Posted on 07/11/2008 11:28:21 AM PDT by JZelle
Welcome to Hyattsville, population 15,000, where the downtown looks more like New York City and the neighborhoods more like Iowa.
The City Council this spring passed a law reaffirming residents' rights to grow vegetables on front lawns. Three months later, some residents have 8-foot-high corn patches in front of their homes, and neighbors say they don't mind.
"I think some people might consider different types of landscapes unsightly, just like different painting schemes or building additions - which may increase or decrease property values - but it is still permitted by our code," Mayor William F. Gardiner said.
Residents always have been allowed to grow crops on their front lawns, but many thought such an activity was the same as letting one's grass or weeds grow too wild and high.
Resident M.A. Sheehan led the charge for the new ordinance - approved April 7 - after returning from vacation to find a city contractor had mowed 10 years of natural growth in her back yard.
"They thought it was just a wasteland and obliterated everything," she said. "It was pretty devastating and I probably could have sued the city, but I'd much rather do something positive."
The city code now states that, for occupied homes only, "an area which is actively protected, maintained or cultivated for a use other than a lawn shall not be considered a violation without a threat to health or public safety."
Residents appear to support the idea, even those living across the street from an 8-foot-high stand of corn in the front yard of a 23rd Avenue residence.
Arnoldo Crisostomo, 47, and his brother, Edwin Sogastome, 38, have grown corn, watermelons, peppers, sugar cane and beans there for the past 2 1/2 months.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Sure, it’s cultural. But someone explain to me why I should be forbidden to grow vegetables somewhere on my frontlawn, if it is the sunny part?
Good Eats!
Seriously, I’ve always felt that for every few trees planted in landscapes, people really should plant one or two food bearing trees.
Because these scumbag politicans want to control every part of our lives. When I lived in Ohio, I heard a Democrat member of the Ohio house say “People need the government to take care of them”.
I agree! When we came home to the US after many years of living in other countries, one of the first things we did was to plant two peach trees, rhubarb, and put in blackberry and raspberry plants. Our lot is only 50 feet wide! I now have many other things too, as well as a yard. I think it helps that I love to can. Do you know how good a peach smoothie is? Not to mention peach jam, peach butter, pie, cobbler.......
My neighbor across the street did this(square foot gardening) in his front yard. He also planted very atttractive plants and roses “up front”, closer to the street. I thought it was just beautiful—and he always had a ton of veggies that he gave away.—I happen to have a black thumb. He moved away over the winter and I miss his attractive garden a lot. People who have a knack for growing things have my full respect.
How much vodka do you put in your smoothies? I’ve always had trouble with the proportion.
8-foot high corn is ok but 12 inch lawn grass might not be? Is there an ordinance about grass height? Lawn grass would never get that high and corn is part of the grass family. Do some bamboo and wheat as well while you’re at it, those are grasses, too.
Two to one ratio, you decide which is which. =-)
Eddie Albert of GREEN ACRES fame used to raise vegies on his front lawn in Beverly Hills..
***8-foot high corn is ok but 12 inch lawn grass might not be?***
That is because RATS love the grass to hide in.
Corn growing in the yard is a lot more attractive than a car on cinder blocks.
Mmmmm.......peach ice cream!!
I have had a lemon tree or two at every home I’ve ever lived. Can’t imagine buying lemons from a store. In fact, I now have a small orchard of 60 semi-dwarf Meyer’s lemons planted.
Wait until January when no one has cleaned up their beds.
Which is why I appreciate home owners’ associations (standing by for heavy seas)
Hey the corn stalks are great as Autumn decorations. Heck people in our neighborhood, pay farmers for them.
One ounce to each peach &/or banana. For berries, one ounce to each 1/2 cup.
=8-p
Call me in December, I’ll have some dead tomato vines I’ll let you have cheap.
Lawns are a waste of time and money, and inhospitable to wildlife. A large percentage of them are also mowed by illegal aliens, and nearly all are mowed with mowers that guzzle gasoline which has been bought from the Arabs.
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