Urban Birds and Bees
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Living in an urban area doesn't mean you can't have local honey and fresh eggs. It just means you can support a local business and maybe invite some new feathered friends into your backyard. Watch this informational video and then check out the full scoop on the birds and the bees below!
After pollenating Portland's flora and promoting the local ecosystem, Bee Local's honey-makers buzz up to the tops of key buildings downtown to do what they do best. Each hive can cover a radius of over a mile, bringing back the neighborhood's pollen to craft their own special variety of honey. In addition to its inherent deliciousness, a daily dose of honey can alleviate symptoms of seasonal allergies and motivated folk will employ ancient techniques to make mead or "honey wine."
If you want to get your paws on this amazing local honey, check out Bee Local's online store. Honey is a fantastic gift (for yourself and others) so visit the site periodically because the varieties change as the season progresses!
So the next time you're downtown and spot a bee beating its wings up toward a building, you can smile to yourself because you'll know where she's headed.
Before you get distracted by all the awesome benefits of owning chickens, let it first be known: chickens make great pets. Just hanging out with your chickens in the backyard while enjoying a refreshing beverage is a recipe for relaxation.
In addition, most hens will provide you with omelet ingredients every one to three days. And these fresh, free-range eggs are proven to be higher in vitamins and lower in cholesterol and saturated fat.
Also, chickens are enthusiastic gardeners. They'll happily clear a vegetable garden after harvest, scratching out slugs and weeds and yes, fertilize the soil for good measure. If you have fruit trees, chickens will clear away the fallen produce before it attracts insects.
You might say that backyard chickens are the bee's knees!
For information on the types and quantity animals the City of Portland allows you to keep at your residence before you need a permit, check out this FAQ on backyard animals.
