Learning about raising and caring for chickens was the topic of the July 7th re-skilling class at Beth Tillery’s farm in McKee. Beth raises meat chickens, as well as layers for egg production. The photo shows two white chickens (for meat) and one layer who “visits regularly from the farm next door.”

Class participants learned about raising chickens from one-day old to the required 6 months before they start laying. Feed, nutrition, habitat for happy chickens, and how to determine if an egg is fresh or “old” were topics of discussion.

When asked about diseases for chickens, Beth said in all her years of raising chickens she had “maybe” 3 chickens that had some kind of problem. “Chickens are very smart. People who think chickens are dumb don’t know anything about them! They will let you know instantly if there is something the matter with them. And the rooster will let you know if there is a hawk within 5 miles of the hens. He senses the hawk a long time before a human can see it.”

Three couples registered for the class and all plan to get chickens for their yard. One couple lives outside the Berea city limits and another couple lives in Wilmore, so there will be no issues of city ordinances prohibiting chicken ownership. The other couple resides in Berea and are hoping the city council will adopt an updated ordinance allowing 6 hens in a backyard area.

We thank everyone who attended this interesting class.

For information on other re-skilling classes, please click HERE.

Original Article: Council Delays Appeals for Chicken-ship
www.kynews.org

Council Delays Appeals for Chicken-ship
08.06.10 06:50 PM – Andy McDonald
By Jenny Boyle, Student Staff Writer, Berea College Farm

Illegal fowl in Berea will be hiding in their coops for at least another month, while the city decides how to handle chickens within town limits.

Council members voted on Tuesday to investigate conditional use permits, rather than change the existing codes, which prohibit backyard chickens by requiring a minimum of one acre of land (for up to 25 birds) and a 75-foot buffer between feathered friends and human neighbors.

Ronnie Terrill made the motion to table the proposed revision of City Ordinance 51.101 and instead amend zoning regulations to qualify chickens as a conditional use of residential property. Violet Farmer seconded the motion; none were opposed.

If the zoning changes are passed, homeowners would be required to apply for a permit with the variance board, which meets once a month. Terrill says the process involves an initial application, notification of neighbors, and a meeting for affected parties to voice their concerns.

The cost of obtaining a conditional use permit is $150, but Terrill says he would recommend that the council set a special fee of $25 for permission to raise backyard chickens.

Terrill believes this is a matter for the Board of Adjustments because the process is already established, unlike the proposed inspections and fees under the newly drafted chicken ordinance.

“I don’t believe every law needs to be changed,” he says.
Doreen Parsley, a member of the Berea Chicken Brigade, is skeptical of the reasons for halting the chicken ordinance.

“Council members continually cite this strong opposition to the ordinance change,” Parsley explains, “but where are the people behind the concern?”

Terrill says citizens opposed to the ordinance change have directed four or five complaints to him through e-mails, phone calls, and personal contact.

“I’ve had people from the community stop me and tell me they didn’t support chickens,” he notes.

At the council’s meeting on July 20, not one citizen spoke in opposition, but nine supporters took the podium.

“It’s not the quality-of-life altering decision the city council makes it out to be,” says Parsley, who thinks communication between the two sides would end the long debate.

The Council won’t resolve the issue for at least another month, while the planning commission reviews the zoning amendment, says Terrill. If he can get the process expedited, further comment on backyard chickens would occur in September.

Terrill says the issue has been stalled for too long, but he’s not sure how it will end.

“I just hope everyone comes out happy,” says Terrill.

David Salidino welcomed the re-skilling class: Making a trellis to complement raised beds: Construct trellises in combination with raised beds to grow food vertically, to his home on July 31. David loves flowers and his wife, Gwen Childs, is the “vegetable farmer,” so growing food vertically is essential to cater to both their interests.

Students toured the garden and learned about construction of raised beds with rail road ties, and vertical growing structures made from cattle fencing that can be as high as 6 feet. David uses bamboo as a decorative casing around the supports that adds the artistic touch to the vertical growing structures. Any squash, melon, or pumpkin that sprawls all over the yard can be grown vertically which saves tremendous amounts of space, David said.

Throughout the yard are flowers and vines that attract beneficial insects, bees and butterflies. Topping off the well-planned and organized gardens, David is nurturing an orchard of 18 blueberry plants. People wishing to have a consultation with David about their yards can contact him at saladino@windstream.net or call 986-2786

One of the many Re-Skilling Classes offered by Sustainable Berea included Thai Cooking with WanPen.

WanPen’s cooking class drew 22 aspiring cooks, ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens.

A step-by-step process for creating Tom Yam Thai Soup was explained by WanPen who also answered questions about how to prepare three other dishes served for the lunch. WanPen also created a special carrot cake decorated with a palm tree made of a carrot and a bell pepper and a flower sculpted from a tomato.

While scheduled to last only 1 1/2 hours, many people stayed at the WanPen eatery until 3 p.m. sharing stories and socializing.

People who would like to take a class from WanPen should contact Sustainable Berea with their interest.

info@sustainableberea.org
859-985-1689

Please click HERE for a full listing of our classes.

Each class is $25. 

Please send your check and the title(s) of the classes you wish to take to:  Sustainable Berea  P.O. Box 1302  Berea, KY 40403