Bravo, Tour de Cluck, Bravo!

Not sure what the Tour de Cluck is all about?  Click HERE to find out.

City Council Candidate Rochelle Swanson was seen clucking around Central park with this character.

I would be lying to you if I told you that I rolled out of bed on Saturday morning ecstatic to be greeting the day at 8:30 a.m.  In fact, I usually miss Saturday mornings all together, preferring to make like a hibernating bear in the dead of winter.  But with the faint cock-a-doodle-doo delights promised by Davis’ first annual Tour de Cluck calling in my ear, it was impossible not to head out and see what all the hoop-la was about.

"Joe Krovoza garners hoots and hollers with his chicken act."

And after trekking my way out to Central Park and winding my way through the coop loop, I have to say, the hype of this event was well deserved.  Right off the bat, there was an air of frivolity and fun as big and small local names alike made like chickens (though not in the traditional cowardly way) and crowed and chirped up a storm in the Courage to Cluck kick-off event.  Joe Krovoza, currently running for City Council, was especially hilarious in a performance that ended with him actually laying an egg.

And you better believe that no one was happier than me to discover that the Fowl Food venders were supplying FREE omelets, generously provided by Vega Farms, as well as deviled egg spread tastes.  Like many men, my stomach is also the way to my heart, but the whole day was so much fun that I would have been won over even without the free food.

Chicken art clucks for itself.

The silent auction tent, overflowing with chicken themed art provided by many local artists, had something for everyone.  With pieces ranging in price from under twenty dollars to over a hundred, anyone could afford to take a piece of this unique event home with them.  The collection of paintings, sculpture, and even a unique purse shaped like a chicken (admittedly not my particular taste) made a great showing, many selling early in the day.

The meticulously organized bicycle coop loop running throughout Davis was the crowing glory of this event though.  For those interested in learning about local urban chicken farming, this annual event is ideal.  Every single coop owner had their own unique set-up and style and all were well informed and eager to share their own trials and success stories.

For you sustainability buffs, the importance of sustainable living was highlighted again and again in every backyard I toured.  Almost every single chicken coop was a dual space that also incorporated composting practices directly into the construction of the coop.  Chickens, who scratch through compost piles, eating bugs and doing their own part to break down materials, are excellent helpers for anyone seriously considering maintaining backyard composting practices in their own home.

Escape is far from the mind of this laying hen in the Great Eggscape coop.

Beyond experiencing so many creative coops and composting practices, it was also exciting to see so many meticulously tended gardens, with such a rich variety of produce and flora.  Almonds, berries, potatoes, artichoke, basil, parsley, and dill were just a few of the plants overflowing garden plots.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the animal life in these yards extended beyond just chickens.  The Great Eggscape coop actually kept rabbits right in the coop with the chickens and had a fishpond on their grounds.  And over at Egg Place North and South, I encountered two tortoises ambling through the garden.

But what made the Tour de Cluck so memorable is that it was so much more than just an educational field trip.  I found the Tour de Cluck to be an event that was, at its core, about building and strengthening community ties.  With just a tour ticket in my pocket, I was generously welcomed into the homes of some of the people who make the Davis community great.  If you didn’t know it before, you certainly would have known it by the end of the day—our Davis community really is one of a kind.

My final verdict would have to be that this is an event definitely worth repeating.  I won’t be around Davis next year to take advantage, but don’t let that stop you from keeping an eye out for the Tour de Cluck when it rolls around again next year.