash, and other things, and get ready for winter. A new consideration this year is improving the accommodations for our growing rabbitry. We just acquired 22 new cages from our dear friend Stewart Collins, the owner of Pet City here in Ypsilanti http://www.petcitypets.com which has made our life much easier! These Lionhead Rabbits are for sale and are among the cutest critters on earth. Photo by Jil Romine

News from the Farm

2008-09-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

Hello friends -

Follow this link for the latest news on our legal battle-

http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/index.ssf/2008/09/ypsilanti_man_challenges_ticke.html

Last week we had a great group of about 50 people come through (mostly on bikes) for our locally organized "Tour de Fresh." The tour is put on by Growing Hope, the brainchild of our inspiring friend, founder and director Amanda Edmonds.

We also put on a workshop on Saturday morning for about 10 people called Urban Livestock 101 partially funded by the FSA (Farm Service Agency) of the USDA. We spent about 4 hours together doing the things we normally do on a Saturday like milking the goats, processing the milk, caring for chickens, collecting, cleaning, and packaging eggs, feeding rabbits, etc. and having a kitchen table discussion of all-manner of things related to keeping livestock in a city. It was great!

News From the Thomason Family Farm

2008-09-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well friends, it has been a very busy summer, this is the first time in many weeks that I have been able to sit down and write a new post! Lots has been happening so here is the news in brief:

our court case, Ypsilanti v. Thomason has been postponed for a couple of weeks. We continue to gather more information to strengthen our argument that we have a Right to Farm here in the city.
our rabbitry continues to expand under the name "Mane Street Lionhead Rabbits." These wonderful little bunnies are amazing and, once the breed is officially recognized by ARBA (the American Rabbit Breeders Association) they will do very well. Right now the breed standards are still being developed since there is a fair amount of variation. We have about 35 currently and there are some real stars among them.
our mini-Nubian kids are already 6 months old. We are looking for a home for two of the kids, the other two will remain with the older dams and become part of the dairy herd.
our 43 ISA Brown hens are doing very well and we have experienced a steadily increasing demand for eggs over the summer.
we have been blessed with some wonderful and much-needed help. Our dear neighbor Jil has become our rabbit wrangler and is leading the effort to tattoo all of the bunnies with their ear ID numbers. She has also been volunteering in many other capacities like milking goats, painting signs for the upcoming Tour de Fresh on September 16th(we are the 2nd stop on the tour) organized by Growing Hope http://www.growinghope.net/?gclid=CNj17fvA15UCFSIeDQodmEHUYQ
we are giving a workshop on Saturday September 20th from 9 AM to 1 PM - also organized by Growing Hope - on Urban Livestock. Spots are still available so contact them to register.
we started a number of new planting beds and grew quite a few varieties of organic garlic and potatoes in addition to our staple crops of Amish Paste and Sun Gold cherry tomatoes
we planted 3 varieties of wine grapes
we participated in the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival Parade again partnering with Growing Hope, The Ypsilanti Food Co-op, and Bike Ypsi - an alternative transportation initiative. We were extremely well received by the crowd and it was so much fun just to see people's faces light up as all of the animals came into view.
we continue to meet neighbors who come over to see what is going on here or people who hear about us and just stop by to look and to see.

That's it for the moment but I promise that we will post a new slide show of the 2008 growing season soon.

Blessings to you all,

Peter

Apostolic Farming in a City

2008-07-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Our good friends at Madonna House in Combermere, Ontario have had a big impact on us for many decades. Follow this link to the e-version of Restoration, and an article I wrote for them in the current print issue about the concept of "apostolic farming." While you are visiting their home on the web, take a virtual tour of their 4000 acre community and farm.

http://www.madonnahouse.org/restoration/2008/07/apostolic_farming_in_a_city.html

City Goat Herding

2008-07-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

Follow the link below to the article on the front page of the Saturday July 26, 2008 Ann Arbor News about our city goats:

http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/07/no_goats_allowed_hens_ok_but_c.html

Important chicken Q & A for 2008:

2008-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Question: Why did the chicken cross the road?

And the Answers:

DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.

OPRAH:
Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH:
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE:
That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.

JERRY FALWELL:
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth?' That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA:
In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% ........ reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!

COLONEL SANDERS:
Did I miss one?

DICK CHENEY :
Where's my gun?

AL SHARPTON:
Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

What are they thinking?

2008-07-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13332.cfm

Here is another interesting article contrasting conventional "industrial" farming with small scale, local, sustainable organic methods.

What do you think?

