Photo - Just Food

Chickens, like these from El Jardin del Paraiso community garden in the Lower East Side, Manhattan, are a big hit for children as well as adults who connect with their agricultural roots.

At first blush, the thought of a growing movement to have chickens in the city may sound odd. That is, of course, until you begin to understand the movement. And there’s no better place than New York City to put the whole thing into perspective.

The reawakening of agricultural roots embedded in many people’s minds living in New York City is a stark reminder to all of us that we must make our concrete jungles more human friendly. And to do that, we must make cities more food and farming friendly.

"There are two primary reasons people want to keep chickens in the city. The first is as a source of fresh food (eggs) and the chickens’ ability to provide pest control, recycle food and garden waste and provide nutrient-dense fertilizer," said Owen Taylor, city farms training and livestock coordinator for Just Food. "The second is in response to globalization of food and climate risks. Chickens bring food to the local level."

Just Food is a nonprofit organization that works to develop a just and sustainable food system in the New York City region. This is accomplished by fostering new marketing and food-growing opportunities that address the needs of regional, rural family farms, NYC community gardeners, and NYC communities. Efforts include a robust CSA program, training and technical support to a network of city farms, a community food education program, a farm to food pantry program, and an advocacy program aimed at increasing food justice city wide.

To learn more about how chickens can fit into your urban life-style, buy the May/June edition of Touch the Soil magazine at a retail outlet or subscribe online.