Ms. Julie Bass is soon to be jailed for gardening in defiance of tyranny and its agents.
Via Reality Slap Now:
OAK PARK, Mich. (WJBK) – “The price of organic food is kind of through the roof,” said Julie Bass.
So, why not grow your own? However, Bass’ garden is a little unique because it’s in her front yard.
“We thought it’d be really cool to do it so the neighbors could see. The kids love it. The kids from the neighborhood all come and help,” she said.
Bass’ cool garden has landed her in hot water with the City of Oak Park. Code enforcement gave her a warning, then a ticket and now she’s been charged with a misdemeanor.
“I think it’s sad that the City of Oak Park that’s already strapped for cash is paying a lot of money to have a prosecutor bothering us,” Bass told FOX 2′s Alexis Wiley…
…”That’s not what we want to see in a front yard,” said Oak Park City Planner Kevin Rulkowski.
Why? The city is pointing to a code that says a front yard has to have suitable, live, plant material. The big question is what’s “suitable?”
We asked Bass whether she thinks she has suitable, live, plant material in her front yard.
“It’s definitely live. It’s definitely plant. It’s definitely material. We think it’s suitable,” she said.
So, we asked Rulkowski why it’s not suitable.
“If you look at the definition of what suitable is in Webster’s dictionary, it will say common. So, if you look around and you look in any other community, what’s common to a front yard is a nice, grass yard with beautiful trees and bushes and flowers,” he said.
Source: Fox
Today they come for her vegetables.
Tomorrow, what will they come for of yours?
Also Read: You want liberty? This is what it takes…
Hat tip Reality Slap Now
If every front yard in America was filled with edibles instead of those ridiculous manicured lawns which are nothing more than pissing contests that waste precious water, then we’d be a hell of a lot better off.
Land of the free, home of the brave! What a crock of SHIZZZ! There is no such thing as property rights in this free country. You only lease property.
We need some boys in blue to protect and serve the community by going over to rough this home growing terrorist up. Send in swat to get her to comply. At least taze her. She is a threat after all.
I have to admit that I used to take part in this insane ritual. Got tired of spending money on things to make grass grow and then working harder to keep it from growing through the windows. Now I watch my neighbor do the same thing. It looks quite stupid when viewed from outside the cage. The idiot who thinks he/she can decide what is “common” should be fired and allowed to taste reality.
This city is obviously not THAT cash-strapped if they can afford to have people on the payroll to attack this kind of behavior. Maybe she should destroy her garden and apply for food stamps to buy organic produce.
I am watching the city of Cincinnati grapple with a budget deficit of about $65M out of a budget of about $2B (about 3.2%) and they act like the sky is falling because of state laws protecting public employee unions.
And they have to keep the mowers working, they belong to the union also.
We just drove our Motorcoach from KY to WA.
Only in Indiana did we mowers out on the highways mowing.
And you know what? I liked the unmowed highways the best.
Gerald Celente has been telling people to remove their lawn and start growing food to feed their family. I live out in the boonies and don’t have the kind of problems that people are now having living in the city. It’s probably too late for people to find decent land with a home and make a living as well out in the country. If you can and are adventurous, go do it! Glad we made the move several years ago.
I agree.. There is so much wasted space where there can be vegetable gardens and rain harvesting to water. I started using raised beds here in AZ cause the ground is so darn hard. having a supply of hierloom seeds helps too. http://www.bereadytosurvive.com can show you how its done.
You need to eat your peas Charlie.
Everyone should add this to the myriad number of ways the govt has restricted our freedoms, and at least write it down….let us not forget.
Let me add this list of things concerning the world of late:
14 million acres of farmland flooded in many states here in U.S;
4.5 million fish died in the rivers due to volcanic ash in Chile, Argentina;
locusts are ruining wheat crops in Russia;
fires are ruining vegetation and plants, crops in Texas, Az, and Fl;
Ft.Calhoun Nuke plant is having a little trouble due to flooding;
a nuclear facility with 55 gallon drums filled with nuclear waste and toxins in N.M. is being hosed down to prevent explosions;
Greece is rioting again;
N.D. is having flooding again along the Souris River;
Eartquake in Alaska and New Zealand–7.2 and 7.4;
Texas, Oklahoma, and Az are burning wheat crops;
a lab is under siege in N.M. by wildfires;
our fish could be radioactive from Japan disaster;
Iceland has a volcano ready to blow;
Missouri River tributaries are flowing backwards due to flooding in Nebraska;
Omaha received more flood warnings
Hey, dickheads in Oak Park–join the 21st century and STFU!!!