Gas Prices and the Return to City Living

2008-07-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

In his article entitled:

Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs

New York Times writer Peter S. Goodman makes some important observations about the economics of living in suburbia as commuting to work and driving everywhere become more and more expensive. See the full article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/business/25exurbs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.

The corollary of course, for those who read between the lines, is that the cost and availability of food hangs in the balance or, in the scales, so to speak, held by those who are manipulating the price of fuel with apparent impunity.

Friends, the writing is on the wall and it says, "Start learning to grow your own food!"

Home Egg Delivery

2008-06-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I was delivering some eggs to one of our regular customers in my wife's four door Honda sedan and the woman commented about how nice it was to have home delivery. This reminded me of two other egg-men I have known over the years, both of whom have interesting stories.

When we first moved to Ann Arbor in the mid-1970s we got connected somehow with Harold Sias, a long-time local farmer who lived west of town and used to come around with the trunk of his Ford full of eggs. We bought his eggs for years and were also invited out to his place occasionally to slaughter his hens who had stopped laying. I remember doing about a hundred one day and taking thirty or forty home to put in the freezer. I also bought a lamb from him one year for our Easter dinner which he dispatched with a 22 and I then butchered. He lived there with his wife Margaret, also from an old local farming family. She had grown up on a farm in northeast Ann Arbor which was eventually bought up by a developer but the family had retained ownership of the homestead itself. Harold and I went there one day to make some roof repairs and it struck me as very odd that this old farmhouse was surrounded by a modern subdivision.

Walking into the house was like stepping back a hundred years in time. The kitchen had a cistern in it that received all the water collected by the eave troughs via a series of pipes, and the old pie safe in the cellar still held mason jars of canned foods even though no one had lived there for years. Lots of other personal effects were still there; it was as if they all just left everything right where it was and moved out as soon as they got the check from the title company.

Another egg-man I knew was a gentleman farmer and his wife who lived outside of Asbury Park, New Jersey. My mother grew up in Asbury and, according to family legend, one day Henry Clay Folger II, heir to the Standard Oil fortune showed up peddling eggs from the back of his Rolls Royce and soon became a friend and benefactor. When I was still quite small, I was astonished when they came by my aunt's house and took me for a ride in what seemed like an impossibly luxurious automobile. How was it possible that my parents knew these people I asked?

How do you get your eggs?

The Need for a Local Farming Revolution

2008-06-06T03:25:00.000-07:00

I get email from people around the country who are interested in urban and small farming questions. Here is one from a woman in northern Oakland County Michigan. I think that it shows quite clearly that there are more issues at stake here than just farming in the city for subsistence or for commercial reasons. The idea that you just need to move out "to the country" to do what we are doing just doesn't hold water anymore if we allow townships to do what is happening all over. Restrictions are being placed on land use everywhere which, in effect, pushes people to buy into the industrial farming system instead of raising food for themselves and their neighbors on small local farms:

Dear Peter,
I have been reading your story on the blog – your struggles with your neighbor (Daniel), and now about your recent citation to appear in court. I just want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and we support what you are fighting for. We will continue to monitor your situation and share with others locally, what they too must be prepared to fight for.

Our township (in North Oakland County) is in the process of attempting to greatly reduce our ability to own chickens. They will at least allow (1) chicken per acre – isn’t that thoughtful of them? They unfortunately, passed the ordinance already (with no one’s awareness, of course) and it is due to go into effect the end of June (08) with a grandfather clause for those who already owned chickens exceeding this number. We just found out about this yesterday. The township planning meeting is this coming Tuesday, of which we will certainly be attending. We are at a loss as to why they have done this, since most of the township is a rural setting. There is a village within the township, but a very small one – at that. There are however, automotive executives (with much political clout) who have their country ‘estates’ here --- and my suspicious mind is a bit inflamed, I admit.

We wish you well in your battle. It would just seem as if there should be something they (your city) can do --- some sort of adjustment that can be made, to accommodate their need to satisfy the concern for '...if we let YOU do it, then we'll have to let OTHERS do it' dilemma. Perhaps some sort of local committee of volunteers can form to monitor any others' attempt at this, and to assure that GAAMP is satisfied, if so.

Economically - our society simply cannot continue with 'business as usual' ... but of course, the difficulty is in convincing others of that - isn't it? If there are any shreds of wisdom that you can toss our way – please do so. Thank you for your vigilance, and God bless…
Debra

Chickens in Ann Arbor

2008-06-04T05:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Steve K and the City of Ann Arbor for approving their new ordinance. I hope things go well. Ironically, the same day the ordinance was approved in Ann Arbor I got a citation to appear in court within ten days regarding our urban farm flock of 44 chickens and our herd of 6 dairy goats.

