FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[jenniemig]

and good luck with your endeavor. I hope you can make it work. We grow our own veggies and raise chickens. Thank goodness we are rural. Once in awhile I will have groups of kids over to see our operation and birds. You are correct that some have no idea about growing things or about chickens. In the past I have hatched chicks out for the 4H and their chicken raising projects. The 4H and FFA give the kids a list of breeds to choose from to raise for their projects. I was raising Buff Orpingtons for them. One of the 4H'ers entered a BO cockerel she had gotten from me and entered him in a show and got 1st place in the juniors. She was so proud and I was very proud of her.

That is so cool! I was in 4H when I was a kid, horses though. The whole idea started when I got my nieces 4 & 7 involved with the planning of our little farm. I am a recent empty nester, so to fill that void I take my sisters girls often. They don't even know where their food comes from. They went crazy when the found out that an egg "comes out of a chickens butt" (their words)!!! I am going to try my best to get something going, we'll see

 

[wren]

Wow Jennie that's great! More power to you! I hope it all works it's a great idea!

 

[jenniemig]

Wow Jennie that's great! More power to you! I hope it all works it's a great idea!

Thanks Wren, me too

 

[Jan2012]

~~We unfortunately just lost about $600 worth of birds to our neighbors two pits Came home luckily and stopped them from getting anymore and they totally damaged two coops. Made a police report and will have to go to court over it I'm glad yours were safe !



I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you win. It just seems unfair that you have to go to all that trouble for something that is caused by someone's else irresponsibility.

 

[Jan2012]

Hello all New member here, just made a post in the new members forum....from Toronto but winter in Florida and just picked up a property in Merritt Island!
Anyone around us?

Cheers

P.S. Sorry to hear about the dog attack, that is just TERRIBLE!! :-(

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Jan2012]

Not me, I am not zoned residential. My garden and chickens will be on the 2 acres adjoining my business. I tried and tried to get them to allow it but the new ordinance was not written to allow them on commercial property.

My land is located in a very poor, high crime, residential area. I have met with the pastor at a church in the neighborhood that does tons of work for the community. Together we are planning a youth gardening and farming program. I am waiting to hear back from the Agricultural Extension Office about getting classes together for the kids. The church also feeds about 40-60 homeless a week so I committed to to supplying them with green beans, and anything else I can grow. I have an acquaintance who is a real estate attorney, I'm going to ask his help (pro bono) with getting a special use permit. Legally I can't have the chickens, or even grow a large garden. I have lined up an electrician to run power to the garden and coop, and a plumber to get water out there. I'm only paying for materials

I probably won't be able to get the program up and running this year, but have high hopes for next spring. It is such a shame that these children have no idea where their food comes from. Most of them eat only processed food and couldn't tell me the last time they had a fresh vegetable or even an egg!!!

Awesome idea! I used to volunteer with a church group that fed the homeless in downtown St. Pete (cooked a lot of hot dogs).

The idea of youth gardening is just wonderful! Who knows what kind of future gardeners you will inspire!

 

[3goodeggs]

I would think that for such a worthy idea, once you have established your gardens and such, and the idea can be documented and shown as a value to the community, zoning would give you a variance for chickens and perhaps small livestock.
You would need to get a commissioner from your district to see your value and toot your horn to the rest of the commission. But they want to get re-elected, and people who do things for the community are also the ones who care enough to vote. It may work.

I have noticed that just like urban decay, urban growth can also happen. Go from blight to light.

 

[babowman3]

Hello all New member here, just made a post in the new members forum....from Toronto but winter in Florida and just picked up a property in Merritt Island!
Anyone around us? 

Cheers

P.S. Sorry to hear about the dog attack, that is just TERRIBLE!! :-(

Hi there! I'm in Brevard County with you! I'm up in Mims, north end of the county. Welcome to BYC!

 

[jenniemig]

Update...I was able to find a 10X12 wooden greenhouse frame for free today! It will make a perfect run for my girls, AND, when I told the woman what I was using it for she agreed to hold it for me until this weekend so I don't have to pay someone to pick it up

Also, I posted on a local farming facebook page that I was looking for other materials and someone responded offering free bricks, 2X4's and 2X6's, all I have to do it pull the nails and haul it

 

[jenniemig]

~~We unfortunately just lost about $600 worth of birds to our neighbors two pits Came home luckily and stopped them from getting anymore and they totally damaged two coops. Made a police report and will have to go to court over it I'm glad yours were safe !



I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you win. It just seems unfair that you have to go to all that trouble for something that is caused by someone's else irresponsibility.

So Sorry! A friend of mines pony was attacked recently. Poor guy lost an ear and a good portion of his nose, she ended up with a huge vet bill. Unfortunately nothing was done to the owners, animal control even returned the dogs to them. She worries constantly about her kids and animals now.