b'Peace and EggsOur neighbors weigh in on raising hens in the suburbsBY ELLEN DONKERW henKateDialmovedof the animal rights organization at SUNY Buffalo.ens ever since.forchickensinSouthOrange withherhusbandBut it was a visit to a friends house in Maine someTheordinance MichaelCarricotoyears later that turned her on to raising chickens.came about in a similar fashion, except that it was a Maplewood,raisingI just thought it was so cool to have fresh eggs. It5th-grader, Phoebe Handelman, who led the charge chickenswashighonseemed so manageable. I was like, I want to doin 2018. After observing chickens at Camp Johnson-her list. She had caredthis. Then we came back home and discovered thatburg in western New Jersey, she became interested in for chickens in Brook- it was prohibited. having some of her own. Knowing that they werent lyn and wanted to tend a flock in the suburbs. SoA conversation with Kathy Leventhal, who was aallowed in South Orange, her mother, Kathy, told she applied for a license from Maplewoods healthmember of the Maplewood Township Committee ather, If you can figure out how to change the law, department and took the steps to comply with thethe time, gave Reesa encouragement to take actionthen well get some chickens. towns chicken ordinance.in 2011. Educating herself on other towns in Es- Phoebeproceededtowriteapersuasiveessay. Had Kate tried to bring hens into her back yardsex County that allowed chickens, Reesa researchedIt made its way to South Orange village president before 2013 she would have been denied. She hasordinances, spoke at committee meetings and an- Sheena Collum, who declared herself pro-chicken. Reesa Salomon to thank for pushing to get the ordi- swered the critics including several vocal residentsSheena coached Phoebe on how to bring her request nance adopted that year.whofearedthatchickenswouldattractratsandto the South Orange trustees, which she did at their When I asked Reesa, a speech language pathol- disease. After careful consideration, the committeenext meeting, wearing her chicken hat and accom-ogist, why she fought for it, she cites a long-timeadopted the ordinance in 2013. Reesa immediatelypanied by members of her Girl Scout troop. Phoebe interest in animals, having even served as presidentapplied for her license and has been keeping chick- successfully refuted residents who worried that goats 22/ matters magazine / hearth & home 2020'