My secret dream has been to own a Hobby Farm someday. I have always loved farm animals, especially cows, and I like the whole granola aspect of knowing where my food comes from. But since the reality of a farm is off in the distance (probably after the kids graduate from HS), I have settled on what I think is a reasonable alternative.

Chickens . . . . yes I said chickens. It's something I've been thinking about for awhile, but haven't really done any research on it - until now. I was at the library on Thursday picking up some reserves (on knitting, of course) and on my way to the check-out computer I saw it, a new book about how to raise chickens in your backyard. Luckily for me, Randall and the kids have been trading coughs and fevers since Thursday, so I have had plenty of time to sit and read while they lounge around in a Tylenol induced stupor.

I did some further research online and found that I can, according to the city of Columbus, raise chickens in my backyard. There are numerous hoops to jump through to be able to do it, but I like knowing that it is possible. I even found this blog, about a couple in Columbus that has gone through the process and have had their hens for a year now. I'm definitely going to shoot them an email and pump them for more information about, well, everything, that goes into having hens in your backyard. Some I'm thinking in about a year or two when I have thoroughly planned, budgeted, researched everything, we might get 3 hens to start out.