# AWARD FOR SPUNK...AND ONE FOR STUPIDITY..guess who gets which one



## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Julie Bass of Oak Park Faces Misdemeanor Charge for Vegetable Garden

93 DAYS IN JAIL....MISDEMEANOR FOR GARDEN???

(another reason to stay away from Oak Park, Michigan)


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## power (May 7, 2011)

We should be thankful a 93 year old woman still has the ability, knowledge, and desire to grow a garden. Front, back, who cares?


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I like the idea of a garden in every yard. I have tomato and pepper plants in my flower beds, with lettuce and radishes as a boarder. All of my herbs are in the front yard for everyone to see. Surely the public official has better things to do than drive around town to see what everyone has planted in their front yard.


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## lhalfcent (Mar 11, 2010)

Clarice said:


> I like the idea of a garden in every yard. I have tomato and pepper plants in my flower beds, with lettuce and radishes as a boarder. All of my herbs are in the front yard for everyone to see. Surely the public official has better things to do than drive around town to see what everyone has planted in their front yard.


me too.
I am doing edible landscaping. what some think are lovely draping flowers is amaranth! lol
i have herbs in the front, oregano, mustard, thyme etc but my main garden is in the back with matoes, corn, squashes, beans etc. 
also in the front I have climbing peas, and cukes with their lovely flowers and fruits. 
I would tell that lady to rock on! :flower:


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

power said:


> We should be thankful a 93 year old woman still has the ability, knowledge, and desire to grow a garden. Front, back, who cares?


Gee she is looking good for 93.  I would have placed her at no more than 40. :

(she is facing 93 days in jail)

She should look into guerrilla gardening


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Clarice said:


> I like the idea of a garden in every yard. I have tomato and pepper plants in my flower beds, with lettuce and radishes as a boarder. All of my herbs are in the front yard for everyone to see. Surely the public official has better things to do than drive around town to see what everyone has planted in their front yard.


Not only gardens, but if every homeowner planted 10 trees-- if space allows, of course-- this world would be much better also, I think.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I was just reading this article before coming on here. Read it to my kids - they're really starting to understand a lot about private property rights (or the lack thereof).

I admire her spunk, and her willingness to stick with it. Man, I hope she wins!


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Reading some of the comments at the bottom - someone suggested peaceful protest by using Webster's definition of suitable = common. Have the neighbors plant gardens in their front yards. Someone's thinking outside the box. Gotta love it!


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

JayJay said:


> Not only gardens, but if every homeowner planted 10 trees-- if space allows, of course-- this world would be much better also, I think.


I love planting trees. I saw a small ceder growing underneath a mobile home when walking yesterday. I asked the folks if I could pluck it from the ground and take it home to plant. I now have a cedar tree and a blue spruce tree that are only about a foot tall  I already planted 6 other trees in my backyard.


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## power (May 7, 2011)

CVORNurse said:


> Gee she is looking good for 93.  I would have placed her at no more than 40. :
> 
> (she is facing 93 days in jail)
> 
> She should look into guerrilla gardening


My mistake. In that case throw her in jail and throw away the key. These kids nowdays think they can get away with anything.
Just joking.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

power said:


> in that case throw her in jail and throw away the key. These kids nowdays think they can get away with anything.


LOL...

hmph...something's wrong, it won't let me post smilies. 

figures - it'll let me post frownies


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

Casey Anthony walks in Florida and Julie Bass goes to jail in Michigan????????

I live about 25-30 miles away from Julie Bass. How soon before they come and get me? If she has a legal defence fund we should all chip in some bucks.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

It's defense not defence, maybe she needs da fence. I need spell checker.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

power said:


> My mistake. In that case throw her in jail and throw away the key. These kids nowdays think they can get away with anything.
> Just joking.


Ah ya know I just had to rag you on it.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

I'm glad I don't live in Oak Park - They might cite me for growing asparagus among my lilies. :flower:

And, BTW, the British spelling is defence. So cut 'em some slack.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Oh brother. I hope the whole town gets behind this woman, and I hope there becomes a wave of front-yard gardens not only there but in other towns! 

Common sense, folks! There's a couple people there that don't have any!  Geez. 

Reading the comments after the story was as interesting as the article. If so many common people out there reading the news can see the idiocracy of this, why is it those few people who have no common sense keep prevailing in this kind of harassment? :dunno:


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

All the lady has to do is say ... Mrs O told me to do it. :flower:

Now what town in their right mind would cross Mrs O. 

I think I will send this to the house on the hill and see what they have to say ...


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

JayJay said:


> Julie Bass of Oak Park Faces Misdemeanor Charge for Vegetable Garden
> 
> 93 DAYS IN JAIL....MISDEMEANOR FOR GARDEN???
> 
> (another reason to stay away from Oak Park, Michigan)


She was warned. She could've had her garden in the backyard and it wouldn't have been a problem. It comes down to the rule of law. If you already have a law against having gardens in your front yard then you can't have one. Whether it's a good law or not is a separate issue.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

BillS said:


> She was warned. She could've had her garden in the backyard and it wouldn't have been a problem. It comes down to the rule of law. If you already have a law against having gardens in your front yard then you can't have one. Whether it's a good law or not is a separate issue.


Read the article Bill. Gardens are not specifically prohibited in the law. The laws states only "suitable plants". It does not define suitable. The code enforcement guy says the definition of suitable is common. In other words her yard has to look like everyone else's and since none of her neighbors have gardens in front, neither can she. I think she is totally within her rights.


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## CVORNurse (Oct 19, 2008)

Just found this site, with photos taken in Oak Park, showing all the eye sores code enforcement is ignoring to go after the militant vegetable gardner.

http://oakparkhypocrisy.wordpress.com/


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

BillS said:


> She was warned. She could've had her garden in the backyard and it wouldn't have been a problem. It comes down to the rule of law. If you already have a law against having gardens in your front yard then you can't have one. Whether it's a good law or not is a separate issue.


I think that her raised beds are attractive. If her backyard is anything like mine, it is hard to get anything to grow there. There are many tall trees that were planted before I moved in. There is so little light that everything is deprived back there.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

This is a shame. I like the idea of more people growing gardens in their front yards to back her up. I'm certainly of the poinion that a certain degree of normalcy needs to be maintained but she pays the taxes on the place so she should be well within her rights to plant a garden. By normalcy I mean she really shouldn't operate an auto salvage or have rubbish thrown all over-basic hygene and safety hazards don't seem to be an issue hereso she should do as she pleases. I wonder if she donates any garden produce to local food banks or anything? If she does and the town stops that they'll look like a bunch of beauracratic a$$holes for sure.

This kind of reminds me of a guy that I know who got arrested one time for mowing an overgrown city park with his private lawnmower.


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## Skeeter (Nov 7, 2009)

I'm all for every neighbor planting a garden out front. If I lived there I would.


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