once upon a time there was a really sweet family who lived in oak park, michigan.
once upon a time, long before our heroes enter the story, the city planted a tree in front of each house in their tidy new suburb.
once upon a time, in the not too distant past, the city’s tree spread it roots (as trees sometimes do) and cracked the sewer pipe of the really sweet family in question.
fast forward to when things get good: WE are that really sweet family! we fixed the damage in the flooded basement, dug up the entire front lawn, removed the roots, replaced the sewer pipe (which was damaged by the city’s tree, please remember), and were left with mountainous heaps of dirt where our front lawn used to be.
we did some reading, did some thinking, and decided to use the space from the former front lawn and turn it into a beautiful garden. we had someone make us 5 pretty wood garden beds, and we planted some seeds. we have no gnomes (although i think they are cute), no overgrown wildflowers (nothing against flowers- just not our style), no man-eating plants (although some of our neighbors make me wish we did), and nothing in any way offensive- unless you count- drum roll, please- now astonished GASP… vegetable plants!
yes, we have trashed the neighborhood by planting such oddities as tomatoes, red peppers, and cucumbers.
we have ruined morale in this fine locale by causing urban blight of mass proportions by planting peas, green beans, and carrots.
we have added insult to injury by putting down MULCH (wood chips, which seem fairly harmless), and even a garden swing.
we were warned by the city’s code enforcement officer, KJ, that we’d better move this monstrosity or face a summons to appear in court. he asked me to just do him a personal favor and move the garden to the back yard. ummm- 5 beds, 6 yards of compost, about 90 plants – but most important of all, ON PRINCIPLE- —-no!!!!
the threatened summons did not appear on the designated day, nor did it appear the next day or the next. we thought maybe they decided to dedicate the very limited resources of the city to more important things. however, we opened our mail tonight and got a nasty-gram from the city.
really?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
yep. oak park, michigan has decided to take this fine family to court over our garden.
the saga continues…
oakparkhatesveggies 
Jun 10, 2011 @ 15:52:56
You guys are awesome and your veggie beds are lovely. Oak Park can suck it.
Jun 11, 2011 @ 02:18:17
Every other garden here in New Zealand grows vegetables and fruits….in fact you are considered out of the ordinary if you don’t !! Good luck and keep up the fight…we need to bring attention this! I have shared it on my FB page !
Jun 11, 2011 @ 02:20:33
thats not supposed to say artcollectors before my name haha !
Jun 11, 2011 @ 03:11:28
You have the full support from your neighbors up north! (Berkley) Your doing a great thing for every family in oak park. Put vegetables in the front yard so that kids (and adults) see that yes it is possible to grow your own healthy food on your suburban property.
Jun 12, 2011 @ 01:32:18
There is a restaurant called The Curators House in Christchurch Botanical Gardens in New Zealand. The garden is completely edible and stunningly beautiful. If this place isn’t agreat example of a beautiful vegetable garden I dont know what is….
Click to access NZHouse.pdf
http://www.curatorshouse.com/dining/home/
Unfortunately is was damaged in the earthquake we had in February but I’m sure the images / photos on their websire plus the pdf article above will help with your ‘amnunition’…good luck
Jun 13, 2011 @ 17:37:39
thank you, kate lindsay! you can be one of my new best friends 🙂 maybe we will move to new zealand!
elisheva- you’re my girl!!!!
ryan up north: i’m gonna get you a cheerleader uniform if you aren’t careful!! you and your facebook friends are great- so glad i met you!!!!!!
Jun 30, 2011 @ 11:01:18
Please contact me. We are having the same thing happen us, we live in Plymouth MI, and would like to join forces. Again please contact me back
Jun 30, 2011 @ 11:07:37
something Im not sure you know about, but the right to farm act is only for those who sell or intend to sell for food. IT CAN NOT BE FOR PERSONAL USE. You should also have a sign outside with the the title Farm. Do not sign anything and always make sure you say its for public sales. again please contact me at info@rattlemaker.com.
