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Urban farmer’s illegal front yard
Urban gardening is fashionable these days. But if you are building a gorgeous kitchen garden in your front yard – rather than in the back yard – you may run into big trouble with your town’s authorities.
This is what happened to a couple living in Drummondville, Quebec, who has been fighting against the town code. That code states that a vegetable garden can take up to 30 percent of a front yard at most, while their’s take up more. The gardeners have been using Facebook to get support, and succeeded big time! At this point in time, 20 000 people, from all over the world have already signed their petition against the town authorities.
The petition (in French) reads in part: 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.
Kitchen garden advocate and expert Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners International (the same one behind Michelle Obama’s own kitchen garden at the White House) is supporting the couple’s fight with an international petition.
What do you think about this? Do you have your own garden? In your back yard or in front of your house?
Author
Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!
This garden looks great!
It shouldn’t matter whether it has flowers or food or both. The only thing town authorities should care about is whether people maintain their yards.
Gardening in our front yards lets us meet our neighbours and helps to make our neighbourhoods safer.
I have mixed my vegetable garden into my flower garden in the front yard. I also have vegetable gardens in my back yard.
It’s rediculous that we value grass more than groceries. We should applaud this couple on their ambition and success. This garden is actually a “feast to the eyes”. It is even more interesting and pleasant to see than a well groomed and landscaped yard. As life becomes more impersonal with the use of technology, and increased crime creating increased fears of personal safety, food gardens may very well help ease this discomfort and bridge some of those barriers. We all have to eat, but we don’t all have to compete for the most beautiful yard. It may very well be a means of others gaining the courage to give this idea a try and stimulate some self-worth for those who struggle with loneliness and low self-esteem.
Good news on this case. Please check my following post: http://www.soscuisine.com/en/blog/post/victory-for-the-drummondvilles-urban-farmers/