Sunday, October 2, 2011

CLUCK CITIES: # 18 Detroit -- chickens rebuilding neighborhoods

We've written about the affection and chicken advocacy expressed by Susan OrleanMartha Stewart,  Alice Walker and Paula Deen. Now we notice Oprah has been on the case for more than three years. The April 2008 issue of O Magazine features a story "Gardening to Save Detroit" that explores how gardens, rabbits, and chickens are helping revitalize areas of Detroit by turning vacant lots into productive land. 

According to the story, about one quarter of the land in the City is vacant and residents are taking advantage of the opportunities. Now NPR has caught on and aired a contemporary (October 2, 2011) report 'The Gift of Detroit': Tilling Urban Land

Vacant lots sell for as little as $300 in Detroit and urban homesteaders are putting them to use and earning a living. Some people are even farming lots they don't own. And chickens are part of the equation. One gentleman bales 1,000 bales of alfalfa inside the city limits. Some operate CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). These vacant lots have been called the Gift of Detroit.

[Curious about Oprah's "chicken lady" neighbor? Click Here. And Oprah also took on high-density animal production facilities. Click here.]

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