WOW! I’m curious how many foreclosed homes in Oak Park have dead front yards? Is Oak Park taking enforcement action against the banks and/or Home Owner Associations that are responsible for the properties?
Agreed, Charlie.
You really can’t make this $#!^ up.
It would be one thing if the neighbors complained AND they had a good reason – like some possible “danger”…I’m not sure what that could possibly be.
…but here it seems like the neighbors actually liked it.
I believe this is the third indication I received today that I do in fact live in The Matrix.
I’m not sure about you guys, but I would try to get everyone in that neighborhood to try to do the same thing. Perhaps then it would meet Commissar Rulkowski’s definition of “suitable.”
Maybe the city “leaders” are afraid she will throw the tomatoes at them the next time they deserve it (which will probably be well before harvest time).
Green tomatoes. Perfect!
Hard to throw a good fast ball with a ripe tomato.
Luckily, I don’t live in US.
I don’t know where you live, but it would not surprise me if the country you are in has its own share of draconian enforcement.
Don’t over estimate yourself. We’re the lucky ones… Booga, booga, booga!!!!!!!!
Don’t over estimate yourself. We’re the lucky ones… Booga, booga, booga!
in my little town they have a city ordinance that if the plant looks like a noxious weed you can be ticketed and made to remove it and the reason why i know this was a neighbor few house down had tomato plants growing in his back yard but was visible to the street and was warned to remove them and he didnt and was ticketed and made to remove them.(he always gave all the neighbors tomatos and anything else he grew and is a super nice person) so do i believe the article ???…..hell yeah
These jackass “public servants” are so detached from reality that they actually think they are making sense. This kind of mindset must change or USA is doomed. We can no longer afford such silliness.
Julie Bass comes across as a true patriot:
“The true patriot is motivated by a sense of responsibility and out of self-interest for himself, his family, and the future of his country to resist government abuse of power. He [or she] rejects the notion that patriotism means obedience to the state… it is dissent from government policies that defines the true patriot and champion of liberty.”
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul388.html
First they came for the squash growers and I did nothing because I grew no squash.
Then they came for the bean growers and I did nothing because I grew no beans.
Then they came for me…and I stepped off the porch with my shotgun and said “You lay ONE HAND on my okra and I’m fillin’ your butt full of buckshot!”
roflol!!! Okie, thanks for today’s laugh!!
LOL!
You always make our day with your scenarios–thanks.
This article reminds of that single mom in Illinois a few months ago where she can’t feed her kids a homemade lunch to school. Is the city council/police demonically possessed or what. A person with common sense wouldn’t threaten an ol’ lady with jail time. She better start suing the hell out of Oak Park.
Smart move on the city’s part. People don’t need much of a push to leave Michigan.
She is not an old lady, looked to be about 35 to 40 maybe.
Why isn’t everyone using ever square inch of their “small” yards as organic, edible landscape? If everyone on her block or the neighborhood followed suit, wouldn’t that make it “common”? The masses just don’t get it. Anyone who has a yard and isn’t growing food is an ignoramus. The concept of: anyone not growing food on their landscape should get fined, actually makes more sense.
These fucking socialist/fascists/nanny state city planners will be some of the first up against the wall when the revolution begins.
I would not want to be a government employee on any level when that happens.
EA,You got that right. ‘Tomorrow what will they come for of yours?’. Hell I don’t know what they’ll come for, don’t really care, just come on, Ive taken up all the slack on the trigger if it amuses you to know.
A little trigger creep is wonderful.
Why would I want to grow my own food in front of my yard when I can get welfare? I’ll just let big factory farming grow the food for me. Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland…
If only I can grow marijuana plant in front of my yard. Can’t grow food. Can’t grow something to smoke.
I can remember a time in America when only an idiot or a city person living on the 4th floor didn’t have a garden and many of the city people walked out to work on a rented plot or gardened on halves with someone.
Not all government workers are bad. I happen to agree with “almost” everything on here. Granted, I have only been one for a little over two years, but I am still a government worker. Nobody will be lining me up against the wall. 😉
My backyard vegetable garden is flourishing. I don’t know about ordinances in my town but there is one house with weeds so high the front door is barely visible. This has been going on for years and the town does nothing to stop it. Did I mention garbage is thrown around too? I’ll bet though, if my garden were in front, I’d get a knock on the door from some town authority. Just say’in
Jailed for a misdemeanor?
