JoAnn Whitley of Salisbury will be the April presenter for the Greater Newburyport Edible Garden Group. This is a reschedule of the February program which was cancelled due to snow.

JoAnn and her husband Ray got their first three chicks last May after getting a special permit from the Town of Salisbury. They now have a flock of 9 and raise them for both meat and eggs. She will be speaking on what they have learned about raising backyard chickens. JoAnn will share stories and lessons learned about coop building, equipment and supplies needed, keeping chickens safe, chicken doctors and more. JoAnn has created a Facebook Page called The Chicken Keeper and is interested in connecting with others in the area who have, or are thinking about, raising chickens.

The Edible Garden Group was formed by community members who are interested in getting together to learn and share information about sustainable food growing – veggies, fruits, nuts. The meetings are focused on building community resilience through increasing the availability of safe, nutritious, sustainably-grown local food. For more information contact Deb Carey at boiester@gmail.com or 978-388-5629.