Update: Thanks to everyone who donated so far, I’m up to over $1,000 from mostly small donations $5-20. You guys rule!
It’s really hard for me to ask for help. I’m used to doing things myself, helping other people, and figuring out some jankity way to make things work out. Welp, the time has come for me to admit that I can’t figure this out by myself, and I don’t have an extra $2500 floating around. Last night Bill and I were at Berkeley Bowl and I asked him, “Am I really in trouble? or am I just being whiney?” Bill said, “Of course, this is total BS! We pay property taxes on that lot, and spent our last pennies to buy it so we can have a farm and now they say you can’t have the farm? Do you know how much money we’re spending so you can have some chickens or ducks?”
It’s true, this is stupid. Why am I even trying? Why not just move to the country and do whatever I want? Why be so deviant, why not just go buy my food at the grocery store and shut the fuck up?
I’ll tell you why: I love Oakland. I love the people who live here, and I love my neighborhood. It is like freaking sesame street walking down the damn street with everyone saying hi and helping each other out. I even don’t mind the city–they are just doing their job. And, at the same time, I love keeping animals and growing vegetables. I adore my goats and my egg laying chickens, and my meat ducks. That’s what my book Farm City is all about–figuring out how to live in the city and raise my own healthy, delicious food. What was surprising to me was when Farm City came out and people got so excited about urban farming for themselves. This enthusiasm and excitement has been a by-product of the farm–or should I say a value added product?–and makes me realize that I can’t stop and just walk away. Your words of support keep me doing what I’m doing.
When we saved our money and finally bought the lot after squatting for so many years, I felt like I could finally relax and build on what we started. That’s still what I want to do: make a teaching space, a hub for other urban farmers to sell their extra produce and honey, and a demonstration for best practices for urban farming. But these troubles from the city and the animal rights activists rabbit nazis and people who think what I’m doing is Weird, are really kicking my ass. It’s eating up all my time and energy, and I’m running out of money.
I know lots of people have sent offers of help my set up various systems to raise money, sorry I didn’t get back to you yet. I was trying to figure out how to do it myself. So, check it out, there’s a paypal button on the right sidebar of this blog (I’m a technophobe to the core–thanks Marg and Daniel for your help). Feel free to give, and know that I’ll use the money to fight the urban farming fight. Note that these donations are not tax deductible. They’re gifts to a private entity.
The Urban Orchardist 
Fight, the good fight! Happy to contribute in my little animals’ names. $10 for Angelina, $10 for Flower, and $10 for Iris even though she is winning our milking battle right now. 😉
Rock on, Sister! You have friends in Wisconsin.
I’ve shared this post on my Facebook Page as well as the Take Back Urban-Homesteading(s) Facebook Page asking everyone to make a small donation. If half the folks on the TBUH page send just $1.00 you will have enough for your permit. Got my fingers crossed.
Right on, Novella! I know that asking for help is tough, but I’m SO GLAD that you’re doing it. It’s going to work out.
C’mon troops! Time to rally!
Just made a small donation of $15. I hope others follow. However, I agree with Bill that this is total BS. Even if you can raise the money and I hope you can, a fee of $2500 is going to inhibit others from following in the same direction. Oakland needs to change policy.
Just made a small contribution to the cause. I suspect you won’t have long to wait before your permit fee is covered. Community supported agriculture indeed. I hope this frees up some of your time and energy so that you can participate in changing the codes that make it necessary for you to get this bullshit permit in the first place.
done! Happy to help – wish I could give you the whole thing!
Novella,
Thank you for fighting the good fight. Let us know if you make your goal; also let us know if you don’t. We can shake some more trees.
Probably not the greatest time, economically speaking, to be hittin’ up folks for the cash. Times are tough all over.
Hi Novella-
I’ve been reading your story, LOVE your little farm idea : ) Don’t panic, what can be done can be un-done or re-done. We need to appeal to the city council to make what you do legal. There was another lovely story in the Chronicle that might wake some administrative yahoos up and help you. If I had an idea I’d share it with you so I will take time to think things through. In the meanwhile, IF, for some illogical reason the city ‘makes’ you get rid of the animals I can offer you a foster space for now. I live on almost half an acre, have a small pond and a small ‘farm’ myself. Since you never know who is going to say what and some moron may say ‘get rid of the animals you have and then acquire new ones in X months’ you won’t have to get rid of them permanently. UGH….this sucks but it will work out and I HOPE it works out to everyone’s benefit.