Nahh come on..
I dont condone the fact that we dont own our property..or that a city can enforce rules, but think about it people, would you want to live next door to the people that dont take care of their yard at all?
its a braud brush but it is what it is , and you know the rules going in. why move into an area that doesnt allow this, and than do it and not expect to be targeted?
this wasnt a vegatable grab..this was a code enforement that she violated, yeah like the guy that could move in next door and keep a bunch of rusty cars in his front yard complete with engine and beer cans strewen thru out
I want to see where she does jail time for a Misdemeanor..
if she does it will be for not complying and ignoring the court..more like jail for contempt..thats if she pushes it..
you got a back yard..why advertise..?
I see stupid people
VRF
Jail or no jail does not matter. Mac often uses the shock factor in his headlines.
The problem is that the local officials do not understand the difference between Codes (for regulating public property) and Law (for protecting private property.)
They erroneously believe Private property and People are subject to them. The codes are for the employees of the corp ONLY. And that includes ALL Codes, statutes, and other Man Made law.
I see a stupid corp representative, and a smart woman.
I can’t help but think she did this intentionally. Knowing full well this would cause problems. I doubt that she ran out of space in her backyard and had a real need to use her front yard. She should have looked into the city’s codes before she moved there. If you want to live in the suburbs that means going along with the “norm”. Say what you will, but I enjoy the manicured look of my front yard and the yards of my neighbors. I enjoy square foot gardening. In my backyard. She has every right to grow her own food. No one tried to take that away from her. She was simply asked to move it to the back. If she was serious about needing to grow food in her front yard she could have worked with the city to try and change a code or get a variance. Nope, she wanted to be a radical pain in the rear. I guarantee there are many people who don’t like her use of her front yard. Probably more than those who think its fine. I get that its a “free country” (laughing my butt off) but there are still rules that have to be followed.
I take it you did not look at the pictures linked on the source websites Mac linked too..
here is the best one I think,
http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/
To me, the garden box’s are an improvement cosmetically and there appears to better sunlight in the front yard for Gardening than the backyard..
I am not sure how they could conceal the sewer line access point cover by the sidewalk.. but o-well..
anyways, I am just saying is all..
Aha! Another weapon of produce production unleashed on USA! This treacherous, threatening behavior will not be tolerated. Imagine the nerve of someone who thinks they can feed themselves organic produce without giving large sums of cash to Whole foods et al!
Why should anyone have to ask some city employee for permission to grow a garden? Front yard, back yard, it does not matter. USA can no longer afford such stupidity. F**k them.
Is it written into the code that the plants MUST be useless? If things took a severe nosedive next week, she would need a shotgun to keep this same “city planner” away from her garden.
Follow the “rules” sheeple. If it’s HER PROPERTY and no one is harmed then it’s none of your damn business. WTF don’t you understand sheeple? Who the hell are you? Shove your rules up your ass! I like her garden better than your good for nothing “manicured” lawn. Nobody gives a damn about your opinion. As I’m sure you don’t care for mine. So shut up about others property, sheeple.
ooooh, I like it. Sounds like you got all hot and sweaty while writing that drivel. Thank you. It makes me smile to read a psychos irrational response. You could have calmly disagreed, but you feel the need to get excited and curse. You might want to find a way to remain calm. If the SHTF for real you might get so excited you stroke. Irrational people are more dangerous than sheeple. Good luck to you.
Yours Truly,
The Sheeple
Well said
Subarmpitter: your clearly part of this country’s problem
Mister, you would have thrived in Nazi Germany or the USSR. Do you check all 10,000 regulations when you relocate? Should there be 10,000 regulations in the USA? You are a compliant complacent NON American fool.
Time to join me in telling that piece of crap what you think.
Kevin Rulkowski – Director/City Planner 248-691-7450
[email protected]
My email said
———
You are a prick of the first degree. if you think you have any right to tell any body what should be in their yard, especially when they are just growing a vegetable garden, you have another thing coming. You had best back off of this harmless old woman because there are millions that may come to her defense. Nobody will come to yours.
The People
————-
You beat me to it haha, I just looked up his info too. Let’s all email him and remind him what America used to be about and that there are more important things going on than someone raising a garden in the front yard on their OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY.
