The Rochester Egg Co-op
In the Brooder
- Jun 26, 2025
- 2
- 9
- 14
Hello,
My name is Aaron Beetzel, and I am with the Rochester Egg Co-op. Over the past few months, a growing number of Rochester residents have come together around a simple but powerful idea: rebuilding local connection through agriculture. We formed the Rochester Egg Co-op, a grassroots group of neighbors who support sustainable food practices, backyard chickens, and the broader values of stewardship and community resilience.
Our current focus is advocating for a change to Rochester’s ordinance to allow for the responsible keeping of backyard hens, this effort is part of a much larger goal of returning Rochester to its roots. We’re not just talking about fresh eggs; we’re talking about food literacy, local sharing, youth education, and restoring a sense of connection between residents and the land they live on. We’ve hosted conversations, gathered support from across the community, and are working to show that this isn’t a novelty, it’s a return to what Rochester has always been: a town built on agriculture, cooperation, and common sense.
Each week we purchase eggs for local farmer and backyard chicken husbands. I then repackage them in 4 packs with labels I created and then pass them out to the community as a gifts, or an ice breaker, to then discuss the benefits of a return to an agriculturally based community, that we were founded as. We have received a lot of support when doing this but I cant seem to get the that support to be recognized by the village board.
I am coming here to ask for your help with brainstorming ideas for this campaign. If you could provide some things that you used to help persuade your communities to allow small flocks, or even things we should look into regard the policy itself we would be very grateful. Also, if you have the time and would like to help out I ask that you write an email to the Rochester IL trustee voicing the benefits, for both individual and the community, of backyard flocks I would greatly appriecate it. If you would like to ask question about the things I am doing so you can used some of my ideas in your own campaign please reach out.
Thank you so much, in advance. Hope everyone is staying cool and having a great summer!
My name is Aaron Beetzel, and I am with the Rochester Egg Co-op. Over the past few months, a growing number of Rochester residents have come together around a simple but powerful idea: rebuilding local connection through agriculture. We formed the Rochester Egg Co-op, a grassroots group of neighbors who support sustainable food practices, backyard chickens, and the broader values of stewardship and community resilience.
Our current focus is advocating for a change to Rochester’s ordinance to allow for the responsible keeping of backyard hens, this effort is part of a much larger goal of returning Rochester to its roots. We’re not just talking about fresh eggs; we’re talking about food literacy, local sharing, youth education, and restoring a sense of connection between residents and the land they live on. We’ve hosted conversations, gathered support from across the community, and are working to show that this isn’t a novelty, it’s a return to what Rochester has always been: a town built on agriculture, cooperation, and common sense.
Each week we purchase eggs for local farmer and backyard chicken husbands. I then repackage them in 4 packs with labels I created and then pass them out to the community as a gifts, or an ice breaker, to then discuss the benefits of a return to an agriculturally based community, that we were founded as. We have received a lot of support when doing this but I cant seem to get the that support to be recognized by the village board.
I am coming here to ask for your help with brainstorming ideas for this campaign. If you could provide some things that you used to help persuade your communities to allow small flocks, or even things we should look into regard the policy itself we would be very grateful. Also, if you have the time and would like to help out I ask that you write an email to the Rochester IL trustee voicing the benefits, for both individual and the community, of backyard flocks I would greatly appriecate it. If you would like to ask question about the things I am doing so you can used some of my ideas in your own campaign please reach out.
Thank you so much, in advance. Hope everyone is staying cool and having a great summer!
| VILLAGE PRESIDENT Stacia Munroe [email protected] | TRUSTEE Chadd Carver [email protected] | TRUSTEE Edward "Jake" Kindred jk[email protected] | TRUSTEE Kipton Reiss [email protected] | |||
| TRUSTEE Luis Andrade- Heading the Backyard Chicken Commitee [email protected] | TRUSTEE Maribeth Eandi [email protected] | TRUSTEE Chadd Carver [email protected] |
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Glad you joined.
