Thank goodness the authorities have busted these hardened front-yard garden criminals!!!

[drokhole]

Last edited Thu Jul 19, 2012, 02:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Thank goodness the authorities have busted these hardened front-yard garden criminals
source: boingboing

Earlier this year, Josée Landry and Michel Beauchamp of Drummondville, Quebec planted the front yard of the future: a gorgeous and meticulously-maintained edible landscape full of healthy fruits and vegetables. Now they're being ordered by town officials to remove most of their gardens (town code states that a vegetable garden can't occupy more than 30% of the area of a front yard) in the next two weeks to make their yard conform with newly harmonized town code. Front yard kitchen gardens are not the problem; they're part of the solution to healthier and more sustainable communities. Thanks for helping us to defend them.

PETITION: Stop the War on Front Yard Vegetable Gardens
original source: http://rogerdoiron.com/

I don't have a Facebook account so I didn't sign the petition (not sure how much good it would do, anyway), but this really is a travesty. I've been interested in edible landscaping and how it could make communities more self-sustainable ever since I read about it in Joel Salatin's latest book, but hadn't seen it put so beautifully into action until now. Here's a summed-up version of Salatin's thoughts on the matter:

"Truth No. 3: There is plenty of land for farming. Unused land is everywhere. The U.S. has 35 million acres of lawn. How about all those irrigated golf courses around Phoenix, Az.? The U.S. dedicates 36 million acres to housing and growing feed for recreational horses. I’m not against lawns or horses, or golf for that matter, but to run around like Henny Penny proclaiming “we’re running out of food” is a bit premature when actually on these lands alone we could grow all the food America needs. Edible landscaping should be promoted by everyone. In Italy, the expressway intersections are divided into quarter-acre gardens tended by urbanites who spend their weekends connecting to their ecological umbilical: building community, having fun, growing food. Forget the batwing mowers—grow squash instead."

Turfgrass lawns are not only a waste of space, but soak up over 30% of our potable water and are one of the main dumps of chemical fertilizers and biocides. They're effectively destroying our soils, whereas organic gardens like this actively build new soils - especially with the help of compost. Here's a fun video worth watching:

Oh, and be sure to check out the video in the excerpt - it's a stunning transformation.


EDIT FOR AN UPDATED LOOK OF THE GARDEN (somewhat further along in season, I imagine):



It may not be everyone's cup-of-tea aesthetically - but I personally think that looks absolutely gorgeous.

[DBoon]

1. If there is ever another DU meetup in Los Angeles, I'll have to bring my home-raised wine

from zinfandel grapes occupying what use to be a front lawn.

Well, maybe "wine" isn't the best term - some years is is more like "sangria mixer"

Seriously that is the neatest, best organized vegetable garden I have ever seen

[phantom power]

2. you know... there's nothing even a little bit wrong with sangria mixer

[DBoon]

3. I know!

only thing wrong is constantly having to test to make sure you get the recipe correct

[1monster]

6. I just bought a zinfandel vine. Are they good for table grapes

and/or preservatives as well as wine? (Muscadines and zinfandels were the only ones available and I don't like muscadines...)

[XemaSab]

8. I have a cab sav vine

The grapes are flavorful, but they don't taste like table grapes.

[hunter]

27. Our house is a bird oasis...

... we have a mess of grapes, different varieties, but the robins especially don't mind eating them before they are ripe.

Our local hawks and falcons would rather eat ring-necked doves and rats, which is fine, but maybe they could look at the robins too?

We tried bird netting one year, but after a couple of little birds got trapped in it we haven't done it since.

[DBoon]

9. they are small but very tasty

I'm sure they will work fine

[1monster]

10. Thank you. Any cultivation tips?

[NJCher]

4. sociology has a term for this

It's called "cultural lag."

The city's zoning laws are old.

The spirit of growing your own and of limiting the monoculture of lawn is (relatively) new.

The town needs to review their ordinances and update them for a new age.


