In the small suburban city where I grew up there lives a girl, whom I went to High School with, who decided to plant a garden. What has happened afterward has now become international news.
Yeah, Really no joke, International. Can you believe that a lovely garden has become the focus across many countries?
Why you ask?
Normally you would think that news of this magnitude means that this must be something that is beyond the scope of beauty. Something the world's eyes must see in order to believe. Maybe it has plants of extraordinary size or a new hybrid yada yada that is the the very first ever. Not quite.
Are you sitting down? It's a veggie garden.
That's right a simple veggie garden but here's the catch: It's in her front yard. (of all places, sigh)
T
he city of Oak Park has written her a citation because the city ordinance says, “All unpaved portions of the [screening and landscaping] site shall be planted with grass ground cover, shrubbery, or other suitable live plant material.” AND someone in the city actually thinks that veggies aren't suitable live plant material.
Can you believe that?
Even better they have threatened that she may be fined and have to do up to 93 days in jail for the violation.
Now there are many articles that have been written about the issue.
*I'll insert a few links into the blog entry for you to follow.
The mayor said somewhere that she won't have to do jail time, someone else said there might be political campaign issues, tricks and sabotage. A whole lot of silly talk all because of a veggie garden.
It has been pointed out a million times that our very own Michelle Obama has planted a lovely veggie garden on the White House lawn.
And so far no one really understands the reason the city is bent out of shape about a veggie garden.
How many cities have those few houses that have a junkyard in the front yard? Eyesores of too much "lawn art" that looks like a trash heap? What about the "over gardener"? I have one of those in my neighborhood. You know the one that has so many plants and trees that you can't see the walkway, front of the house or the front door. And you know there isn't one lick of grass in the whole place because they just don't want to mow.
So Julie and her husband had to tear up the lawn because of a sewer problem and they chose to not replace a useless lawn and instead save water and save money on groceries for them and their 6 kids.
I was thinking as tax paying citizens if the city insisted on grass for every lawn then they should be paying for the replacement sod, as well as a replacement sewer...oh and while we're at it they should have paid for the labor, time and trouble the Bass family went through with the sewer problem.
After all, in my mind, the sewer should be a "city" problem since tax payers pay to help maintain the city. Shouldn't that fall under maintenance??
I know I've gone off on a tangent. I'm funny about the whole fine line between city and home owners.
My Green take on things is this - Green is Good!
Veggies and plants are great for our world. Sustainability, Eco responsibility and Yes, I'm just a little jealous as I haven't a garden of my own yet. I may have to sneak over a grab a tomato or two. Just joking, I'm no veggie thief But I do have veggie envy :)
Keep up the good work Julie, We love you.
SOME LINKS and INFO:
Sustainable living as civil disobedience
Follow Julie on Face Book:
Oak-Park-Hates-Veggies
No comments:
Post a Comment