Ordinance makes sense

Lucia Stout Huebner, chairwoman, Hopewell Township
Agricultural Advisory Committee
    We all had a good laugh over the coverage of our chicken ordinance and the proposed rooster visitations in the national and international media. Laughter is the best medicine. And so is food that is raised in a wholesome way.
   In the midst of the frivolity let’s not lose sight of the reason we have introduced this chicken ordinance in the first place. A group of dedicated Hopewell Township citizens have volunteered countless hours studying and crafting this ordinance to make it possible for homeowners with less than 5 acres to raise a few chickens for the purpose of teaching their children, producing their own food and enjoying these wonderful birds. We have reviewed and incorporated comments from the township Health Department, Environmental Commission, Open Space Committee and the Planning Board. Many homeowners in the township living on less than 5 acres are already raising chickens and doing a fine job with it. The time has come to pass this ordinance. It makes sense.
   Please come to the free screening of the movie, “Fresh,” this tonight at the Municipal Building auditorium, 7:30 p.m., sponsored by the Hopewell Township Agricultural Advisory Committee, the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and PNC Bank. We will be having a discussion about sustainable agriculture and why we need to move away from factory farming. Hopewell Valley is blessed with many innovative farmers. Let’s keep the discussion alive and the movement for real locally produced food growing.