Isolated people that is the problem. Think what would most likely to happen if the democratically elected “officials” went away because the mobocracy went broke. In the last “depression” my grandparents lived in the basement of their unfinished house and raised free range chickens in the “yard” garden. I don’t think the neighbors wanted to interfere or cared about appearances. Voluntary agreements are lost when people isolate themselves. Liberty can be a messy business but only the insane would choose differently.
My email sent today;
What an ad for your city!!
If the lady had flowers in those boxes, not a word would have been said..
Join the 21st century and grow up, Oak Park.
Oh, this has definitely gone nation wide and your fair city will definitely not be on anyone’s ‘to visit’ list.
My email has been sent as well….
Mr. Rulkowski:
Is this ridiculous feud that you have with Julie Bass over her audacity in producing her own food really the BEST use of your time on the taxpayer’s dime? One day, when no one has personal freedom anymore, are you going to look back and recognize that you had a part in taking those freedoms away through your persecution of a person growing a VEGETABLE GARDEN?
I am offended and sickened that you have a job, moreover one paid for by Julie Bass’s own property taxes.
Congratulations for trampling on the Constitution- our forefathers must be so proud!
I sent a nice letter! Short and sweet without being bad.
Dear Mr. Krulkowski,
I have read several articles about the front yard garden issue in your town. Really! I’m sure your are enjoying all the negative press. Ask you parents or older folks in your town if any of them know what a victory garden is. I sure hope you have an open discussion at a town hall meeting prior to further action against what seems to be a very nice family.
[email protected]
Here is the Webster definition that applies to Mr. Krulkowski (and many others)
Definition of TYRANT
1
a : an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution b : a usurper of sovereignty
Codes are NOT law, the People are Sovereign.
VRF has it correct. If she does this right, she can win and get adjustments made to the ordinance.
This is the game you play living in a city, subdivision, condo, etc. It could be a flagpole, garden, or junk car. The rules were there when she came along.
The problem is the source of the action. Nobody complained about the womans garden except for a corp representative looking to generate revenue and harass the people.
The claim of the corp rep is that his fictional office can tell a Man what plants are OK in their own yard. The plants are Gods, not the corps, and He gave them to the people, not the corp.
The first thing that is needed is a sworn, signed complaint by a neighbor being adversely affected (injured) by whatever is in the yard. Barring that, she is free do as she please in HER OWN YARD.
But i suppose you accept corp ownership over yourself and everyone else. Probably still retaining your military brainwashing. Being the most severe and thorough brainwashing program on the planet, it must be hard to accept that some people wish to retain their freedom rather than to submit to the same brainwashing you did. Apparently you have not been able to overcome it yet.
Nobody has to complain. If its a village ordinance, can be enforced on site by a village officer. They are created for reasons that aren’t always agreed with. Like this case, the enforcement of it will probably bring about its demise….
…..and you forgot the law enforcement brainwashing.
when you purchase the property sign “UCC 1-207” before your name and then there is no ordinance.. but shhhh, the corp wants no one to know this… the “supposed” Judge will understand it and everything.. just make sure you, yourself knows what it FULLY means because he will ask you, no doubt…
once anyone knows and fully understands this, and what it truly means, the world changes for you. You will put it on ANY and ALL things you sign in contracts with the corps 🙂
I better shut up, I am already on the yellow list, I don’t need to go to the RED list 🙂
They must still be brainwashed. How else could a sane thinking person come to believe that some rules imposed by some dumbasses down at city hall can trump your God given rights?
11 bravo names himself after his MOS. Still unable to realize he was the tip of the cannon fodder spear for the elites. He probably has at least a half dozen pics in his house wearing his cannon fodder costume. Brainwashed is correct. My 2 year old loves to play dress up in her fairy princess costumes. But it’s gets scary when they’re adult government goons playing dress up because then they think they for some have some kind of authority over you.
“Go to the internment camp, it’s in the rules and regs!”
11bravo loves gov regs. Wake up sheeple.
just look at 11 bravo’s response….see why we can never win, too many like that…..the gov has already won by dumming down the masses and infiltrating mens brains through military and school. They think cause it is a “rule” already in place when you get there that, that makes it “ok” or “right” still ain’t constitutional
A neighbor did complain! This neighbor has his individual rights also. He has the right to live in a neighborhood where the yards all have similar ground cover as per the city code. Now that there is differing opinion of the interpretation of that code, the case will be heard by a jury of their peers. They will decide what is right for their community. Lets see how it plays out.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/julie-bass-of-oak-park-faces-misdemeanor-charge-for-vegetable-garden-20110630-wpms
Rules that nobody really pays attention to when looking to buy property:
Always demand a copy of, and read the covenants. If there are undue restrictions, an HOA, or similar, do not buy the property. Inform the agent that you’re refusing, and specifically state why.