Cher

[phantom power]

12. zoning law seems to be where a lot of action is for "new urbanism"

[LittleGirl]

5. who's the guy in the video?

While he was showing photos of the neighborhoods with lawns, I thought, wow, that's looks like Indy! And when he said he was in Indy, I thought, I gotta meet this guy!

Who is he? How can I contact him?

little girl in Indy

[drokhole]

7. He's one of the "vlogbrothers"...

...John and Hank Green. My sister is a fan of theirs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlogbrothers

As far as I know, they're authors, bloggers, and all around super-smart guys - and have a pretty devout following known collectively as "nerdfighters." The one in the video is John Green:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Green_(author)
http://johngreenbooks.com/

Hope that helps!

[LittleGirl]

11. thanks for the links! eom

[chervilant]

13. When United Fruit

took over Guatemala--owning virtually all arable land, and all means of transportation--they forced Guatemalans to relocate to the rocky hillsides, where growing anything edible was nearly impossible. The company forced Guatemalans to purchase the fruit they picked, and they were punished if they ate the fruit while they worked.

I suspect that the corporate megalomaniacs who've usurped our media, our politics and our global economy are planning similar restrictions for the vast Hoi Polloi. They have to compel us to buy Monsanto seeds, and the tasteless produce from the ginormous Agri-businesses.

[drokhole]

14. Unreal, thanks for sharing that.

They want us completely dependent on them from land to seed, and it's maddening that the deck is stacked so monumentally in their favor. And, you're right, their food is tasteless and devoid of nutrients.

[lunasun]

18. What a sad side note and yes could be everyman's threat soon

[Crunchy Frog]

22. Civil disobedience on a massive scale would be in order.

[Coexist]

15. it is lovely when barren, and looks gorgeously landscaped when fruitful

what is wrong with people?

[Sirveri]

16. It's not taking 30%. Most of that is dirt and gravel.

The plants are taking very little space and the ground level, right.

[tclambert]

17. But flowers, bushes, and grass are OK. As long as they aren't edible.

Why are people prejudiced against FOOD?

[LuckyLib]

19. It sure beats the crap folks park on their lawns in some towns I've seen:

cars, boats, RV's, trucks, trailers, and assorted other toys. Who could possibly object to greenery? And edible greenery at that?

[Art_from_Ark]

20. Who could object to such edible greenery?

Control freaks.

[Crunchy Frog]

21. It's unsightly. It's no different than having rotting sofas and rusting appliances

in your front yard.

Anyway, it might cut in to agribusiness profits, and that's just unAmerican.

[tomp]

23. if it makes sense and is good for people...

...expect resistance.

[fasttense]

24. Sheep graze on my front lawn.

Well not just sheep grazing. I have two vegetable and one wildflower garden in my front yard. But I live in the boondocks and no one cares what you do with your front acreage. We have an orchard, greenhouse and chicken coop in our back yard.

My neighbor is so hooked on having a front lawn, she has this really weird fencing. Her (stick built but still looks like a trailer) house sits on top of steep rolling hills. They are too steep to mow, except for a thin edge across the top of the ridge. She has fenced off all the too steep to mow area, allows her never to be ridden horse to pasture there and mows the little strip across the top. It has a funky U shape and looks very strange. But who cares, it's her property.

[drokhole]

25. That sounds amazing! (you, not your neighbor)

Seriously inspirational.

[drokhole]

26. Looks like the HufferPo picked up the story...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/illegal-kitchen-garden_n_1687558.html?utm_hp_ref=food

Apparently the city plans to make all front yard gardens illegal this fall.

[Kalidurga]

29. Take it to the supreme court...

probably won't do much good with a stacked court. But, this seems clearly unconstitutional how can the city tell you to not grow things on your property. It's been done for centuries by farmers, but it's not ok for anyone else to do. Grrrrrrrr I hate this cities that think they are some kind of fiefdom.

[NickB79]

28. Are those solar panels on the roof to boot? Sweet. nt