I noticed that Eating Well is selling local spinach! If you're
craving it like I am, that's the place to go. I'm not going to share
the little bit I'm harvesting from under my solar cones in the
backyard, sorry. I picked enough on Saturday for a salad and it was so
sweet and so fresh and so good. The problem is I ate it at the table
with three children 6 and under who like spinach but do not get how
very INCREDIBLE it is to be able to harvest it from the backyard in
March! I should've eaten it alone while gazing at a sunset.
I'm writing you to give you the tip on spinach at Eating Well (also
great place for local eggs from chickens not in cages) and to invite
you all to join me at the Waterloo Council Chambers this Monday at
7:15. They are finally voting on whether to allow urban hens or not!!
Bring your kids, bring your parents, bring your neighbours. I
realized this week that the Council voting yes on urban hens is NOT a
done deal. I think it is 50/50. We got an email from a councillor
suggesting that he will vote against urban hens! Now I'm scared.
Urban hens are an integral part of a vibrant urban ecosystem with nut
trees, bee hives, salad farms, community gardens etc... This is a
pivotal point for the City of Waterloo where we can decide to be
innovative and take a lead in creating more sustainable cities, or we
can be afraid of change and stick to an outdated goal of sterile
cities.
What do we need to push this to the "tipping point" so that Council votes yes?
Councillors and the Mayor need to see a CROWD of people wearing
stickers that say "SOME PETS LAY EGGS" at the Council Chambers Monday
night. We need LOTS OF WARM BODIES !
Councillors and the Mayor need to be inundated with emails and phone
calls in support of urban hens in the next four days
http://www.city.waterloo.on.ca/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=539
Councillors and the Mayor need to hear why urban hens are a good idea
from presentations/delegations: a lawyer, a business person, an
engineer, a nurse, a teacher, a professor, a grandparent, a parent, a
doctor... (Delegations/presentations are not scary - max of 10 min -
just read a statement)
I've got the stickers. I'll meet you at City Hall 7:15. (When you're
emailing the councillors, email your friends too.)
We can't stop global warming or the economic recession but we CAN make
sure that backyard hens are legal in Waterloo.
When they vote YES YES YES on Monday night we can go out for eggs and
toast to celebrate!
Nina
