The Backyard Chicken Fight

This week we are spotlighting local award winning author/speaker, chicken champion and all around great person Gretchen Anderson. 

Gretchen has been keeping chickens from the time she was a child and her latest book 

The Backyard Chicken Fight is a wonderful collection of stories and vital knowledge that any Backyard Chicken Keeper would be proud to have.

Recently I had the opportunity to pick her perfectly coiffed head on some questions that I've been itching to know. 

 With the popularity of backyard chickens what do you feel is the most important message to your book? 

- "That just about anyone can keep chickens—even in the smallest places.  They make great pets and it is one of the most sustainable actions we can take right now.  There is also a message of taking on City Hall.  It’s a message of people fighting for the right to be more sustainable."

 As an award winning author and speaker why did you choose to write about chickens?  

 - "I was fascinated by the stories from around the country where people had to fight for backyard chickens. They all have several things in common: they want food security, they believe in private property rights and they want to be more sustainable."

If you had to choose what is your favorite quote from your The Backyard Chicken Fight?  

- "Probably the story of the Rogue Rooster.  I quoted my friend Mary Defayette as saying, “A rooster has adopted a busy corner in town and when a lady complained to the cops that he wouldn’t let her pass by, they told her to cross the road! Ha, the chicken made the lady cross the road!” I love the irony!"

 Do you have a favorite chicken in your flock? And why? 

 - "Absolutely! My Ameraucana, named Hedwig.  She’s my house chicken, very docile and a champion layer of green eggs! "

Hedwig the house chicken

Your book and awareness campaign was instrumental  in the fight for the recent change in regulations to allow more chickens. How do you feel about that? 

- " I’ve had people come up to me and tell me I’m the reason they now have chickens.  I love it!  If I can help families become more sustainable while learning how to thoughtfully take care of chickens, I feel really good about that!"

What do you have planned for the future?

- " I am currently writing a book called “Secrets of the Lazy Urban Gardener” which will be out next spring."

Where can your book be purchased?  

- "In the Treasure Valley, you can purchase it at Zamzows, Costco and Barnes & Noble.  You can find it on-line at Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com and my Facebook page (The Backyard Chicken Fight)."

Pick up your copy of The Backyard Chicken Fight today!