Foodists

Clucking things up in Van City

Photo credit: Madison Guy (Flickr)

So far, it’s taboo in Vancouver. But, you can do it in Seattle, Portland, and New York. And even in Victoria, Burnaby and New Westminster. Get your minds out of the gutter. I’m talking about raising chickens in your backyard.

If the City of Vancouver gets its way, the concept of farm-to-table eggs might not be such a wacky idea. Last week, city councillors voted unanimously to investigate changing city bylaws to allow Vancouver residents to keep chicken coops in their backyards. Issues on the table include the possibility of avian flu outbreak, noise and smell concerns, and an increase in the coyote population.

I say huzzah for backyard chickens. If you’ve ever tasted a farm fresh egg, you know what I’m talking about. And if you have kids, what better way to teach them where their food comes from than to actually show them?

Actually, never mind the kids. This would be an important step in bridging the mental gap that exists for a lot of city dwellers: the separation of what you eat, and where it comes from. Maybe more people will start to respect food and food producers. We can only hope.