Tour de Coop 2012

Me are meeting Monday to discuss a 2012 event for Boise and Eagle. If you have suggestions for this year, please post on our FaceBook page at 'Boise/Eagle Tour de Coop' or send an email to info@ this web site. We also still have a few cool shirts left from 2010 and 2011; send an email to shirts@ this web site if you would like to purchase one or more.

Chicken à la (Mac) King

Chickens and rabbits and bees! Oh, my! Boise City looking to expand urban garden rules

View video at: http://www.fox9now.com/news/local/138908514.html

Tour de Coop Slide Show

Check out some photos of a few coops and gardens from this year's Tour de Coop! Click here.

Thanks Everyone!

Whew! Year Two of the Tour de Coop is history. Great time at the after party tonight at the State Street Zamzows, and more excellent coops throughout the day in Boise.

HUGE thanks to Zamzows for all the support: help with event promotion, gift bags for tour hosts, sanitation kits  for all the hosts to reduce potential disease transmission, and of course, their very fine location for tonight's party.

Thanks to Sustainable Community Connections (Kelsey!) and Treasure Valley Food Coalition for making the registration work and for all the time spent fielding questions this weekend.

Thanks also to Archie's Place for showing up with food and drink.

Ginormous kudos to all our volunteers: Sallie, Gretchen, Kelsey, Martha, Elizabeth, Alison, and their families who helped with creative ideas, planning and implementation.

And of course, thank you to al the tour hosts for spending their days in the spirit of sharing information and their experience about backyard chickens.

Cluck, cluck!

Eagle Tour Swell; Boise To Feature Better Map!

Wow! Some cluckaliscious coops on today's Eagle Tour (with two particularly awesome Boise stops thrown in for good measure). Many of us played tag throughout the day, lingering to take notes on interesting designs, breeds and to chat. Lots of beautiful birds and friendly people.

If we heard one common theme from the hosts, it was how nice chickeney folks are. Lots of hosts and visitors were glad that someone bothered to organize the event, and some even offered to help out next year (eggsellent!). What many didn't know is that this event is organized by a handful of volunteers (with families, day jobs, and even a wedding/honeymoon right before the event!) who have had to figure out how to make it work, and have paid for expenses out of our own pockets, hoping that we'll break even. Thanks to those of you participating, buying shirts, maps and such like, we will likely have funds to contribute to www.idahoscc.org. We are grateful.

Click for a slideshow of coops from the Saturday Tour!

Map stuff. A couple of folks had trouble with the map Saturday, but the vast majority (>98%) of those registered seemed to navigate just fine. We'll tinker with the process next year to create a more foolproof and swanky system. The current Google Map instructions include a link to a 'new and improved' document with addresses next to the map pointers for the Boise Tour.

We're Halfway There!

Online registration ends soon for the Boise Tour (see link at left); everyone registered will receive an email with a link to the online tour *map. If you are a late bird or spaced out your online registration, we hope you can join us for the After Party (see below) and next year's astonishingly sweeter tour.

If you have ordered shirts or posters online, they will be available at the After Party at the State Street Zamzows between 4pm and 6pm tomorrow (Sunday). If you placed your shirt order after September 28 and we don't have extra shirts from our current inventory, you may pick them up late next week (we will place our final shirt order Monday).

Check this site and our FB page for late-breaking news through tomorrow. On-line map sales have been brisk, and all hosts experienced steady traffic and delightful conversation.

*Note. Internet Explorer has an issue displaying the graphic pointers on Google Maps; we recommend using an alternate browser such as Firefox, Chrome, or Safari for best results. We have also provided a .pdf version of the instructions and map, which includes coop addresses and pointers to help plan your tour.

Tour de Coop Etiquette

Greetings, Chicken Lovers!

As we approach the fabulous Tour de Coop, here are a few reminders for those of you visiting local coops during the tour (remember to register by 5pm this Friday):

1. Dogs and chickens don’t mix; please leave fido at home with a nice chew toy.
2. Be respectful of the tour host’s yard, garden and property, and make sure everyone in your party does the same.
3. We do not expect or encourage tour hosts to open their homes to visitors, so plan your party’s bathroom breaks accordingly and strategically!
4. Ask questions and take pictures.
5. Make sure to attend the after party Sunday from 4-6pm at the at the Zamzows location on State Street. It will be a great wrap up to the weekend, and we'll have tee shirts for sale along with food by Archie's Place and beverages.
6. Please use the shallow foot baths provided to avoid spreading anything unwanted from coop to coop. Wear appropriate shoes and step in the foot bath on entering and leaving yards.
7. Have fun!

Thanks for helping make this a positive experience for everyone.