Jun 30, 2011 @ 15:22:48
hi rudy- i have put you on my list of people to get in touch with, so you will hopefully hear from either me or my husband some time later tonight. and in the meantime, good luck to you! -julie
Front Yard Gardens vs. a Lack of Common Sense | EatWhereULive
Jun 30, 2011 @ 19:38:43
Jul 02, 2011 @ 06:29:01
Good for you for thinking outside the box. Please do not be offended those readers who love their lawns…The foolishness of the monoculture of the American front lawn has always baffled me, it can be a big waste of time and money not to mention the pollution and wasted water spread on these artificial environments.
What is more baffling are the people who are offended by what you are doing. Stay strong! Our family is pulling for you and keep up the postings.
Jul 02, 2011 @ 22:44:14
thanks, LBEE- we are certainly trying!! i am also kind of baffled by some people, but everyone is entitled to an opinion- as long as they don’t try to trample on my rights! hope you’ll check back often for updates! -julie
Jul 05, 2011 @ 23:04:38
I wonder if the grumpy neighbor is a friend of the zoning guy that is giving you a ridiculously hard time. Naw, that couldn’t be…. I personally would prefer a little grass between the boxes instead of 100% wood chips. But your yard looks nice and neat.
There were quite a few gardens in the front yard of homes in the San Diego area when I lived in San Diego. (I’m thinking along Clairmont Drive.) Corn makes an effective privacy barrier and a source of shade for a front porch. Obviously, front yard vegetable gardens haven’t had a negative impact on the cost of houses there!
There was a community garden smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood in the Crown Point neighborhood too, just a block or two away from the beach at Mission Bay. The home immediately adjacent to the garden sold very fast and for a very good price!
Dandelions are a common, VERY common plant in front yards. If you lose the case in court, you might want to think about replanting the space with low growing dandelions….. 🙂 The neighbor would then wish you had won!
Memo to self: Add Oak Park to your short list of Michigan cities where you will never look for a house to buy.
Jul 06, 2011 @ 09:11:30
michigan’s loss, then- nofirstname. we actually have a study that was put together by citizens- i think in san fran as a matter of fact!- linkng higher house prices and more community stability in places where community and urban gardens are encouraged. rather than a blight on the neighborhood, these concepts- as you point out- do great things for a community. a friend once remarked, “oak park is a great place to live if you never want anything to change”. i didn’t get how poignant that was at the time, but i sure do now 🙂 thanks for the info- julie
Jul 07, 2011 @ 22:50:09
Hi,
I’m trying to reach Julie Bass. If she/you could please email me, I’d appreciate it. I have some questions and hope to be able to generate some publicity re: this situation. Thanks!
Kris Bordessa
http://krisbordessa.com
Jul 09, 2011 @ 03:59:04
What you are doing is so right on. I support you 100%. You will win this fight. I will help you all I can by speading your story on the web and fox news.
Jul 09, 2011 @ 08:32:12
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Jul 09, 2011 @ 18:00:00
What she should have done was to create a garden bed one side, or both sides, of her front yard with a more ‘elegant’ look. She should use a curvilinear stone or brick edging to partition the garden from the sidewalk area, which will hold the soil for her raised beds off of the lawn – instead of the wood planks. She should place them off to the side in such a way that they create an inviting entryway to her front door. She should keep a traditional grass border alongside her sidewalk. The large expanses of mulch are unattractive as are the wooden planks.
She should do some container gardening as well. Cucumber vines are beautiful in planters, as are potatoes grown in deep buckets. Her neighbors won’t know the difference. When done well, these will help decorate the door area.
The wood planks are what the neighbors find unsightly as well as the mulch walkways. It’s the materials she has used and the overall design of the beds that need to be changed. Other than that, she should be able to have veggies in her front yard.
I briefly worked for a homeowner association that controlled about 20 different developments. I found the whole experience of busybodies repulsive. They told homeowners what type of plants they could have and exactly how many. (e.g. 3 plants by your front door) They wrote nasty letters to people whose lawn chair cushions weren’t standing upright. They couldn’t plant bushes in the back yard to create privacy screened areas from the people next door. Imagine having a back yard that you just can’t use. They told people what kind of vehicles they could own and exactly how they should park them (couldn’t back into a parking spot). You couldn’t have a sign on your yard – not even ADT, Brinks stickers etc. Anyone who knows about security knows that the biggest part of anyone’s security system is the sign that keeps crimminals from choosing your house to break into. Neighbors went through other’s trash to find out if they were recycling correctly and then reported them to the association. Unsuspecting people who moved into these developments were very angry when they came to understand what it was like dealing with an association. It was a real Gestapo operation. How creepy. Yuck.
