Dear Editor:
I was wondering if I was the only one getting the horrible smells from the six chicken barns across from the convenience center on the road from Hwy. 13 to Wachapreague? I am certain the odor is not coming from the dump.
If it were, I think people would really be complaining and thus think that the county would be doing something right away to ameliorate the situation. Alas, I do not think that is the case with private chicken barns.
Perhaps the owners can start by cleaning the barn floors after each batch of chickens versus only doing it after five batches (quoting Mr. Satterfield, a former industry spokesman). There has also been experimentation with changing the diet of the birds (less protein?) so that they would emit less ammonia, etc.
CBES, Citizens for a BETTER Eastern Shore, on Oct. 26, is having its annual bike ride. This is over 1,000 riders (often accompanied by nonbike-riding friends and relatives), mainly from off the Shore, some of whom come back and ride our byways. I am sure that chicken barn smells and dirty air are not conducive to a great ride.
Kerry Allison was much maligned, but she was right: chicken barns and tourism, whether it is with bicycles or people coming to fish or visit the barrier islands, do not go together! To the powers that be: Do something! This is an abominable situation and one that people on the Eastern Shore should not be proud of.
Sandra Beerends, Franktown, and a Wachapreague property owner
