In an article posted on http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/, local growers are not allowed to raise chickens, goats, or beehives that are within 250 feet of another residence or at least 13 homes 1/8 of a mile away!
All right, now one would assume that these local growers are acting responsibly, keeping their bees and goats and chickens contained, especially the bees. Michigan is primarily an agricultural and outdoorsy state once you leave the confines of the Detroit area, with a large mix of large- and small-scale farmers. Why on earth should that change?
Well, the article states that the Michigan Right to Farm Act was passed 33 years ago to protect farmers from, get this, urbanites and suburbanites who were tired of city life and decided to move to the country....but wanted to make the country more civilized by demanding anti-farming ordinances. This always makes me angry (yes, this is an ANGRY not literary or goofy post). When we moved to the Reading, Pennsylvania area in early 1976, the area was still largely rural. We got our milk from the local Tulpehocken Dairy until the Feds bought it 10 years later and turned it into residential and business-owned land. I can say from distinct memory (just ask my wife Vickie, mom, or colleague Candice about the trivia I recall) that the dairy milk was 10 times tastier than what we had to get at the supermarket after the dairy closed!
What I want to know is, what right do newcomers to an area have to dictate what others who have lived in the area MUCH LONGER can or can't do? Observe this Mr. Moore -contrived scenario
Farmer Gunther: Howdy!
Newcomer Neighbor Numbnuts: Hi.
Gunther: Welcome to the neighborhood!
Numbnuts: Thanks.
Gunther: How do you like the neighborhood so far?
Numbnuts: It's ok. It could be better.
Gunther: Why, what's the matter?
Numbnuts: I heard bees last night.
Gunther: You HEARD bees? From the top of that hill?
Numbnuts: Er, I saw bees.
Gunther: Last night? My bees are inside the beehouse at night.
Numbnuts: Er, someone told me you had bees.
Gunther: Who? We're the only ones in the area.
Numbnuts: Er, I was watching your yard and saw them yesterday.
Gunther: Oh...why?
Numbnuts:I like to get to know my neighbors.
Gunther: You could ring our doorbell, you know. Share some lemonade and get to be friends.
Numbnuts: I'm not like that. I just like to know what my neighbors do.
Gunther: Not very friendly of you.
Numbnuts: I have friends already. One is moving next door to me.
Gunther: Is he like you?
Numbnuts: He's not as sociable.
Gunther: Pity.
Numbnuts: Anyway, he's allergic to bees. The law says you need to get rid of them.
Gunther: But I supply the general store with the best honey in the state! Besides, the bees are perfectly controlled.
Numbnuts: It doesn't matter.
Gunther: Why did you move here anyway?
Numbnuts: I like the privacy.
Gunther: You're invading mine.
Numbnuts: It's MY neighborhood now. If you don't like it, move!
Gunther (blowing Numbnuts away with a Civil War cannon) Move this...punk!
OK OK, I didn't mean to make the farmer Clint Eastwood, but you can't win with a numbnuts like that. He probably served on local committees where he came from and caused trouble there, too! The point is, if someone wants to relocate, fine. If you want to make your home your "home away from home", great, build a wall and create it, DON'T try to mold the locals into how you want them!
By the way, I am a native Michigander...Michigan born, Pennsylvania raised and I sure miss the old places! I have learned the hard way a few times that you can't go back home, go back to being 21, or go back in a Delorean, I can live with all that. I can, however, demand we go back to living with our neighbors acceptingly. Otherwise, move on...punk!
The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
The ruling will allow local governments to arbitrarily ban goats, chickens and beehives on any property where there are 13 homes within one eighth mile or a residence within 250 feet of the property
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1235774/michigan-loses-right-to-farm-this-week-a-farewell-to-backyard-chickens-and-beekeepers/#CEVsgeGWdRfXcBMd.99
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