Andy isn't quite sure how to hold Sister's Daughter - his sister,
Peanut, looks on at a recent Market Day visit.
Balch Springs is a growing yet charming, country community. We have many benefits of urban suburbia, but I fear soon the city’s vibrant, farming, equine roots will be lost, along with our right to choose where and how we feed ourselves.
In reference to the proposed ordinance about poultry and livestock on the agenda Monday night at 7pm, Balch Springs City Hall on Hickory Tree, I will respectfully request the reconsideration of this overly restrictive government ordinance and simply ask the city to enforce with heavy fines the abuse or neglect of any animal; which is what I believe the spirit of the action was originally motivated by. Consult responsible farmers and ranchers for appropriate guidelines on acceptable standards and make them available to the citizens.
Do we really think outlawing the animal in our city will stop the practice of the illegal activity? And what will happen to the extra animals we outlaw? There are illegal dog fights and horse races, too, yet we don’t outlaw those animals. Do we? Where does it stop?
Outlawing live roosters anywhere in our city, limiting a family to 2 hens and forbidding a family from processing their own meat is a bit like telling someone where they can shop for groceries.
If one has chosen to raise and process their own food, and has appropriate space in which to do it, who is to say they shouldn't be allowed to do so? American homes were all “working farms” at one time before progress started outsourcing our food production to strangers. 2 hens are not productive enough for food purposes – especially without a rooster for breeding. Hens don’t lay eggs forever and if raising poultry for meat, they’d quickly run out of food.
Personally, livestock form an integral part of the majority of organic farms like mine; providing fertilizer and pest control for the farm that feeds them in return.
Recently, the old feeder-turned flower box also became a manger for some baby chicks.
Try THAT without a rooster!
Maintaining a closed flock of about 25 assorted hens - and roosters, otherwise my flock becomes extinct - I maintain a comfortable population where hens are bred on my farm by my own roosters. Educational and entertaining experiences await children, and adults from all over the metroplex who visit my farm. And I enjoy the all natural free range eggs, too.
Maintaining a closed flock under free range management helps control disease that may otherwise be introduced by bringing in new chickens – a common source of contamination. Likewise, it gives control over where sources of chickens come from, safe, disease free and all natural if so desired.
A nuisance? I beg to differ. A rooster crowing isn’t any more annoying to most than other normal sounds of a neighborhood we all have to hear. Traffic, helicopters, airplanes and sounds of construction in fact are more offensive yet we’ve had to tolerate these modern foreign noises in our quiet community. Sometimes you just will hear noise.
The late couple - "Whitey and Sister", relaxed for an afternoon nap together.
Sounds of roosters blend in nicely with shrieks of children playing, bullfrogs and chirping baby chicks and quacking ducks - which bring a sense of real life and peaceful times to any home.
Additionally, we’d be forcing out of practice American and Texas traditions of showing roosters or hens at the state fair, Stock Shows, 4H or FFA competitions if our children can’t keep birds at home here in our community. Many home school curriculum also incorporate raising animals.
Poultry help control pests such as cockroaches, fleas, grubs, and even mice, too, for anyone who raises them.
I wish they'd consider the majority of us who do not break the law by abusing or neglecting our animals, before making it a crime simply to own them.
Marie
Eat Your Food - Naturally!
Eat Your Food - Naturally!
God help us all! This is so wrong!! This is what our forefather faught and died for. What is this communist Russia or China. Next, they will be telling us how many dogs we can own or how many children we can have. We live in Plano, but if we think that this doesn't effect us then we are only fooling ourselves. If I had to guess it's a tax issue. My guess is that they can charge you more tax without the livestock. We will be there to support you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your support!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, it does affect us all, no matter where we live. Most modern cities used to be country - and because of "progress" have become urban. Eventually, if we don't protect anywhere from becoming totally urban, where will our food grow? We are already outsourcing way too much of our food production to total strangers - many times in countries that don't adhere to our standards of fair trade, safety or growing methods.
I am sure they don't look at this ordinance the way some of us do, but if no one ever points it out, things will continue to decline, er, I mean "progress" until we have nowhere to raise our own food.