Is growing a front-yard vegetable garden really a crime?
Like many health-minded consumers, Julie Bass planted a vegetable garden on her property last year. So what?
Well, she chose to take the unusual step of installing neatly arranged raised beds of vegetables in her front, rather than back, yard.
And now she faces fines and jail time thanks to local authorities who quote municipal codes that require front yards to have only “suitable” live plant material.
It comes down to property values, of course. The public display of tomatoes on the front lawn makes a home—and by extension, the surrounding residential development, neighborhood, and town—appear somehow shabby. Or so the thinking goes.
Supporters say that small-scale urban agriculture has the potential to change the way we eat and farm, and to revolutionize our relationship with the food on our plate. To say nothing of the money that can be saved growing your own veggies or at least supporting those that do.
That’s why the Friends of Urban Agriculture in Lantzville, B.C. have asked their district council to strike a committee to look at zoning bylaw changes to regulate urban agriculture. And they’re not alone.
Here are a few examples of other low-impact front-yard gardeners in Vancouver and further arguments from others who think front-yard vegetable gardens can be a better choice than lawns.
Want to get started yourself? Here are a few tips to consider.
Is urban homesteading this way a blight on the landscape, second only to raising chickens? Or does it really matter if someone grows cucumbers rather than grass outside the front door? What's happening in your neighbourhood?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
* Follow Gordon on Twitter here.
Posted by: Chip | Jul 18, 2021 11:25:17 AM
Yeah... let's allow front yard gardening in all cities. That way, after rummaging through farmer Bass' agricultural delights, critters like racoons, squirrels, skunks, cats will be much closer to the roadway and maybe the vegetarians can end with some free meat for the downstairs freezer.
Then these Ol' Macdonald's will be beeatching when neighbours steal their veggies late at night, or dogs lift a "watering" leg on the unprotected cucumbers and tomatos. But there'll be a cure for that too... erect chicken wire fencing... so the whole neighborhood can look like a chicken coop, minus the flying fowl.
Posted by: Dieter Hellstrom | Jul 18, 2021 9:24:29 PM
@Reichsfuhrer Chip, execute every one of them!
Posted by: Pengwie | Jul 19, 2021 12:28:21 AM
It's OK Chip. Obviously Heir Dieter doesn't understand humorous sarcasm. Must be Hell where he's Strom.
Posted by: Jason | Jul 20, 2021 8:26:03 AM
that skunk chip flies FOWL again!
Posted by: Dieter Hellstrom | Jul 20, 2021 12:51:21 PM
@Pengwie... und waren nicht meine Kommentare sarkastische????
Posted by: Stunned Toyota Worker | Jul 20, 2021 11:53:34 PM
What will they think of next
Posted by: keith | Jul 21, 2021 12:45:31 PM
A township stating that vegetable garden plants violate it's "suitable live plant material" bylaw is ridiculous.
Perhaps as ridiculous as municipality bylaws that state that clothes lines are forbidden because they are unsightly. Let's put the clothes in the dryer instead and consume 5 kWh's of energy, to dry them. We'll unplug our cell phone chargers when not in use, however, thus conserving 0.00001 kWh's of energy per hour.
Is a patch of Crawling Red Fescue really that much 'prettier' than a patch of carrot tops?
People really have no idea. It's scary.
Posted by: Jacquie Gartman | Jul 21, 2021 2:23:30 PM
I think veggie gardens should be allowed anywhere you want to grow them. When you look at some neighbouhoods with junk piled in the yard veggie gardens are much prettier. Veggies have flowers too.
Dogs should always be on a leash so should not be a problem, skunks and raccoons are already in the area and if someone needs a veggie so what. they can come and help tend it. If everyone did the same thing could save us all a lot of money on food.