By Regina Durkan/Farm to Fork
Wes Berry is an English professor at Western Kentucky University who is moving away from big corporations for his food. But instead of just buying his food from local farmers, Berry has decided to become a farmer himself, albeit on a small scale. Within the last two years, he’s started raising his own hens for eggs and a steer for meat.
“I do think these small differences make some ecological sense and add up,” Berry said. “We can’t make change on a huge scale.”
The move towards self-sufficiency and local food has become a popular recent trend. According to Urban Farm magazine, millions of people living in urban communities grow vegetables and herbs on their own. Another hobby city-dwellers have been taking up is raising chickens. Many cities across the country have recently changed their laws to allow for people to keep chickens in their backyards. The new chicken trend has bred an assortment of magazines including Urban Farm and Chickens magazine.
Rob Ludlow, owner of BackyardChickens.com, a site providing information to people wanting to raise chickens in an urban community, has seen membership in his website explode from 50 in 2007 to 50,000 in 2010.
“People desire to get their food from local and healthy sources,” Ludlow said, who is also the co-author of Raising Chickens for Dummies. “There is a preference for eggs from chickens that were fed well, and treated humanely.”
Berry is one of thousands moving towards this ecological satisfaction.
Below is an interactive media collage where you can explore Berry’s progression and current endeavors to become agriculturally independent.
Regina Durkan
Regina Durkan is a Western Kentucky University TV/Film Production and English Literature major who has been employed by G4TV and Category 5 Films in Los Angeles.
Thanks, Gina, for making me famous, har har har! I like what you’ve done.
Great job Regina! Looks wonderful!
Good to see you Wes! I fondly remember my grandparents’ small farm and all it produced. I wish we had the land where we are currently living in MS to grow and raise more than we are. My brother in KY is raising goats if you’re interested in goat meat or milk.
Good article. I enjoyed reading for 2 reasons. #1-It’s absolutely true. Folks do want to know what they actually eating. How the animal, vegetable, or bean was handled. #2.–I’m a farmer. Any new of agriculture expanse is good news!!
Now I’m thinkin about gettin’ some chickens!!!