When the economy hits rock bottom, people might find that they need to do many resourceful things to get by. Harrassing the neighbors over vegetables
will look as ridiculous as it is.
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Jul 09, 2011 @ 18:10:32
Jul 09, 2011 @ 18:19:29
By the way, I have beds like that in my backyard. They do tend to get gangly looking as time goes by. Then, you have to add stakes, cages, and trellises to support tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, etc., which really starts to look junky. We used cedar. We stained the outside of the wooden planks sage green to help them blend into the lawn. It’s better, but they still look gangly. We lined the inside with plastic in case there was leaching from the stain into the soil. After 3 years, the wood is starting to warp and split. I’m using my beds as practice. I hope to move someplace where I can have a real big garden capable of providing enough food for a year.
I think personal family gardens are going to be very commonplace as time goes by. Anyone with common sense is looking into having one the way things are going these days.
My neighbors don’t care. Although when I mentioned to the lady next door that I wanted to try the 3-sisters corn and squash bed, she glared at me. I don’t know what they would do if I put the beds in front. Good luck.
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Jul 09, 2011 @ 21:08:18
I would counter sue for them planting the tree and the damage it did to your home and property. It sounds to me like the guy is on a power trip and nothing more. He asked you to do him a personal favor. Your yard looks fine to me. And it doesn’t do damage like the trees the city planted. Even I know trees can do damage to sewers, they should have known. And how many others are affected also by the trees they plant? Just a thought.
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Jul 10, 2011 @ 13:45:22
What a wonderful idea you had! Many homes have rock gardens in their front yard. What you have is far nicer and more practical. In Shaker Heights, Ohio, a community (vegetable) garden exists on a vacant lot. The City of Cleveland is (slowly) working on developing community gardens. In Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a school has a vegetable garden on its front yard! These properties are well-maintained, quite pretty, and educational.
Oak Park needs to get into the 21st Century. Shame on the City of Oak Park for being so narrow-minded. Are the city officials unaware that vegetable plants are perennials just as marigolds and many other flowers that commonly grace front yards? Are they so ignorant not to realize that many vegetables flower? I used to live near Oak Park and can tell you there are actual problems the city could be addressing other than alternative front yard vegetation (neglected properties, crime, education, etc.). The mayor should be awarding Julie a prize for ecological innovation and use her as a consultant for similar projects.
Has anyone started a recall petition for these elected officials?
Jul 10, 2011 @ 16:57:26
we have a half acre in the middle of town in riverside california (southern california). our house is at the rear of the lot leaving us with a very large front yard. we too have planted four 4’x4′ plots of veggies and herbs. subsequently, the crabby lady across the street has called code on us (and others) in the hood. at least we think it was her. we would bet $ it was. in riverside, you can call code anonomously, which tends to make you dislike all your neighbors because code won’t tell you who reported you.
our next project is a waterwise native plant garden in front of the veggies. with the few plants we have, our butterfly population has increased ten fold.we plan to outlive the neighbor lady’s water sucking lawn monstrousity
good luck with your garden and good luck with friend from city hall. we feel your pain. bill odien
Michigan Mom Might Get 93 Days In Jail … For Planting A Garden | Mommyish
Jul 11, 2011 @ 10:10:09
Jul 11, 2011 @ 13:04:55
I completely support you. We have to start changing attitudes somewhere, thanks for taking a stand and doing your part!
