Michelle Peterson/Winonan

Bruno Borsari, biology professor, will hold the first of four urban micro-farming workshops, “Backyard Chickens for Sustainable Living,” to teach participants everything they need to know to start raising chickens for their household.

The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, in Pasteur Hall. Borsari will cover topics including the benefits of raising chickens, which breeds are best to keep, the equipment needed to care for chickens and their biology.

Not only do chickens provide eggs, but Borsari says they are also important for gardens because they scratch the surface of the land, eat bugs and provide manure that enriches soil.

“My major focus is to make clear that even a few chickens in a limited backyard can become an asset to the ecological balance in that yard,” Borsari said. They make good pets for children because they are educational, they can be held, and they are cute, he said.

“Really, this series is not just how to raise chickens in your backyard. It’s also about how you can live more sustainably and environmentally consciously,” Tina Krause, program coordinator for Outreach and Continuing Education, said.

Borsari has four years of experience raising chickens and has over two decades of experience with habitat restoration and sustainable living.

He embraces sustainable living in his personal life by raising chickens, gardening and biking everywhere around town.

Living only 10 blocks from campus allows him to bike instead of using gas for transportation.

“I can bike anywhere in town, 365 days a year,” Borsari said.

Krause also encourages students to live sustainably, not only by attending workshops, but in everyday life as well.

“There are small things we can all do, from eating low on the food chain to recycling to being thoughtful consumers in a variety of different ways,” Krause said.

Borsari said his dream is to create a curriculum in food production and sustainable living.

“I hope that these four events will grow into a robust program of studies so students can earn credits for a program,” Borsari said.

Contact Michelle at [email protected]