Let's make this legal like!

As stated before Urban Farming is, well...fine it's not legal where I live. It was pointed out to me recently that I was miss reading a part of keeping farm animals ordinance and it turns out I live in R-2 district (completely illegal) not R-1 (shady illegal). So everything else has been put on hold. My first step to Urban Farming is to change the ordinances here. It has been an up hill battle until I finally heard back from the MSU-Extensions worker from my county. She provided me with a list of other cities that allow Urban Farming in Michigan and some of the ordinances of those cities. Needless to say writing the ordinance will be easy. I'm still unsure as to whether or not the board will go for it. I already have a go ahead from one of the trustees another one was rumored to be another secrete Urban Farmer like myself and I think I have one or two others that I can convinces. That is a majority for the board the only problem is that 2 of them member (and sadly strong voiced members) will defiantly say NO. My hope is that my voice will out win theirs and I will keep the majority on my side. So over the next two weeks I will be writing my draft of the ordinance. My goal is to present it in person to each of the board members in person in the new year and get on the agenda for the middle of Jan or the beginning of Feb.

So let the paper cuts, styes from computer screens, carpal tunnel, and info over load headaches begin!  

So where to go from here?

Well I"m all for having fun but first we have some work that needs to get done. In the U.P. of Michigan we have a very challanaging weather pattern our first hard frost come normally in Sept. and the last hard frost comes in late April so that is about 8 months give or take that it is near impossible to grow anything outside. Currently we have about 2 inches of snow on the ground and most people are happy that the snow took so long to come and stick. The only good part of the long winters up here is that it gives me plenty of time to plan and prepare for spring. Here is the list of everything that needs to get done before the snow melts.

First raise the funds needed to buy all the supplies. Currently I have figured out exactly how much that will be. I'm guessing somewhere in the range of $200-300. But seeing as I'm not sure what all I will need that number will go up.

So along with that I need to decide what all I want to have on my Urban farm next spring. I also have to make the tough call as to whether I should buy new, buy used, or just improvise (sometimes this last one is the most fun)

Next I have this little problem with local ordinases. It turns out that Uraban farming is no quit legal, in NO way is it illegal. It's just the ordinases are very out-dated and need updating. This will be a fight but it's one I'm willing to fight for other community member like me.

Next I have made it my goal I have to get indoor starts to work this year. For about 3 years in a row I have had all my indoor starts die or get infected with something. As a result I have had to run down to the local green house and spend more that I should to get starts from them.

I'm also hoping to get back to winemaking this winter. Along with that I want to try and make cheese. Crazy I know but you never know until you try right.

The finall thing (so far) is to get all the structures build and in place before the seasons start. This will take a bit of timing but I think I have it worked out.

So far that is the plan I'm going to fallow no dought it will change here soon like it always does.