Look at city ordinances for yards and such. If they include some BS about types and length of plants, refuse to buy the property. Inform the agent *and* the city ombudsman that you’re refusing, and why.
And if there were flowers in those raised beds??
No ELECTED judge would want to be the one who sent someone to jail for something like this. An opponent could easily ride the case to election victory. The city is cash-strapped, but can find funds to prosecute a case like this. Glad to hear all of Michigan’s other problems have been taken care of.
I hope and do believe she’ll prevail in court. The article does not say she’s part of an HOA – I hope that is not the case then we’ve had bad reporting and are not getting the details.
As presented I think she prevails. Besides we are in a depression. A lot of people will be seeding their front yards with veggies in the not to distant future.
Codex Alimentarius is here.
Our good friend Mr Gates and the good and ethical company Monsanto, care for our well being.
They care for us not to eat something crappy and spoiled due to our ignorance.
That’s why they will forbid home gardens, and they will give us joifully their “perfect” products. Or should i say bi-products?
manos! How’s tricks?
I heard the IMF is shoveling money at the gov there… has things improved?
Yeah,
Now the government is robbing the IMF and the EU also.
It’s a relief to be honest, because the Greek’s money are over. 🙂
To tell the truth something is smelling badly around September. Time will tell, but anyway it’s only two months away.
Thanks, be safe.
Why isn’t this country in a revolution by now ??? I don’t know what it’s going to take but you know how to cook a frog and apparently they know how to cook US !
Because America has been brainwashed! We believe we all have our own individual rights and freedoms. When you have 310 million individuals who interpret those rights and freedoms differently you end up with everyone fighting each other over “their” personal rights. The powers that be have you right where they want you!!!! DIVIDED
“If you look at the definition of what suitable is in Webster’s dictionary, it will say common.”
Definition of SUITABLE
1
obsolete : similar, matching
2
a : adapted to a use or purpose
b : satisfying propriety : proper
c : able, qualified
— suit·abil·i·ty noun
— suit·able·ness noun
— suit·ably adverb
See suitable defined for English-language learners »
See suitable defined for kids »
Examples of SUITABLE
The dress was a suitable choice.
We upgraded the computer to make it suitable to our needs.
My neighbor was recently arrested for smoking a cigarette on his own property, can you believe it!? Of course he was using it to light Molotov cocktails which he was then throwing at passersby……….The covenants do not address this either. I think he’s got a good lawsuit.
LOL Thats Great
The Code Police in Topeka Kansas come around with a pole that dangles a measuring stick so that is any one has grass even a tiny bit over six inches, they can issue a notice. They prowl around looking for weeds but they ignore the high income neighborhoods.
And, by the way, wasn’t the BTK killer in Wichita in codes enforcement?
Our governments do not want self-reliant citizens. They want citizens dependent upon them and their regulations.
This is not America anymore folks.
I don’t give a sh!t what the covenants or ordinances or next door neighbor says. The woman is growing a garden of FOOD! Instead of a broken down car, various trash, weeds, animal feces or who the heck knows what on her front lawn, she is growing a garden of food. I don’t see how a food garden is much different than a flower garden, with of course the exception that she can feed herself and share food with others if she chooses.
In my home and on my property, I figure it like this: I paid for this place so I will do as I see fit.
***Disclaimer -the below mentioned “facts” are not facts, but used for illustrative purpose only. However, if you see an airdale terrier, dogue de bordeaux or cane corso snapping and foaming at the mouth near a fenceline, you are probably trespassing on my property***
If I want to keep dogs and allow them to play anywhere on my fenced in property or in my home, I’m going to. If I want grow food in the front yard, I’m going to. If I want to walk around in swimming attire (hey, everything is covered and probably more so then what you can see on basic cable!) while doing any activity on my property or in my home (including all forms of excercise), I’m going to.
If you don’t want my dogs to bark at you, stay off my property -the fence is over 35 feet from the edge of the “road”. If you don’t like the appearence of my garden/plants, or don’t want to see most of my body, then MIND YOUR BUSINESS AND STAY AWAY FROM MY HOME AND PROPERTY!
