Hermine Ricketts and Tom Carroll had gardened in their front yard for 17 years (their back yard doesn’t receive enough sunlight) but then their community in Miami Shores decided to make front yard gardens off-limits. And just recently, after a three-year court battle over the vegetable garden in their front yard, a judge has ruled that the ordinance banning front yard gardens is constitutionally sound. Their final option is to petition the Village Council to change the ordinance.
Hermine Ricketts told the Miami Herald, “I am disappointed by today’s ruling. My garden not only provided us with food, but it was also beautiful and added character to the community. I look forward to continuing this fight and ultimately winning so I can once again use my property productively instead of being forced to have a useless lawn.”
The upscale village, located in Northeast Miami-Dade, sees their garden- something that provides them with fresh, organic vegetables- as an eye sore. They would rather have the couple waste the space where they could be growing food- with grass.
Truth Kings reports that The Ricketts were represented by the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit libertarian law firm. They rightly called the ruling a “blow to property rights.”
Our government is constantly warning us about food shortages and their answer, instead of allowing people to take care of themselves and grow their own food, is GMOs. Can you imagine what would happen if our neighborhoods all looked like their front yard? If everyone used their lawn to grow food, our world would be a much better place.
Most of the time you won’t be hassled about having a front yard garden unless you’ve upset someone because zoning ordinances tend to be selectively enforced. But this is just the beginning and sadly, this wasn’t the first couple to have to dig up their garden and they won’t be the last.
It’s time to talk to our elected officials and get these ordinances changed. We deserve the right to farm on our own land.
Source: Truth Kings, Things that suck and Natural Society
