The S.A.P was created in 2008 by a group of Grand Valley students. It has grown tremendously over the years and currently contains multiple hoop houses, garage space used for harvesting and processing foods, several raised graden bed fields, a bee hive shed, and pasture lands.

This image shows the estimated new location of the chicken coop based on the S.A.P managers recommendation ("east of garage") since it is close to the garage and the pasture land. The chickens would be free to roam the pasture lands during the day and returned to their coop at night.

This highly functional designed coop house will make chicken management easier, education opportunities possible with a walk-in feature, as well as protection for chickens from predators. It can be designed to house as many chickens as desired.

People will benefit from the chickens in multiple ways. Students on campus and the local community will have access to farm fresh eggs. People will benefit indirectly from the chickens addition to compost at the S.A.P that helps crops for the farmers market and campus dining. Locals, students, and interns can learn the process of growing food with the incoporation of farm animals such as chickens. Focusing on a larger scale, incorporating chickens into the fields can promote education of biodiversity on farms. This process can be replicated at other universities and inspire others anywhere to let their animals and crops work in harmony, overrall leading to better quality food and access to produce.

Using the chickens sustainably at the S.A.P could be regenerative. Chickens serve as a natural form of pest and weed control. With chickens on the farm, people can expect higher yields without utilizing harmful fertilizers to keep pests away. Chickens will help the land rather than harm the land. They provide compost material and aid in improving soil quality. Locally sourcing your food reduces the national or global demand that contributes to factory farming which is extremely harmful to the planet and human health. These commercial farms supply companies like the ones mentioned above that mistreat their chickens. If a greater portion of the population is aware of the benefits that stem from open food systems, such as chickens sharing the land with food sources, we could see communities and their land, rather than harmful cooperations, thrive.

Having chickens at the S.A.P will serve as a way to improve the relationship between campus dining (Laker Food Co.) and the S.A.P. It will also bring more awareness to the S.A.P through the selling of eggs at farmers markets throughout the season. Selling the eggs may not be extremly profitable on its own, but the land will become rich in natural resources. If people were to use chickens on their farm at a larger scale, they would save finanical resources because the chickens provide natural pest control and fertilizer. Their pecking helps aeartae the soil meaning less machiney and fuel would be required to work the land, cutting the cost for farm management. Farmers could even harvest their own birds rather than buying them from other sources. There are many financial benefits and profitbale opportunties that can be leveraged with raising animals on farmland.