This is not to suggest that the West is moving away from mass-produced food. Many people do not have gardens or the inclination to get their fingers dirty.
But with the growing protests and concerns about GMO products and factory farming, a window has opened to a return to the land – even if that land is only as small as 10 feet by 10 feet.
According to Tracy McVeigh, writing in the Guardian newspaper, what began several years ago as a trend in the UK among town-dwellers with large gardens has now exploded into an entire industry. Pet shops and garden centres stock chicken feed, while poultry producers are scrambling to keep up with demand for birds. Dozens of manufacturers are churning out hen coops in every shape and size – and for every budget.
Chickens and ducks are “in.” Sylvia Brown, running the Arun Valley Poultry Fanciers stall, told McVeigh: “There’s a real rush for people to get into raising and breeding chickens. People are very keen. I think it’s because of the eggs – everyone really wants a bit of self-sufficiency, and you can’t keep a cow in your back garden.”
Lou Aplin, from Rustington, West Sussex, said: “My husband bought another bike, and I said, ‘Well, I’m having chickens.’ So that’s what brought me here. They lay eggs, they are friendly – I can’t think of anything better. If people complain about the noise, I think they’re silly. I’d rather hear a cockerel than a seagull. I have really caught the bug.”
Not that keeping chickens or growing organic food is without its problems. There are local ordinances and restrictions in many districts and cities in the UK, Europe and North America that can result in fines, even jail – just for doing what comes naturally. Some local authorities in the U.S. even fine people for collecting rainwater.
Organizations leading the way include the growing network of Transition Communities. The aim of these groups is to source healthy food locally and develop the local economy, the underlying rationale being that this will lower the impact on the environment and help reduce carbon emissions.
Check out Transition Network based in Devon, UK for more on this growing movement.
