Question Authority.............
I hate to admit this.... but I wore mini skirts the first time around. I had long straight hair. And bell bottom jeans.
I was not a hippie but I easily could have been an earth mother. I loved long flowing embroidered caftans, big hoopy earrings and Dr. Scholl's sandals.
I loved Gracie Slick and Jefferson Airplane ... that was before Jefferson Starship, then just Starship. I remember the song that Country Joe and the Fish sang. I know who sang at Woodstock.. and what songs they sang.
I remember war protests, deaths of beloved men, Kent State, lies, cover-ups and resignations. I remember trying to get equal pay for equal work .... in blue suits with bow tie blouses .... so you would look like a man.
But I never went to the City of Love... where draft cards and bras were burnt with equal zeal and passion. Where communal living thrived, old Victorian homes were saved and dreams of a better, brighter future were expressed. I never went to San Francisco.
The mantra of the day in San Francisco.... oh, those forty years ago, was this .......... Question Authority.
I find it inspirational that the local food movement, the growing of public produce, the increase in growing heirloom vegetables, chefs buying directly from local farmers ...... all of this has roots in the Bay area.
Last night, I taught my second class --- Chickens in your Backyard. When I suggested the class to Scott Community College there was a lot of hesitation in the director's voice. Cathy, are you sure people will want to take a class about chickens? Yea. They do.
I did the first class in April ... with 17 or 18 students. A full class is 20. Last night, we had 19 or 20 students.
The students are amazing. They come in with wonderful questions. And occasionally they stump me. It happens. But really, you could put me in front of the group and ask me questions for 3 hours........ or more. And they do.
I'm not without my girls .... so they come along with me. After all, we all like show-and-tell. And hold-and-tell is more fun so the girls are passed from student to student.
However, the laws in the QCA ban chickens in a homeowners backyard. Pit bulls are allowed ... no questions asked. Potbelly pigs .... no problem. Big icky snake .... yea, they will let you have them. Three to five 7-pound hens ....... we have to draw the line somewhere!!! (Owners of pit bulls and potbelly pigs ... I mean no disrespect. Big icky snake owners ..... I'll admit it. I do have issues!!)
Tonight, I stopped at a grocery store (not my usual) to pick up a few supplies for Emily's big adventure in the kitchen tomorrow. I got 2 boxes of canning jars. The check-out boy with the helpful smile ... asked what I was using the small 4 ounce jars for. I told him that I was making mustard. Mustard... he said .... we have that in Aisle 3. You don't have to make it.
I make mustard for the same reason that we should allow hens in reasonable amounts in the backyards of urban homesteaders. It expands our horizons. It shows us how good real food can be. It make us more self-sufficient. It teaches us frugality, work ethic and patience. But most of all .... we can not be tied to a food system that allows us to eat ... what they want us to eat.
Its time to talk to our aldermen and our city councilmen and ask for changes in local ordinances. Its time to take up the mantra again.
Question authority.
I was not a hippie but I easily could have been an earth mother. I loved long flowing embroidered caftans, big hoopy earrings and Dr. Scholl's sandals.
I loved Gracie Slick and Jefferson Airplane ... that was before Jefferson Starship, then just Starship. I remember the song that Country Joe and the Fish sang. I know who sang at Woodstock.. and what songs they sang.
I remember war protests, deaths of beloved men, Kent State, lies, cover-ups and resignations. I remember trying to get equal pay for equal work .... in blue suits with bow tie blouses .... so you would look like a man.
But I never went to the City of Love... where draft cards and bras were burnt with equal zeal and passion. Where communal living thrived, old Victorian homes were saved and dreams of a better, brighter future were expressed. I never went to San Francisco.
The mantra of the day in San Francisco.... oh, those forty years ago, was this .......... Question Authority.
I find it inspirational that the local food movement, the growing of public produce, the increase in growing heirloom vegetables, chefs buying directly from local farmers ...... all of this has roots in the Bay area.
Last night, I taught my second class --- Chickens in your Backyard. When I suggested the class to Scott Community College there was a lot of hesitation in the director's voice. Cathy, are you sure people will want to take a class about chickens? Yea. They do.
I did the first class in April ... with 17 or 18 students. A full class is 20. Last night, we had 19 or 20 students.
The students are amazing. They come in with wonderful questions. And occasionally they stump me. It happens. But really, you could put me in front of the group and ask me questions for 3 hours........ or more. And they do.
I'm not without my girls .... so they come along with me. After all, we all like show-and-tell. And hold-and-tell is more fun so the girls are passed from student to student.
However, the laws in the QCA ban chickens in a homeowners backyard. Pit bulls are allowed ... no questions asked. Potbelly pigs .... no problem. Big icky snake .... yea, they will let you have them. Three to five 7-pound hens ....... we have to draw the line somewhere!!! (Owners of pit bulls and potbelly pigs ... I mean no disrespect. Big icky snake owners ..... I'll admit it. I do have issues!!)
Tonight, I stopped at a grocery store (not my usual) to pick up a few supplies for Emily's big adventure in the kitchen tomorrow. I got 2 boxes of canning jars. The check-out boy with the helpful smile ... asked what I was using the small 4 ounce jars for. I told him that I was making mustard. Mustard... he said .... we have that in Aisle 3. You don't have to make it.
I make mustard for the same reason that we should allow hens in reasonable amounts in the backyards of urban homesteaders. It expands our horizons. It shows us how good real food can be. It make us more self-sufficient. It teaches us frugality, work ethic and patience. But most of all .... we can not be tied to a food system that allows us to eat ... what they want us to eat.
Its time to talk to our aldermen and our city councilmen and ask for changes in local ordinances. Its time to take up the mantra again.
Question authority.
Comments
post. I always wanted to live in this time period of upheaval that despite the chaos of it all some significant and meaningful changes did occur. Jared and I were just talking about raising chickens in the backyard and you have confirmed his suspicions: Not allowed in Davenport.
Hope to make it your way soon. Have friends coming in from Indiana and want desperately to have them breathe in your air. Plus, I have one precious Ethiopian daughter for you to meet and of course I need more eggs.
PS Russell was pretending today that he was driving to "Miss Cathy's farm" for his birthday party. So precious.
Love to you. B
P.S. I love my "girls" too. They sure know how to brighten a weary day. This morning they all stood there and told me about the awful storm that blew in through their coop window before heading out to find bugs. Love Them!