Best of luck, Novella. I sent a bit of cash your way, to help the cause!
This month you are my charity of choice. You’re way more fun than the other places I put my “donation” money ;-))
Don’t lose hope my dear.
You are in the right ….morally if not legally.
Hey N – Wish I had more to give, but every little bit helps, right?! I’m glad you’re going to be a good example for the rest of the urban farmers out there.
–Melissa (from Virginia)
You and your sister are an inspiration to me. I hope my small donation helps you reach your goal!
novella, your book inspired me and i am planning a move the the country myself, very soon. was so disappointed when i heard the story on npr. i wish i could give more, but i’ll share on fb and hopefully others will also be inspired.
Loved your book and shared it. I’ve had chickens in the city for 35 years. Sending donation, glad to help. Can you get education/non-profit status? You are helping a lot of people, including children. And the very idea that you are profitting from selling vegetables, considering what chickenfood costs… perhaps you are making 10 cents an hour?
I wish I could give more, but I have hope in your fans! You got this Novella!
I really enjoyed your book, but I didn’t buy it, I checked it out from the library. Your call for help has led me to reimburse you directly for the cost of the book. That made the most sense to me. I know you’ll put it to good use. We’re all pulling for you. Keep your head up.
Really enjoyed your talk at the Alameda Public Library. Chip Johnson’s article in today’s Chron was right on time! You’ll have your CUP money in a week. Keep the faith!
Novella, I am a vegetarian and animal lover and I just donated to your cause to help show that we’re not all like the “rabbit people.” I would rather be a rabbit (or chicken, or goat…) on your farm any day than any animal at a factory farm. You have a lot of integrity and have worked your tail off to make the farm a success, and I know you’ll triumph in the end over bureaucracy & everything else!
Novella, I subscribe to your blog, but didn’t get a notice of this. Usually I get all updates, but this time, nothing. If Kitty hadn’t posted it on Facebook, I could have missed it. She did, I saw it, and donated. Hope all will be well….Good luck. Carla Lopez
Hang in there, you’ll have your permit money soon! I added my little bit to the big pool. This will work out, you’ll see.
Hi Novella, we have had plenty of run ins with our city (though not on the farming front) regarding stupid codes. I totally know how stressful and exhausting it is. Fight the good fight and try to find the reasonable people there. I’ll be rooting for you from the East Coast. Sending a small contribution. Best of luck.
wish it was more, but every little bit helps. Xxooo
Thank you Novella! You have changed my life for the better and I wish I’d be adding more….
Love, Linda
I just donated 10$ not much but it’s all I could afford. Don’t stop fighting the good and rightous fight. I hate it when bureaucrats try to stop us from doing what we want on our land. You pay taxes after all!
As for the animal activists they should be happy you treat your animals so well. Animals need to be loved and respected and then eaten if needed; it’s all part of the circle of life.
Be brave farm warrior!
I’m a long-time blog reader and I believe 🙂 I’ll send more as I can.
I am making a donation under the condition that you crank up Public Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’ very, very loud and have an impromptu dance party in your apartment. Impromptu Dance Parties are the best way to keep sane in times of stress.
I’ve been following your blog for some time and love your honest plucky spirit. My husband and I had the pleasure of meeting you at your Spring farm open-house and admire the life decisions you have made. This is what community is all about, looking out for each other. You now have a donation from a couple of (egad!) Republicans, shhh. ;o)
Novella – have you heard of KickStarter.com? You should check it out – I think you could raise some serious cash to buy several lots in Oakland and do even more of your great urban farming
Done. All I ask is that you name the next 40 rabbits after me.
xoxo
C
Novella, is this $2500 a per-year thing or one-time?
When will you liberals learn that the government is NOT your friend???
All totalitarian, statist regimes seek food control. Look at what the communists did. Control the food, control the people.