Jul 13, 2011 @ 03:16:25
donate 8 dumptruck loads of prime garden grade manure to the Mayor’s and City Council member’s pppre-election campaigns. Have that delivered to their front lawns. Take the deduction for political donations. Have that delivered to their front lawns. Call zone enforcement and complain. Plant nice perennials like Columbine (think about that for a minute or two; time’s up!) and hollyhocks and sunflowers. You know, a nice mix of perrenials and annuals. Harvest and donate sunflower seeds to neighbors and local birdies. Nature Center too, for tax deductible charitable donations. Maybe where the sun don’t shine is a good place for Columbines; remember to plant hollyhocks and Sunflowers where sun does shine, so lots of birds can feed. I suggest near offending neighbors’ driveways. Birds will re-seed for you. Add blackberries for color, also near neighbors’ driveways. Leave enough sunny area for a jar of sun tea to brew. Plant inexpensive lawn chair near garden under shade where you can water your garden and sip cool refreshing tea and enjoy the grackels as they feed and pother birds as they free your gargen of insects, and watch the neighbors houses for them as any good neighbor would. Also, sue the city. Cities love that. Push back in the spirit of the Patriots. As the GOPers are so fond of saying, “Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice.”
Jul 13, 2011 @ 09:50:59
wow- so many cool ideas, so little time…
Jul 14, 2011 @ 08:38:31
I sent the following letter to your Mayor:
Dear Sir,
I respect your position as Mayor and I understand that sometimes seemingly simple things get out of hand and become very complicated. As Mayor you need to look out for the many as well as the few but when a few disrupt the many you need to make decisions.
I’m sure you can’t tell from the pictures but this garden is at the entrance to Orchard Apartments in Lakeville Indiana. We have similar gardens in front yards of Public Schools, Libraries, homes and the “tree lawn” of major streets in South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart and other cities in Indiana. These gardens do MUCH more than just feed people!
At the Lasalle Library branch garden, in South Bend, we have a Huge garden across the street from a very nice neighborhood and a government subsidized housing complex. At first the neighbors were concerned and took their complaint to the city. Now these same people spend time in the garden, send their children to the gardens for classes and have met several of the neighbors they have never talked to before the garden was put there! The same people they were “afraid” of, the same people they didn’t want in their neighborhood, they are now talking to and getting to know and understanding that they are just like them!
These gardens are getting people together from many different backgrounds. They cross the boundaries of race, color, religion, income and much more. If you go to our site http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Unity-Gardens/123560624328366 you will find pictures of the Mayor of South Bend helping plant, as well as many city and county council-men. They have come to realize these garden do a lot of good for the city and for the neighborhood residents. When one of the gardens was vandalized hundreds of people came out to help put things back in order. People that have stayed in their houses and kept quiet out of fear came forward to report what they saw!
I’ve read your ordinance and can see where a judge or jury could rule either way. I don’t see a need for it to go that far. Do you? You could use this to really help the image of your city.
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely,
Christopher E Cherrone
Garden Leader Lakeville Unity Garden
He sent the following response:
Christopher
Thank you for your polite email – there were too few of them.
I appreciate your comments. I share some concerns. As Mayor, I’m very reasonable. I spoke to our prosecuting attorney and today, he dropped the charges against her for the garden – she admitted that she didn’t want to put it in the backyard, where we ask residents to keep them, because she has 2 or 3 dogs – it turns out that they are unlicensed and those charges will remain.
I’ll check out your information.
Thanks
Jerry Naftaly
Mayor
Jul 14, 2011 @ 08:48:44
Hey Julie,
I grew up in Berkley and now live in Denver. My husband grew up in Seneca in Oak Park. We read your story and shared it with our friends here. You give us inspiration, and we think the city has a screw loose to try to make you take out your garden. We know your neighborhood. We’ve see your photos. It’s obvious your garden adds to the beauty of your home — it doesn’t detract from it. Keep gardening, Julie, and know you are our hero!
Nancy Cronk-Greenhut, Aurora, CO
Jul 14, 2011 @ 08:53:42
Just noticed Mayor Naftaly’s response — glad to hear they’ve come to their senses. Now, the city ordinance needs to be changed! Growing vegetables anywhere is good for families, good for the environment, and good for Oak Park! Mayor Naftaly — are you related to Lisa Naftaly, one of my summer roommates in college at U-M?
