Artful Living Magazine | Spring 2015

Page 92

collage || pastime

Backyard Farming The homesteading trend brings farm-to-table food to the backyard. | BY MARGUERITE HAPPE

I

t’s a beautiful morning in Stillwater. The warmth of crisp sunlight shines in patches, and a soft breeze carries the chattering conversation of sparrows. Rounding the corner to Parasole Executive Chef Tim McKee’s home, I see a typical backyard scene: lush green grass, abundant wildflowers, a wooden swinging love seat. Typical, that is, until I spot the chickens strolling leisurely around the yard, squawking and chirping to their hearts’ content. McKee is one of many Minnesotans with a small backyard farm, although his chicken coops weren’t necessarily inspired by a lifelong dream of having his own flock. “One year, my sister thought it would be cute to buy chicks for Easter — what she didn’t know is that they aren’t good for much until they are about 26 weeks old,” he says. The chef agreed to keep the birds and ended up adding a few more along the way. The journey was not without its roadblocks, though. “Since technically chickens are farm animals, I worked with other locals interested in keeping them and went through a long process of changing the ordinances in Stillwater,” McKee says. Today, the city's residents can keep up to five of the birds. For many aspiring foodies, a culinary proclivity toward farm-to-table food has resulted in a

90 Artful Living

| Magazine of the North


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