USDA Says 4-year old vegetable garden must go!

 I can't believe what people think they can get away with sometimes! First it was Lemonade Stands, and now we can't plant vegetable gardens.

Have they never heard of "Victory Gardens"? Back in a more sensible era, the government BEGGED people to plant their own gardens to help reduce the strain on the system and provide much-needed support to our troops in Europe.

 With the ridiculous strain on our economy today, why on EARTH would an agency step in and tell people they could not plant a flipping GARDEN? I don't care if it's in a public PARK, if someone wants to plant food, let them!

"With each passing day, it seems the United States of America, “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave” is becoming more and more like the Communist Russia I learned about in elementary school where people weren’t allowed to grow their own food unless the State “allowed” it."

Quoted from The Healthy Home Economist. Read More...

27 AUG 2013 - Update: They did tear out the garden, but the property management company agreed to let her and the other tenants grow a garden "next spring". Unbelievable.

This picture is so sad to me, because I see my daughter wanting to do something exactly like this - being responsible and learning how to take care of herself as opposed to relying on someone else to do it for her.

 It's like "common sense" just isn't that common anymore.

Write your congressman and senators. Write your governor. Write the USDA and tell them this is NOT the will of the people!

To: elsie.meeks@sd.usda.gov

Cc: kevin.strickler@sd.usda.gov, trace.davids@sd.usda.gov

Subject: Allow USDA-subsidized housing residents to grow vegetable gardens

Dear Director Meeks,

I urge you to make a loud and clear statement to all the property management companies your agency contracts that USDA-subsidized residents have the right to keep their own vegetable gardens provided that these gardens are actively maintained. Vegetable gardens grow healthy and affordable foods as well as a sense of community. Rather than preventing low-income and disabled residents from providing for themselves, we should be doing everything we can to encourage them.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." ~Edmund Burke