Guest post by Tour D’ Coop
The growing urban farming movement has put chicken coops in some of the nicest neighborhoods. Clucking hens are an important part of gardens right around the corner here in Southwest Raleigh. On Saturday, May 19, Tour D’Coop invites you to visit the gardens and the hens. This one-day tour raises awareness of hen-keeping and raises money for Urban Ministries of Wake County.
You’ll have the chance to see coops sited among vegetable and flower beds, near fish ponds and under spreading trees. Your chicken-keeping and gardening questions can be answered by homeowners and you’ll spend the day being inspired by winding paths, bee hives, arbors, fruit trees and more.
The tour began seven years ago as the Henside the Beltline Tour D’Coop and after several successful years of showing off urban coops, the area was expanded to accommodate the explosion of chicken-keeping as a suburban hobby. Back yard gardens in tidy subdivisions now have hens and their homes; some with chandeliers, chicken slides, and viewing decks. The Tour D’Coop will show off approximately 30 Raleigh coops, from fancy to frugal, and educate visitors about chicken keeping in a garden setting.
Coops located in Southwest Raleigh include five well-appointed gardens situated off or near Western Boulevard. These gardens will amaze you! Look for a chicken-shaped clay pizza oven, frog ponds, custom-made coops that match the houses and child-friendly coop features. Coop tour tickets are available today at www.tourdcoop.com or on the day of the tour at Whole Foods on Wade Avenue or other ticket locations. 100% of the tour proceeds benefit Urban Ministries of Wake County, a non-profit organization that provides essential services to close to 20,000 Triangle residents annually.
Enjoy the tour on Saturday!