No one is under any obligation to look at or into the boundaries of my property when they pass by and I’ll fight for my right to live as freely as I possibly can. I gladly accept others right to live their lives as they see fit and do what they like with their property and time. Hope this lady tells the goons to pack quick-crete up their @ssess with a jug of water and offers them a complimentary spoon!
Obviously the government is out of control. Code enforcement can be worked around. best to let the neighbors decide some jealous asshole turned this person in for something that they are unable to do. If done right I would rather see a well kept garden than lawns that need water, fertilizers, pest control, that is killing us all. The drawback is when people start stealing this food right in front of the lady’s eyes there will be nothing that she can do about it. She should move it to back yard where it will be safe. Also a better place to sight in a rifle.
Not worth burning down the Police Station or the Court Building or City Hall. So why worry about this kind of thing? Does typing silly answers make you all feel enpowered? If so that’s really sad. Like a revolution could ever take place on a blog. LMLWAO! (Laughing my Lilly-White Ass Off)
Well said! Although reading the rantings is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine.
Please tell me you are being ironic.
Every tiny bit of personal freedom that gets taken away adds up. You will one day wake up and find yourself in a place with no freedoms at all and you will never have seen it coming. Why do you even come and read this kind of thing if not to be aware of the insidious little chips that are beig carved away from our freedoms?
Aware is a good thing. There is a lot of food for thought on this site and that’s why I come here. Sometimes you find great stuff. Sometimes you find things that make you laugh. Its mostly personal opinions. Some people become wildly aggitated when someone has a different opinion. Someone just dared to point that out.
so these folks need to plant some kind of disguise for their veggies…like rose bushes-the thorny kind. and marigolds-stinky to keep animal pests away. and any other kind of flower or ornamental that can live as a companion plant with veggies. i live in the boonies and i do this all over the place. i have raspberries thriving around the fig trees. i have blackberries thriving around the pasture. i have tomatoe plants hanging on both end poles of the clothesline. i have a large bed of squash and peppers surrounded by marigolds. i have hot peppers and jalepenos growing in front of the privet hedge. and i have blueberries thriving among the roses. i say, dont give up cause someone else is unhappy with what is yours. find a way to beat them at their own game.
You have hanging tomatoes? Are they in the upside down things? Mine is not working very well.
Mine aren’t doing so well either. 🙁
yea. the trick is to water them well every day that it does not rain and to use miracle grow on them about once a week. i have already gotten three nice tomatoes off of two hanging planters and more are coming. make sure also that you have tomato plants that can take the temps of 90+ and hang where they get a least eight hrs straigt sun. i am still reserving my judgement on the planters though and think i can make improvements on them for next year.
oak park is 5 minutes from me. mostly, it’s a pretty run down inner ring suburb. it sure isn’t a bourgeois wonderland or anything. mostly middle class and lower middle class ranch homes.
it’s a bunch of bullshit what they’re doing to her. it’s completely subjective and totally lame.
Me says:
July 8, 2011 at 11:43 pm Everyone should add this to the myriad number of ways the govt has restricted our freedoms, and at least write it down….let us not forget.
Reply JJ says:
July 9, 2011 at 8:36 pm Let me add this list of things concerning the world of late:
14 million acres of farmland flooded in many states here in U.S;
4.5 million fish died in the rivers due to volcanic ash in Chile, Argentina;
locusts are ruining wheat crops in Russia;
fires are ruining vegetation and plants, crops in Texas, Az, and Fl;
Ft.Calhoun Nuke plant is having a little trouble due to flooding;
a nuclear facility with 55 gallon drums filled with nuclear waste and toxins in N.M. is being hosed down to prevent explosions;
Greece is rioting again;
N.D. is having flooding again along the Souris River;
Eartquake in Alaska and New Zealand–7.2 and 7.4;
Texas, Oklahoma, and Az are burning wheat crops;
a lab is under siege in N.M. by wildfires;
our fish could be radioactive from Japan disaster;
Iceland has a volcano ready to blow;
Missouri River tributaries are flowing backwards due to flooding in Nebraska;
Omaha received more flood warnings
Hey, dickheads in Oak Park–join the 21st century and STFU!!!
She should take pictures of all the other violations in her neighborhood and submit them to the “authorities” with a letter complaining that she is being discriminated against and singled out. I used this method when this happened to me in an apartment complex and in an HOA and both times it worked. Until they enforce all the rules, they can’t single out one person or a case can be made for discrimination.
you got that right, having a camera ready is better than wasting breath on arguing. and photos really do work!!!
