The Locavore

I’ve been dreaming about having my own backyard chickens for a long time, but my dreams became full fledged jealousy on Friday. I visited my friend’s house and, from her kitchen window, watched her hens peck about their chicken run. On her fridge was a big basket of eggs. I yearn for two, maybe three, hens of my own to peck about my yard and feed me eggs.

But there are many reasons why I can’t have chickens. The backyard is too small and we park our car in it too. My husband and I agree on most things but when it comes to animals, particularly livestock, our opinions differ. So even if Toronto were to change its bylaw and we were to move, I still think chickens would be a stretch for our family–so here’s to my sister’s husband coming around so I can keep a hen in her yard.

I’ve also started to read Novella Carpenter’s Farm City which has me yearning to grow more of my own food. Problem is, our yard is mostly shaded and the south-facing roof would need to be reinforced if I wanted to turn it into a food producing one. I am looking at my neighbour’s sunny lawn with envy… looks like this urban ag thing may be yet another cause of real estate lust here in the T-Dot.