And what will you do when next year they want another $2500? And then when they decide that they want $3000 instead of $2500 the year after that?
Can’t you see your government is a criminal thug? Robbing you in order to allow you to grow your own food? What’s the difference between what your own government is doing and what the mob does?
If this is not tyranny please tell me what is.
Its a one time fee.
Ten bucks away! And the libertarian troll is comedy gold. 😉
“Its a one time fee.”
And you believe your politicians and bureaucrats? Sooner or later they will be back with more fees and demand more control over what you do. But you will pay the ransom now and probably believe your government is doing you a favor. You truly deserve the government you have!
here’s some canadian support…keep ghost town going! you do such inspiring work.
I have a “thing” about paypal, so I was getting ready to email you and ask if it is ok to send you a donation by mail and saw this on your contact page “Send postcards, spices, or other items to 610 16th Street, #302 Oakland, CA.” I hope there are others like me who use snail mail, if they can’t paypal. 🙂 I read your book and loved it so much. I have followed your dear sister for years and recently found out about you, and am so inspired by you both. Any special requests “spices, other items” you want that I can throw in? I would love to support you in any of your needs. much love to you and yours.
Good luck in your fight. I’m sad to point out that “moving to the country” is not necessarily the solution to these sorts of issues. We finally bought our 1 acre non-urban homestead and got totally screwed. Our out-of-pocket costs were almost $5K but loss of value/time/effort was in the tens of thousands. Loss of the dream: can’t put a price on that.
Did I read correctly that you’ll have to pay that $2500 annually or is it a one-time fee?
Kudos on being able to ask for help, I know how very hard that can be. Thanks for giving your readers the opportunity to contribute — and especially thanks for the fantastic work you do, and the inspiration you provide!
I am reading Farm City now, and LOVING it. I am also about to leave my grantwriting job to become an urban farmer in Boston, and someday I want to buy my own vacant lot and do something like you are doing. Thank you for your leadership and inspiration. I made a small donation, and look forward to hearing that you were victorious!
I enjoyed your book very much. Your descriptions of the city of Oakland remind me of Youngstown, Ohio, near where I live. I wish somebody would do what you’re doing here. I’m glad to give my small donation. Keep up the great work.
Hi–just made a modest donation all the way from Montreal, QC thanks to the magic of internet sharing. Im moving out to the bay to do an urban farming internship in the fall, I sincerely hope your farm is still flourishing!
Best,
Anna
Happy to help. Your book inspired me. I’m now working on a short film to help change the laws on backyard chicken farming in suburbia.
Everyone should be able to raise their own food. Keep up the good work!
What a ridiculous state of affairs. I’ve sent a small donation, I hope it helps.
Mike
Easy Bohemian
I just loved your book and was charmed by you at a book signing nearly a year ago. Your farm, creative way of doing things, courage and guts have inspired me to keep my own food garden/orchard going way out here in suburbia. Please hang in there. I hope my little bit helps.
In case you are wondering why you have a donation from Boise, ID — I used to work in South Berkeley just north of the Oakland border and know your neighborhood well. I could visualize all of it as I read your wonderful book. Keep up the good work of trying to take back our food production from the factory farms! Here in Boise it is harder to eat locally all year, but there is a good local food movement here, too. I miss year-round farmers’ markets, though…..
I am a believer in Sesame Street and you. I hope you are able to win this fight. I will do my best to spread the word.
I got the info. from Ethicurean on FB. Put in a small cash for you hope it helps. Also I can donate time too if you need me. I’ve worked on farms before. Good luck!
Just donated what I could spare. Good luck! I just finished your book and was inspired by your story.
I purchased your book last week in your support.</B
Novella, I support you and your human right to grow whatever you wish on your own property without asking permission from your city overlords to do so. We are taking great steps backwards in human rights by reverting to serfdom if we continue to allow government busy-bodies to extort cash from us for not following their threats regarding OUR OWN PROPERTY. They have become the farmers, turning US into human livestock, milking us for all we’ve got.
I know that it’s a frightening consideration to REFUSE TO PAY them, but if you make a public declaration and gather all the people in your area that also believe in basic human rights to support your defiance to allow the city bureaucrats to express violence and threat of violence against you, we may all stand a chance of putting the aggression of government back in the small box it belongs in. At least in this case.
