Okay, as you probably know, I have some pet hens. Rosey, Honeysuckle and Sleepyhead to be exact. I also live in what could easily be described as an 'urban' neighborhood. You know, small lots, neighbors very close by, no garage, not much of a driveway. We can walk to the library, the grocery, the coffee shop and yes, the chicken coop. Our three hens live a life of chicken-luxury in a backyard garden coop. They are fussed over by our daughters, smiled at by neighbors and way too spoiled I am sure. Don't you want some?
The Henside the Beltline Tour de Coop is a garden coop tour that features 20 urban coops in and around downtown Raleigh. There are coops that would make Martha Stewart jealous and coops that were knocked up using salvaged wood scraps and borrowed hack saws. Our coop is somewhere in between, but we are happy to show it off. Keeping chickens is one of those weird hobbies that enthusiasts just can't help talking about...a lot. Come on the tour and you'll see gardens of all kinds, fancy chickens with pedigrees and mutt-hens who just lay eggs for a living. You'll see one of the best-kept secrets of this fair capital city; chicken coops blocks from the Governor's Mansion, the State House and (gasp!) even very close to North Hills Mall.
This tour is not all fun and games, though. We do it not just for the chicken fame, but to raise funds and groceries for Urban Ministries of Wake County. This very-deserving charity works to provide some of life's basic necessities to those most in need. Founded by a group with diverse faiths, they serve every needy member of the community. Their food pantry distributes over 270 tons of food every year to families, much of it in the summers. The tour maps are available at five sites in Raleigh (Ornamentea is one of them!) and we request that you make a generous donation of non-perishable foods or money when you get your map.
Click here to visit the Coop Tour blog. Don't miss the part about Chicken Keeping 101 classes coming up soon...
Do you love chickens? Join the City Chickens of Raleigh Facebook group!
Learn more about Urban Ministries here.
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