Urban farmer’s illegal front yard

Cinzia Cuneo 3 agosto, 2012 mangiare locale

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?

Autori

Cinzia Cuneo

Italiana di nascita e canadese d'adozione, Cinzia ha deciso di coniugare le sue competenze professionali e la sua passione per la buona tavola sviluppando un servizio per aiutare i numerosi «aventi bisogno» a riprendere il controllo della loro alimentazione. Così è nata SOSCuisine. Ingegnere di formazione al Politecnico di Torino, Cinzia ha conseguito un Master's Degree in scienze applicate all'École Polytechnique de Montréal.