I don’t blame you if you choose to give them money to go away. But this is probably the best opportunity we all have in bringing attention to the violation of our human right to control our own property and getting them to take their organized crime techniques back home with them.
Please take five minutes to watch this eye-opening video on what has become “Human Farming” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uplMh9CrRII
My thoughts are with you and your boyfriend.
Yikes! Sorry- I didn’t mean to make the whole post above in bold. I can’t find a “delete” button anywhere. My apologies for sloppy HTML code.
Thanks for letting us all help out! I hope this latest cautionary tale turns out to be a stepping stone to something better. ( Gone Legit 🙂 Hang in there! You are a talented writer and your life’s work really is an inspiration.
I’ve made my donation to the cause as well. Things may be tight right now, but yours is a cause I can absolutely support. (Of course you could offfer to pay the fine in chard, but I don’t think these poeple have a sense of humor.)
There seem to be two main issues here: zoning laws and business permits. Some communities will not allow keeping livestock in certain areas. However, most places will allow vegetable, fruit and herb cultivation. Sooo.. before you decide to keep chickens, etc, check with your community government. Zoning issues regarding keeping livestock in residential areas will most likely involve noise and odor concerns. If this is the case in your neighborhood, talk with your neighbors and petition for a zoning variance. If you live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association, things will be more difficult. Check the rules.
The other roadblock to farming in residential areas if that if you are selling the products from your farm/garden are: there may be zoning restrictions about operating a commercial enterprise in a residential area, obtaining the necessary local business permits and following food safety precautions and state and federal regulations. It sounds like most of the grief Novella is facing has to do with the various problems involved with operating a business in a residential area and not having the necessary permits, certifications and inspections required to sell food products to the public.
For example, Novella, I doubt that your poultry operations are NPIP inspected and certified. You can not legally sell eggs or poultry meat without this Federal certification. You can not sell these products, although you can use them for yourself and you can share them with the community IF you do not accept money.
Also, be careful when accepting donations. All of these wonderful folks who are helping you out are giving you monetary gifts. Unless you are a 501c3, these folks can not claim the “donations” on their taxes and an unfriendly neighbor could file a complaint that you are illegally soliciting donations for a charity that doesn’t exist. Just make sure that it is clearly stated that you are asking for help with your private garden and not for a charity.
Yes, you own the property and pay taxes on it, but you also live in a community and have to abide by the rules set by Oakland, California and the Federal Government.
Just donated. Also, reiterating my offer to provide some legal help for free.
My wife and I sent you a bit of cash. We will be able to contribute more next payday.
Hey Novella!
I love your book and your blog and am a Berkeley student. Can I just come visit your farm and give you some cash? As much as a student can reasonably give? I’m the chick that emailed you about moving to Brooklyn a few days ago and I live in a student cooperative right now, maybe I can rope a few of us together for a trip in my car. It would be awesome, because I *might* have found a place in Brooklyn that has a backyard and an unused, weed-filled lot next to it (owned by some store keepers in the front who might need some convincing/promise of honey and/or eggs) AND i would love to see a set-up of an urban farm.
Lemme know! I hate paypal bleh.
What I can’t seem to get past is that you’ve set up an illegal business and are now upset that the government won’t let it slide because your illegal business is tiny and cute and you’re helping the community. I hope that you can use this situation as a wake-up call to interact with the world in a more adult way. We all have to pay for stuff, and there’s usually permits involved in having your own business, so why did you not research this issue before you started?
Since Ms. Carpenter is raising animals for slaughter on her property in Oakland, she is in violation of the Oakland Municipal Code, thusly:
“8.40.080 – Offensive places and occupations. It is unlawful for any person to establish or maintain any slaughterhouse, to keep any hog, to cure or keep hides, skins or peltry, to slaughter cattle, sheep or any other kind of animal, to pursue, maintain or carry on any other business or occupation offensive to the senses or prejudicial to the public health or comfort, within the limits of the city.”
Contributed! Good luck to you and I hope policy change is next!
