All this warm weather has me thinking about Summer in Minnesota.

And chickens.

I heard of this program in Charlottesville, VA called “Hens in the Hood”, part of the Urban League’s push in Charlottesville to encourage urban farming.

I like that idea.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine who works in low-income outreach in Minneapolis explained that his non-profit had been lobbying the City to get a program like Hens in the Hood in Minneapolis. The idea behind it was to get low-income people producing some of their own food, to create a sense of ownership in their food system. I was blown away.

Since then…nothing has happened. And as I was walking around my South Minneapolis neighborhood today I thought about those chickens. I would love to have chickens in my backyard. To produce more of my own food.

I’m guessing I’m not the only one.

So, I wonder if anyone knows if Hens in the Hood could work in the Twin Cities…could we find a place for urban farming and poultry here? Would it work to help those struggling to buy food to grow/nurture their own food sources?

The optimist in me says yes.

So, I’m gonna have a beer now. Here’s to chickens. And the ‘hood. And to finding ways to empower people here in the Twin Cities not just to consume food. But to make it.