Lets see what a jury says.
i remember there being some talk in the new hampshire self-immolating incident a few weeks back about the second set of books, which are wielded by barely-elected local officials and bureaucrats that act in often completely random ways that are contrary to any sort of common sense.
this is a perfect example of that sort of thing. of course i have no specific knowledge, but this is the sort of thing that begins when some busy-body calls their social network connection to a city inspector and calls in a personal favor… or with an anonymous complaint to a 1-800-telephone line. the whole process blows up because this mom exerts her right to grow her family some food, and then the jig is up and everyone is embarrassed.
now the city is going to flex it’s muscles at a suburban mother. they wouldn’t fucking dare do that to some local corporate entity, hell no they wouldn’t!!! but someone who doesn’t have any local pull and who doesn’t go to the right barbecues gets messed with and this mother has no favors to call in.
i really feel sorry for this lady. i hope she wins and gets a big ol’ settlement or book deal or some other karmic payback. this is absolutely wrong!!! especially in light of the michigan right to farm act.
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(zkjcpompuclesa45p30kxd45))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-Act-93-of-1981
oak park michigan is a community that has been really hit hard by the foreclosure crisis. there are many, many, many empty properties that are overgrown and bank owned. i guarantee they dont’ get fined! hell no!!! they play by different rules because they have relationships with city hall and know how to use paperwork processes to their advantage and can exert economy of scale on the city.
holy shit!!! the world is gonna end if somebody actually grow plants intended to convert organic matter in the soil into food in a child’s belly. “ewwww, gross, how pedestian and foul.”
and god forbid that they do that in plain view of all the rest of the neighborhood full of fat, worthless, feeder slobs; lest they be reminded that a plant grows out of dirty-dirty-soil in order to become the food they stuff in their gullets.
god forbid this lady try to keep her kids from developing type 2 diabetes before they get driver’s licenses by growing them vegetables. how dare she replace mcdonald’s with whole food. how dare she reduce her daily payment to con-agra and archer daniels midland and other multinational conglomerates.
god forbid someone grow plants that aren’t worthless laboratory flower creations, developed as part of someone’s phd dissertation into genomics of hydrangeas. that would clearly be more “suitable.”
god forbid that people see someone grow and harvest food, rather than just viewing a glimpse from a freeway at 70 mph of a farm.
god forbid that children learn about how to be caretakers of plants and contributors to their own sustenance. can’t have nasty stuff like that in plain view of the wage slaves, hell no! can’t have kids learning about biology and life cycles and heuristic planning. no, we gotta have sterile kids capable of sitting under fluorescent lights and working diligently for 9 hours straight, never breaking corporate character; never showing a glimmer of individuality. dirt and it’s liberty-inducing smell being antithetical to the corporate slave wage mentality.
fuck you city of oak park officials that have a say in this and haven’t voiced your opinion about overstepping of the bounds of commmon decency with brute force.
fuck you city of michigan officials for not having the balls to call up these local officials and telling them to cool the fuck out.
oak park community members shoud be ashamed if they haven’t spoken up yet and called the city hall and expressed your dissatisfaction that city tax dollars are going toward the prosecution of an innocent mother of small children for gardening. your inaction is pathetic, completely expected, and the most contemptible of all.
Greetings everyone!
O.P.Ill. is a city that used to be somewhat fwd thinking.But that was back when Frank Lloyd Wright used to built his houses there.Times change,and not for the better.
I guess that they’re afraid that the lawns won’t match each other in a “uniform” fashion.Wasn’t like that 30-60 years ago.Best way around this WASPish(read self serving bigoted old farts) nonsense is to plant HERBS and Flowers and put the most obvious “garden” plants in the back.It’s not that they care,it’s all about “control”.With the economy slowly sinking into oblivion,just wait.Real soon there won’t be any MONEY to pay for “lawn control”.Then just add what you want to the local scenery….Oak Park has ALWAYS been jealous(and continues in the same tired fashion)of their Richer neighbor city River Forest which has a large population of WASPs who pay someone(mostly non-WASP) to keep their lawns o-so-picture perfect.Except that some of them in R.F. plant what ever they damn want behind their cast-iron fences.Money still speaks when you need it to.
Have a nice day!
