This sadly has made the town look towards a future that is different than mine. They see the nice parks, the pretty street lights and poles, and the improved services as a sign of their forward vision and success. Normally looking forward means the ability to look at ideas that might seem strange and that is lacking. Cleveland has such a vision.
Cleveland's City Council on Monday approved two measures aimed at reshaping the city's urban landscape.People want to produce their own food, if not for the price but for the fact they know where it came from and what went into producing it.
One ordinance will allow residents to raise and keep farm animals and bees. It's a step, proponents believe, toward finding innovative uses for vacant land.
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Both were passed after intense debate. The "chicken-and-bees" legislation, as it became nicknamed, generated the most buzz, with several council members objecting to the plan. They cited concerns about noise and other complaints urban farms bring.
The ordinance allows residents to keep chickens, ducks, rabbits and beehives but not roosters, geese or turkeys. A typical residential lot could have no more than six small animals and two hives.6 chickens sound like a sweet dream. Bee hives sound even better...but I have no idea if the current town codes ban them. Probably does the way they have damn near everything zoned, regulated and controlled.
The current view against urban farming and food production by the town pretty much shots any chance down of reform. Until a major change in council makeup happens the status quo will be viewed as just fine by them...and that is sad.
5 comments:
We are not alone in our wish to allow our neigbors to have chickens or bees or what every else they may want. I would love to help anyone interseted in setting up a yard and coop, but, the mayor would throw a fit if I did. I found this artical today concerning a town north of us in the same situation.
Gerry
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Happy-Homesteader/Worthington-Needs-Urban-Chicken-Movement.aspx?blogid=1510&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email
I think it's about more than a difference in how we see the future. It's more like people sitting on the town council are holding on as tight as they can to an idea of what prosperity looks like, but it's a deathgrip. The tighter they hold to their idea, the sooner ours will be realized. Unfortunately, our town will not be prepared for the eventuality of a sudden change in our circumstances, just as they were caught unaware by a "sudden" (predicted)change in economic conditions.
Take the unprecedented drought in California. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. If you have any plans to eat salad, melons, or nearly any other produce that requires much water this summer, you had better plant your own. California farmers are cutting way back on what they are planting because they won't have the water for irrigation. There wasn't enough snowfall in the Sierras this year. Most of our domestic production of this type of produce comes from California, and there is no way to remedy the problem. Even Federal deliveries of drinking water to thirsty cities are looking shaky right now.
This situation will have a knock-on effect on other types of food. As people rely more on cheaper grains, legumes, etc., prices will rise on those items as well. This will put pressure on livestock feed prices.
Our society is a complex beast, and too many of our resources are dependant on other resources for stability. We can't afford to hang on to our Pollyana glasses when they only provide us the illusion our town won't be affected by what happens in the rest of the world.
Thankyou Anonymous, and preach on. What you say is so very true and I share your concern that by the time our view wins out, it will be to late for many.
Thanks, village farmer. I just hope it doesn't take the Dust Bowl in reverse for Smyrna to wake up to reality. Imagine droves of thirsty Californians driving east with no place in particular to go. Imagine the burden on social services, food banks, public utilities, schools, hospitals, etc. The more people can fend for themselves, the less of a burden they will be on social institutions in a crisis.
Think it can't happen again? A few months ago a lot of people believed another Great Depression wasn't possible anymore. Yet, here we sit at the brink. The difference is that in inflation adjusted dollars, the total money spent to rescue the economy during the entire Great Depression was $12billion. Today, we have spent at least $1 trillion all totaled and are poised to spend almost a trillion more if the "porkulus plan" passes. Staggering, isn't it?
"Every time history repeats itself, it gets more expensive."
Hey, did anyone see that report that came out last week about the mercury in high fructose corn syrup? Check the label on your breakfast cereal, yogurt, ketchup, and sodas. That stuff is in practically everything we eat. They even use it to help hamburger and hotdog buns brown. Heck ya, I wanna know what goes into my food, at least as much as I can. I get that there is very little mercury in high fructose corn syrup compared to say...tuna. Still, our bodies have no way to clear that stuff. It gets in you and it's just there. Forever. As much high fructose corn syrup as we take in, that cannot be good.
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