While doing some research recently, I found this quintessentially American quote attributed to the late urban legend Benchicken Franklin former president of the FRA:

"They can take away my chickens and goats when they can pry them out of my dead, cold fingers."

It was allegedly spoken as he was addressing a convention of the FRA while holding a chicken above his head and was met with wild cheers from his fellow members.

Fresh Goat's Milk for Kefir

2008-05-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

This is what we are getting for "morning Milk" from our two lactating does. Buckwheat, a yearling first freshener min-Nubian, is producing a quart after 11 hours of nightime separation. Dancer, Buckwheat's mother, is lagging behind but still putting out a solid half-quart. We are making this into kefir which is not only one of the best pro-biotic foods you can get but also gives the raw milk a longer shelf-life because the culture retards spoilage.

The word is getting out that we have been given notice by the city to get rid of the goats and the chickens. Since a neighbor has complained the city stuck to its word and decided to try to enforce the existing ordinance. They had stated in the press that they would not try to enforce it unless this happened.

For those who have been following the discussion at the blog

http://markmaynard.com/index.php?blog=2&title=ypsi_chickens&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single#c55583

you know that the issue is really not what we are doing or that there is a problem with noise or anything else. The issue the neighbor has is with where we are doing it, specifically that it is next door to his rental property.There are of course two issues here: one is the Right to Farm - which will play out as this particular situation is considered in light of State and case law; the other is the question of local ordinances and how they can be amended so that people can raise their own food in an urban environment with impunity.This will be interesting...

I expect to get a citation this week and then a notice to appear in court soon after.

Small Plot Farms & Goat Milk Kefir

2008-05-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see from the picture we are getting a decent amount of milk from the two girl goats. This gallon jar has two days' worth of milk in it and is being turned into kefir with the help of a culture we got from our dear goat breeder in Ohio. We are getting close to a guart and a half each day as a result of separating the moms from the kids at night for up to 12 hours. This allows the udder capacity to expand so that by morning they are ready for some real milking. They are very cooperative.

On another note, I read a piece in Sunday's paper from the AP about the current worldwide debate on how to farm. It's worth reading:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jSdzJcwaAo5_GrTT6XKKBwPwmk-AD90ITUU80

Despite what some economists say about bigger being better, there are those who believe that much of what we need can be grown on a small scale on small farms. In particular, I liked the quote by Paul Polak, founder of International Development Enterprises, an aid group for improving the operations of small farms. He notes in saying this that of the 525 million estimated farms in the world, 450 million are less than 5 acres. He says,

"We need a revolution in small plot agriculture to allow farmers to grow the food they need to eat and to grow high value crops they can sell on the market to lift themselves out of poverty."

I might add, this is precisely what the new small, mini, and micro farm movement is all about.

Condolences to Ann Arbor Animal Lovers and Urban Farmers

2008-04-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

My condolences go out to Steve Kunselman and others in Ann Arbor. They might do well to follow the lead of Ypsilantians in this case. AA city council has a history of believing it has authority over the exercise of various civil liberties and paying a steep price for its ill-considered actions.

I was amazed that the word "indulge" was used by one councilperson to describe their posture towards those who want to raise their own food. They spoke as if the council, which is of course concerned with MUCH more important things, was deigning to spend its VERY important time allowing silly citizens to bother IT with an issue of so little importance or consequence.

The last time I am aware of that the AA council dealt with an issue of civil liberties in that way it got smacked with about $30,000 in damages by the Federal District Court in Detroit. Something worth remembering and considering. The city attorney was completely humiliated by the Judge for even trying to defend the city's actions.

My suggestion to anyone wanting to raise their own food is: "just do it, and do it really well."

Treats for Teats

2008-04-24T04:42:00.000-07:00

Well the milking of the two dams has begun in earnest. The four kids born Easter weekend are now four-plus weeks old. We have cauterized horn buds twice and begun the castration process of the one buckling in our herd. The horn disbudding began when they were a week old using a modified soldering iron that reaches 950 degrees F and is used to literally burn down the emerging horns. We did it again this week to stop some scurs from growing by removing the tip from the soldering iron which I had ground flat, and thereby creating a tube about 1/2 inch in diameter that could be placed around the horn bud and make a circular burn. While we were doing this a number of the scabs that had formed over the buds from the first burning fell off. For the most part it looks like we have been successful with this method.

The castrating of the buckling, who will either become dinner or a cart-pulling wether (a castrated goat) began with placing a very substantial but small band around his endowment with a special tool made for this process. All of the equipment cost less than $20 and was readily available at our local farm supply store. Over the next month or two, because the circulation has been cut off, I'm told that it will dry up and fall off. We'll see. We chose this method at the recommendation of our breeder who felt that because of the relatively low cost and not being invasive it was the way to get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.

