Humans have lived with animals for thousands of years, but over the past few decades the relationship has changed dramatically in this country. Domestic animals, apart from pets, are now largely concentrated in the hands of relatively few keepers whose primary incentive is converting them into cash. Integrated farms where animals are a key component of a broader cycle have become rare, and the very idea of "farming" now suggests a large-scale operation.
Angelika St.Laurent challenges those expectations in her latest article, which examines how small livestock and poultry could become an ordinary part of life in Tompkins County - even in urban and suburban areas: http://tclocal.org/2008/12/local_and_urban_small_livestoc.html While keeping chickens or rabbits might seem old-fashioned, they offer opportunities for using land where crop farming is difficult, as well as the chance to build more complex and sustainable ecosystems than a focus on plants alone can provide. The article includes action items for getting started and for helping others get started, for individuals, businesses, and local government. It also includes a brief introduction to some specific kinds of small livestock and poultry, including rabbits, chickens, ducks, sheeps, and goats. We'd definitely be interested in comments and suggestions on this piece, and welcome feedback. We'd love to hear questions, criticisms, and additional ideas. TCLocal is a group of citizens developing strategies for dealing with energy descent in Tompkins County. To that end, we're publishing periodic articles, examining specific topics in the harsh light of higher energy prices. You can find them at: http://www.tclocal.org/ Previous articles have examined growing fruit and managing roads and bridges in Tompkins County after the peak, as well as water systems and land use planning. Upcoming articles, about one per month, will cover waste disposal, food processing, foodsheds, wood heat, and local biofuel production. The TCLocal web site is specifically designed to get your feedback on these ideas they are developed. These articles are a starting point for a conversation we hope will include a wide variety of readers coming at these issues from different perspectives. We welcome comments and hope to find more good ideas through public discussion. Thanks, Simon St.Laurent Chair, TCLocal _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins Questions about the list? ask [email protected] free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
