The
irony of urban farming is quite obvious. Since urban can be interpreted to mean
divorced from the land, to farm in a concrete jungle seems quite anti-intuitive.
Reading stories such as Carpenter’s anecdote about Oakland, California, is
novel and charming for this reason. But it also demonstrates how far people
have been removed from our nation’s history. Now, there’s a need to incorporate
education into gardening since she told of multiple stories where vegetables
were prematurely or wrongfully picked due to naivety or ignorance.
Additionally,
Cobb discusses how urban farming is closely tied to society in that it can help
alleviate economic racism as well as positively impact and encourage the youth.
Allen’s farm also discusses specific practices to optimize output and
efficiency in a small space—and still be profitable and sustainable.
The article
regarding livestock in urban settings was also interesting. As Butler points
out, chickens often don’t have space requirements. I tutor a woman from Burkina
Faso who has told me that in her hometown chickens roam everywhere. When I was
Honduras chickens often roamed freely, much more free than any free-range egg
you can get in the store.
However,
I personally feel that there must be some distinction between urban and rural
in order to raise animals humanely. Laws and regulations about animals in
cities isn’t just circumnavigating pesty and tedious rules from the local
government; often these laws are meant to improve the quality of life for the
animal as well. Sure, perhaps a goat in the backyard that is used for milk then
eventually killed (even humanely) by the owner doesn’t pose a threat to the
neighbors, but the animal’s quality of life is lessened due to its being unable
to interact with other goats since it has a need to be in a herd. As much as I
love seeing chickens clucking around a neighborhood, I think it’s still fair to
ask if the animals wouldn’t be happier on more acres out a rural farm. It’s
important to note that some regulations are not just to separate people from
farms but also for the well being of the animal.
Do you think that livestock in the urban setting affects the quality of life for these animals or do you think it can still be humane, or perhaps, even more beneficial for the animals?
I could definitely see how raising livestock in an urban setting could negatively affect the quality of life for the animals. I feel that it would be the issue of space that would potentially create the negative impacts. Many animals are meant to have a decent amount of space for roaming and grazing.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I feel that some animals may not be negatively affected (or affected at all) by being raised in an urban setting.
I have to say to your question that it probably depends on the density of the urban area as well as the type of animal as to whether or not the animal has a positive experience. In a city like Tallahassee where there is a fair amount of green space around the peripheries of campus, it is definitely plausible to have happy chickens. However, it would be impossible to have a happy cow in a backyard obviously. In somewhere like New York that is high density, people find ways to keep animals on rooftops or wherever, but I cannot imagine that being a humane way to take care of animals. I really like that you pointed out this perspective, because I feel that it's not often that people would frame livestock as sentient beings that need certain amenities.
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