Treats for teats is the motto I have developed for the symbiotic relationship we have with our lactating does. I tell them, "If you want a treat in your bowl on the milking stand then it is your job to give me some milk." It's a trade-off. After three days Buckwheat (in the photo), our yearling doe, is jumping right up when I open the gate for her. Her mother, Dancer, is getting there too but more slowly. So far the milking is going slowly but they are getting used to me and I to them. I have high hopes since our breeder thinks we will eventually be getting about a 1/2 gallon a day out of the two of them.

City Dwellers Already Have the Right to Raise their own Food

2008-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight the city of Ann Arbor will vote on whether or not to change their animal control ordinance to allow chickens. For my response to this initiative follow the link to the article in today's Ann Arbor News.
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1207579215268410.xml&coll=2

Romping Baby Goats

2008-04-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't quite mastered how to embed a video in the blog but if you follow this link you'll see one of the cutest sites on God's green earth.

http://picasaweb.google.com/fatherabbapeter

One is a slideshow the other is a video.

More Chickens and Goats

2008-03-30T03:59:00.000-07:00

It seems like someone is calling or emailing almost every day now wanting to know how to get a coop set up in their backyard. A couple from Ann Arbor wants us to build one for them, someone else in Ypsilanti now has a dozen layers in his downtown backyard that we set him up with, another Ypsi family wants to start, a woman from Ann Arbor wants to know what to do to get going. Isn't it fun?

Be sure to see the new slideshow I embedded with the pictures of the baby goats. They were born Good Friday and Easter Monday. The two with black spots, a buckling and a doeling are Lil Abner and Daisy Mae. The all brown one is Bethi Sue (with a goat coat on) and Clara Belle with the white belt around her middle. They are called Mini-Nubians and are a cross between a Nubian and a Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat.

Baby Goats!

2008-03-25T08:55:00.001-07:00

This is the head of Dancer, our 2 year-old Mini-Nubian doe (Nigerian Dwarf-Nubian cross), with Clara Belle the second of the two twins born on Good Friday, March 21, 2008. As you can see in the picture, Clara is still wet and momma is in the process of cleaning her up. Her sister, Bethi Sue (named for neighbor and goat mid-wife Beth Fink, had a hard time getting out. She was stuck in her mom's birth canal for an hour while we tried to help her. Instead of hooves coming out first as they normally do, her head came out and her legs were folded back. One of them was sprained and took a few days to heal. She is doing fine now and the two of them are frolicking and jumping about. There is probably nothing cuter on God's green earth. Come back soon to see and hear more.

Small is Beautiful

2008-02-24T05:37:00.000-08:00

Ever since I first became aware of E.F. Schumacher and his proposition that bigger is not always better and that economics should be about what is good for people, I have had it in my mind that I wanted to explore ways for making my home economy a producing rather than a consuming one. Advances in technology have made it possible for many to work from home these days, like my daughter Kristen who lives in Brooklyn, New York and is a network administrator for The Young Presidents Organization. She can be home, most of the time, taking care of her young children and still work 30 hours a week scheduling and coordinating events for this 20,000 member group that provides professional and personal support services to business executives around the world. Her office is at home and she has found a way to create an income for herself without ever having to leave - except digitally. Incredible. This, to me, represents the best of both worlds. She is taking advantage of wonderful advances for women in the workplace and able to be a stay-at-home mom.

Though I worked out of the home for most of my career, either for others or for myself, and Rebecca was the at-home parent, changes over the last decade brought us to the point where, I am now at-home more than she is. Her work as a nurse-gerontologist at a local hospital provides the bulk of our income and our benefits while I work here at our micro-farm. I do teach part-time at nearby Eastern Michigan University and do construction consulting. When it is available I also do carpentry and have recently started to build coffins on request. However, the greatest joy for both of us is the time we spend growing and raising our own food with the help of our children and grandchildren. Somehow we have been able to fit a lot into a small space - 1/10th of an acre - without it being crowded. We currently have 90 animals here in various stages of development and few seem to notice or to be aware of it.

As in an old English farm basement, where poultry and livestock were kept in a symbiotic relationship with humans, we have been raising 70 chicks until they are ready for the outdoors. Existing urban infrastructure is being used, in our case, the old coal room of our 116 year-old Victorian home with its sloped floor provides a wonderful brood chamber. The old coal chute opening in the stone basement wall, unopened for decades until a week ago, is now fitted with an exhaust fan to keep the space well ventilated. Pine wood shavings are used for litter because they like them, they are easy to use and cheap, they are very absorbent and they almost completly mitigate any odor. That is what we use in our outdoor hennery as well. Early concerns about chicken smells from neighbors and other city folk were completely laid to rest by this tried and true manure management practice. We provided the chicks with warming lamps during the first couple of weeks and now they have grow lights instead so that they get the full range of light that they need until they go outside in the Spring.