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Let’s see if I understand this. Novella Carpenter moved to a ramshackle house in inner city Oakland and discovered a weed-choked, garbage-strewn abandoned lot next door and made it into something good. I’m having a hard time accepting that the City of Oakland can shut her down over chard. (What is chard, anyway?)
Novella,
Just gave $10. We wish it could be much more. You have been an inspiration for us and your life has given us far more than the mere cash we can give you now. We hope that this combined effort will reward you in spades. You deserve it!
Tripp and Jessica Tibbetts
Tonic Permaculture
Tifton, GA
keep the change!
Use your talent as a writer. Urban farming comes around in times of hardship. Your first book was great! Can your writing support your urban dream? Frankly, it would make a great movie.
Farming from the mirror side
I just made a small $10 donation. It’s the least I can do. And I always like to do the very least I can do. 😉
Breathe deeply, my dear. Some races are sprints, but anything that has to do with city politics and policies is a marathon. And (based on years of experience) frequently the ones who win are the people who just hang in there and plug away at things. I would say tortoises, but I think it’s more like stubborn goats. (Which kinda fits.)
Hang in there. Oakland is getting a lot of egg on its face right now. And with food prices soaring, a massive state budget deficit and continued high unemployment combined with a growing disgust over what is being put in our food, our side is gonna win.
hey novella,
forget about the haters.
my buddy keri and i are sending something your way.
keep on trail blazin’.
kaite
Times change, and laws, codes, and ordinances need to be revised in accordance to these changes. For the naysayers, while I can understand in theory your feelings regarding following the rules, I think if you checked the laws/codes/etc. where you live, you’d all be able to find at least one thing that you were violating without knowing it. Something that doesn’t currently make sense, to you (and probably many others), and should be revisited and revised. Novella, good luck to you, happy I could help, if only in a small amount. Here’s to hoping it adds up quickly!
Hope this little helps alleviate the outrage. Beaming you good thoughts.
Barb in Minnesota
Hang in there, Novella. There is a mass of local legislation and housing area codes, covenants and restrictions on the books all over the country, from no clotheslines to no chickens to no vegetable gardens in the front yard or no fruit trees by the sidewalk, all of it intended to reverse millennia of standard urban practice. My work takes me all over my small city, looking at the built environment. I find unmistakable cow sheds and stables behind houses from the early 20th century in the middle of town. Oh, now it’s a garage, shed or workshop… so we can ignore the reality that there were animals in the city long after it coalesced from a frontier settlement. There was always considerable food produced in the city, too, from gardens and fruit trees and chicken coops, until after WWII and the convulsion of neatening that replaced productive gardens with landscaping.
We have legislated ourselves into a corner, forbidding mixed uses in our built environment. It’s going to be a hard slog, one ordinance, one laundry protester, one chicken coop at a time, to get back to a sensible way of organizing our lives and our neighborhoods. We have food deserts, but growing food is illegal, or selling it is illegal, or processing it for sale is illegal. We have neighborhoods with high unemployment, but starting cottage industry businesses is illegal.
Just keep at it. Time and a crumbling economy are on your side.
you are so inspirational to so many people. If we all just accepted the rules as they were we would not be the country we are so keep on fighting. You took something ugly and broken and turned it into something beautiful and productive. My Great Grandmother would often talk about the pet goats the neighbors had when she was growing up…in Brooklyn.
Done. Good luck, Novella — you’re an inspiration. –C
i made a donation and blog post on your behalf; hope it helps:
http://ecolocalizer.com/2011/04/07/trouble-in-farm-city-and-how-you-can-help/
best wishes,
Patricia
http://urbanartichoke.blogspot.com/
You and your sister are a great inspiration to me. Made a little gift to you in return. Thanks so very much and all the best.
“I am making a donation under the condition that you crank up Public Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’ very, very loud and have an impromptu dance party in your apartment.”
What Kristina said +1
Novella, your book inspired me to continue my quest to grow my own food, and enticed me to get rabbits to fertilize my garden. I was happy to be able to give what I could… I wish it could be more.
Keep your spirits up Novella, and don’t let the bureaucrats downtown get to you.