Best to all
GFG
anything in the back yard?
probably not..did she get any lip about what shes growing in the back yard?..???
What vegetables, exactly?
Email says it all.
Mr. Rulkowski:
The woman is gardening in her own yard. This is America. Please do some deep consideration and connect those two sentences. Your town’s actions are offensive to anyone who puts in time to raise food for their families and to share with others in need.
Government, whether local or national, exists to serve the people. May I refer you to the Declaration of Independence, and more particularly, the line about “useless officers.” That is as true now as when it was written. That document still means something to many of us. Please reconsider your actions in light of your responsibility to the people your city serves rather than rules.
I saw this and had to share. At least there are some uses for this nuisance. Cows and horses eat it. Now they have recipes for people to eat it.
Kudzu: ‘Vine that ate the South’ is also good eating
http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/clicktrack/email.php/9809401
that is good info KY Mom.
I don”t remember where I was reading it a year or so back but what it was saying is, they are using kudzu in the treatment of binge drinking… I have been told by a few different people (ole timers) that if you eat six or eight leaves before drinking alcohol, you will get drunk in 1/3 of the amount of alcohol… I haven’t tried it anything like that but I found interesting..LOL
anyway, I am going to try the potato chip recipe in the next few days.. I will let you know if it is any good..lol
Thanks 🙂
Consider all you are saying about the disintegrating freedoms of American citizens, look at history of times and places in similar situations. If all you are willing to do is express shock and outrage at treatment an individual or small group receives, then promise you will not let “them” take your okra, you have already lost the war. Unless you are willing to stand with/for another and turn the “legal” battles of government abuse into real battles, there will be no war for freedom, only the never ending rounds of government abuse and legal expenses. The problem is self sustaining: you cannot win against an abusive government by following the dictates of that government. Our government cannot now be changed by working within the governmental system, either political or legal. Our monster government is actively following freedom killing agendas it doesn’t even recognize as tyranny. The only way to regain freedom is to kill the monster and be prepared to defend what is left of the nation. There will be blood of both patriots and tyrants, and strength is always on the side of the tyrant. What good is survival if you do not contribute to the establishment of freedom? Are you willing to join the battle, or will you continue to simply express your outrage?
When I bought my land years ago we had no zoning,no building permits and no regs on things like septics and wells…then one day we woke up to find we had been Agenda 21’ed…no public imput… no meetings…no public notice…simply decided by 2/3 of our supervisors…we hollared and fought but guess what? we could not change it…no regs to total regs overnight,and all in a very rural twsp….so without shooting the bassturds what else could we do…now certainly I ignore them and they dont mess with me or others like me but Im not your average bear as they say,they know who I am and they dont try to enforce the new regs on me, not yet anyhow….so to the fella that thinks people should know all the regs BEFORE moving I call BS,it cant be done it oughtnt have to be done,its either her land or its not(and ya I know we only rent it from the govn) and these arbitrary rules are a despots wetdream,not made for freemen to abide by!
What’s the surprise? This is what happens when you join a neighborhood with an HOA or a city or other municipality with myriad rules to dominate your life.
The only property worth “owning” (leasing from the government and banks) is out in the country with no HOA telling you when you can take your trash out and what color to paint your front door and certainly nobody telling you that you can’t grow food if you like.
Now, if I was that lady, and I started getting hassled by these government thugs for having the garden in my front yard, and I read the “Code” citing the requirements and definitions of “suitable” as specified by Mr. Rulkowski (common; live, plant material) and in keeping with the desire to have such pretty live plant material which is also quite common in the front yards of the homes in beautiful suburban Oak Park, Michigan, I, personally, would smile graciously at the asshole neighbor who reported me to the local Gestapo, smile cooperatively at Mr. Rulkowski, indicate I would be happy to comply with the demands and move my garden to the backyard and plant something “suitable”, ie. common, live, plant material with pretty flowers, etc.
Mine would serve a dual purpose: I could use it to comply and make everyone happy, and I could use it to make wine and salad.
I’d haul in as many dandelions as I could find and plant them in every available space of that front lawn, water and nurture them, and admire how pretty they were every day.
You don’t like my beets and tomatoes? Eat this you scumbags!
Common? Ever walk through an open field? Bermuda grass is NOT common. It’s about as “fake” as nature can get.
So….how many days did she get for her misdemeanor?
Just thought ya’ll might wanna know the charges were dropped last yesterday afternoon. The flood of phone calls caused the law to drop all charges.