Revolutionary Farming

2008-02-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

Our son-in-law Charlie calls it a revolution, our grandchildren laugh and squeal, some of our children think we have too much time on our hands. We just call it fun. The Inevitable Package arrived Monday of last week. It was bound to happen when we took the plunge last year and ordered the first twelve hens for our 1/10th acre micro-farm in downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan. Others had been asking us for some time if we would help them to get set up with their own urban henneries so, when the package arrived it was too late to turn back. The wheel was moving and the momentum could not be stopped.

For those of you who do not know, it may come as a surprise that chickens are rountinely shipped from hatcheries by US Mail as baby chicks. They are literally hatched, boxed, and shipped the same morning, and will not need food or water for 48 hours. Put into specially made containers, they stay warm, safe and comfortable. When they arrive at your post office an agent calls to tell you to come and to get them. The first hens we got last year were "feathered-in" by friends on their farm so we did not get to watch them during the first, month long - and very funny - stage of life.

The shipping box is divided up into four quarters, each of which holds approximately twenty-five chicks. As you can see in the picture, three of the four quarters are full. These beautiful chicks are headed for new homes in and around Ypsilanti where they will be providing home-grown food for their owners for years to come.

Spring Chickens

2008-01-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

Well, we just finished ordering another 25 laying hens (pullets) to help us to keep up with the growing demand for our eggs. They will arrive next week and, if all goes well, they will start laying in about 18 weeks. We also ordered 25 broilers, these are fast growing male meat chickens (cockerels) who are destined for the table. We are staying with the ISA Brown(French) laying hens because we have had such a good experience with them this year.

Cold Weather!

2008-01-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

Like any other farmers we are concerned about our livestock when the temperatures drop near zero. Since our sheds are near our house it is not hard to check on the animals several times a day, to give them warm water, or to make sure they are not too cold. Ss far we have done well over the last few days though we do have a heater on in the rabbitry. The goats don't seem to mind it too much and still sleep by the open door. The chickens always have something to say when you go to see them, they are very opininated and appreciate it if you stop to listen for a while. Even Murphy, our Maine Coon cat who lives outside has just turned into a big fur ball.

Still trying to track down the local chicken hatchery Aubrey told me about. We get more requests for eggs every day.

Spring 2008 Livestock

2008-01-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

Aubrey (our 22 year old cheesemaker, farmhand, daughter) told me today that some of you are asking when the goats are due. Based on the information from our breeder Marilyn, we believe they will both be kidding at the end of March. This breed or, hybrid rather, known as Mini-Nubians, will frequently have 2 to 5 kids per birth. We intend to keep all of the goats for now. We wil castrate the males (then they will be called wethers) and raise them for meat (commonly called chevon). We would like to keep two of the wethers and train them to pull our goat cart. If there is a particularly promising looking male we may keep him intact for stud services. The does will become part of our dairy herd and be bred in the Fall.

We have also bred two of the rabbit does and plan to breed the third one in two weeks. The due dates are pretty much 31 days from conception. Look for birth announcements about the second week of February.

For those of you interested in chickens for your urban hennery, we will be making an order soon. We plan to increase the size of our flock to 3 dozen since things have gone so well and the demand for eggs is much greater than our present supply.

If you are ready to start your own coop, for a modest fee we can help you to get set up and operational with as many chicks as you want. Call or email Peter for information: 734-482-2438 or peterthomason@comcast.net

Urban Farming in 2008

2008-01-12T05:32:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year is always an exciting time for those of us who love to grow things. We lie awake at night and use all of our spare time thinking and talking about what we learned the previous season, what we are going to do differently this year, what crops we will rotate or new livestock we will acquire. For people like us who live on urban micro eco farms there is the additional challenge of trying to figure out how to use our limited space as efficiently and productively as possible. Over the next few weeks we will share some of our thoughts on this as well as ideas that we have collected from others. Yesterday we bred two of our Lion's Head does with our two bucks for the first time. We expect to have babies in 31 days - more or less. Our two goats are pregnant and due at the end of March. We're getting ready to order more chick-hens and broiler-chicks. We're mapping out what we will be planting in our existing vegetable beds and what will go into the new ones. We are also planning to go vertical with vining plants this year. We'll keep you posted!!