I live a few miles from you in Adams Point (near Fairy Land) where I grow some of my own food. This neighborhood was developed after the ’06 quake, and is now mostly apartment buildings, but there are still echoes of its rural past–two houses down there is still an old barn. I grow some of my own food. If I had time and space I’d love to raise chickens.
I hope that my small donation helps.
Sending a little something, and our best wishes from NYC…hang in there!
Good Food is a most basic right. You are doing good work. It will pass.
novella,
a thousand blessings on you and your small piece of working paradise.
as rotten as it is, your situation is waking everyone up to the idiocy of current farming and zoning laws. change is coming, thanks to your gracious, generous, honest and determined spirit.
i am sending some money your way. i wish i could pay the whole amount and make you dinner!
thank you for doing things the way you do and thanks for letting all of us help.
xo ‘s from Albuquerque
ps. whatever you do, please oh please DO NOT shut the fuck up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Oakland, too, which is more than half of why Farm City was so satisfying to read.
Sending a small donation as before I run dowstairs to sow some seeds 🙂
Please let us know if you reach your goal.
Good luck Novella !
Of all the urban farming books I’ve read, yours was by far my favorite. I anxiously wait for another one. I am a vegetarian and animal rescuer. I love animals. I do not see a single thing wrong with humanely raising your own meat. Can’t these people see the difference between quality of life before consumption, and factory farming where animals are treated as mere products? I live in a suburban city in Florida and raise as much of my own food as I possibly can. I do intend to get a few chickens eventually, and perhaps a rabbit, for eggs and compost. I sent you a donation yesterday, and if I could, I would have paid your whole bill. I was so happy when you posted that you had purchased your lot. There are alot of us out here who love you. Nancy R
I can’t really give $$ right now, but I’ll send you $50 of every 4 seasons produce poster I sell, up to 10 posters. I hope the offer doesn’t sound spammy, i just want to give somehow!
donation sent. i hope it makes a difference to those crazies in oakland’s city hall that you’re getting support — monetary and otherwise — from all over the country, if not the world. do let us know if there’s anything more we can do, including deluging city hall with letters of support!
*namaste*
Hoping you’re edging closer to your target, Novella. 🙂
I just had to respond to these two posts:
@Sapphire – “If you live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association…” Seriously? Please pick up a copy of Farm City and read it – you’ll probably really enjoy it! I do believe that we are all well aware that we are donating money directly to Novella so that she can keep her farm (and farm animals) in order to turn it into a non-profit in the future.
@Amanda – “your illegal business is tiny and cute and you’re helping the community”. Exactly! Shouldn’t more us take something that is neglected, ugly, and a blight on the community and turn it into something good? There are so many communities in this country (let alone the world) that need a Novella Carpenter. Spend some time living in a poor, deprived, desperate place and you’ll see what it means to have people like her doing great things with very little.
Wish it could be more…..good luck to you!
I’d be happy to host a dessert and wine fundraiser for you with my pals from Masse’s Pastries (they suggested this tonight). They’d provide the pastries and I’d spring for some decent wine. We could do it at my house in North Berkeley. Lemme know. By the by, I spoke with Jean Quan about this bullshit issue last weekend and she was NOT sympathetic. Maybe folks should call or email her and let her know how we feel. I told her how I felt.
Let her know: Oakland mayor Jean Quan!!
officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com
(510) 238-3141
glad to help, i donated $10 (not much but i hope it makes a difference). i’ve read your book, and loved every bit of it. and what you’re doing is nothing but good for you and your community! don’t let anyone stand in your way! good luck novella!!
Hi Novella,
Go to the next council meeting and ask them to freeze enforcement of the code with many neighbors, friends and other urban farmers.
Our family got a letter from the city last year because we had more than the two allowed chickens. They were asking us to pay 500.00 for every day that we continued to be in violation of the law. Through a neighborhood web group: eugenefriendlyfarmers.ning.com we organized and more than 40 of us showed up at the meeting and spoke about the benefits of urban homesteads and demanded that they freeze enforcement of the chicken code.
All the council members were very supportive of chickens in the city and agreed to not enforce the code until the number allowed would be changed.
We didn’t pay the city anything.
Good luck!
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