Jul 14, 2011 @ 09:40:47
Well by golly, if they couldn’t push you around because of your garden, the big bad man had to get the last grumble by citing you for having dogs. Doesn’t surprise me. Be prepared for them to continue to find little things to harass you about; you’ve made their lives slightly uncomfortable for awhile. And remember, it IS an election year! Keep those weeds in check and be careful about sharing any of your crops with neighbors; you might want to read HR521 that was adopted just this year regarding the growing of fruits and veggies for consumption other than personal use. By the way, have you ever thought of having a few backyard chickens? They’re wonderful pets and fresh eggs just can’t be beat!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 11:22:54
ABBY:
there is actually a city ordinance for oak park that states that trees shall not be planted within 50 feet of a sewer line, so yes, they can sue for damages!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 11:28:15
It horrifies me to hear what you and your family are going through! Honestly, it’s a vegetable garden for crying out loud – what is the harm of that? I think you are doing a wonderful thing by using all that dirt and planting vegetables in your front yard. Your children will love to watch the vegetables grow. Where I live, we had just a very, very small garden when we moved in; however, last year we decided to expand it, and we grew it by quite a few feet in length and width. I have to express gratitude that my little Borough in PA didn’t give us any problems even though our garden is not nearly as beautiful as yours as it is now almost completely taken over by tomato plants, cantaloupes, and weeds. Keep up the good fight. I am going to share this on my FB page, because it is so disturbing that your family will be taken to COURT for a veggie garden. Unbelievable. Will keep you in our prayers and send our best wishes your way!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 11:31:31
I’m going to guess that the mulch is actually more of an issue than the veggie garden…. Honestly, without reading the post it looks like a bunch of dirt.
If the veggie gardens were surrounded by grass (and maybe even stained?) the yard would blend with the rest of the neighborhood a lot better, which is what the city claims to want, according to articles I’ve read….
Just get rid of the mulch between the beds and plant some grass and I’m sure that would be more than compromise enough!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 12:44:14
Anyone who rips out a water guzzling useless lawn and replaces it with a graceful edible garden should be jailed!
Seriously though, if you have kids or a school nearby a vegetable garden can be the best way to introduce children to everything from life science to healthy eating choices and generally break the plastic wrapped mystique of where food comes from. If you get bogged down in your fight some happy internet reading about Alice Waters’ “Edible Schoolyard” project here in the East Bay may bolster your fighting spirit… (http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/)
I hope to hear that forbidden peas taste the sweetest…
Jul 14, 2011 @ 14:09:10
Your yard is probably the wave of the future. Good for you. Stand your ground. People everywhere are cheering for you!
Jul 14, 2011 @ 19:28:11
i wish!!
Jul 15, 2011 @ 07:56:28
Hay, Why didn’t you tell him you couldn’t put the beds in the back yard because then there would be no room for the chickens. LOL ok all kiding aside You look like you are taking great care of the beds and have nice plants. But isn’t this what the us government begging for a healther America. I can only hope the presidents wife get ahold of this one, even the White House put a garden in the lawn. I also hope you have a counter suit for the tree damage. I love trees but someone didn’t do their homework and planted the wrong one. Well I have comented before and you have the support of McKean and Waterford PA. Good Luck!!
Jul 17, 2011 @ 15:13:30
Wow, I have heard about stuff like this. I have used this as my ‘Monday Moaning’ post, it will be up sometime after midnight, BST. I have linked here, I have Tweeted (I don’t FB). btw I came here from Reduce Footprints blog. This type of dictatorship gets my hackles up. If the neighbours don’t like it, let them exercise their rights to go and live somewhere else.
AV
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Mar 25, 2016 @ 22:14:18
I know this issue is a few years old by now. I seen your story on YouTube, and just wanted to say that I am sorry for all the trouble you and your family had to go through, for a simple vegetable garden!
The world has been trying to get people to “Go Green”, and reduce pollution to the Planet, but in doing so, this created people learning how they could be more self-sufficient, which the Government does not like! It’s sad to see. The Government wants everyone to be dependent on them. The more you are dependent on something, the easier it is to control. That’s what they want, is control!
I respect how you stood up for your rights to keep your Garden, as there was nothing wrong with it in the 1st place! It is a very beautiful thing to see! I believe that if we all had a Garden (even if it may be a small one), the world would be so much better off for it! Tending to the Earth, and growing Food in the Soil, is much better than what many Companies are doing to the air/atmosphere that we breathe!
Keep doing what you are doing! You are an amazing person for standing up for the right to keep your Garden!!!