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urban gardening

Battle for home grown food

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posted 4 years ago

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Hello to all you rebels. I need some advice and encouragement. I started 7- 25 foot no dig beds on our small trailer lot (along with 2 neighbors yards) and have been growing some food for our family and 2 boys after been diagnosed a few years ago with ulcerative colitis. I've learned to love it as many I'm sure experienced the same. It lead me to have 55-25' beds at my father in laws property and do a small market garden for friends and family and starting up a small 1-2 dozen salad csa this year.

I built a small 12x12 greenhouse on our trailer lot to get starts going this year. I am getting heat from MGMT of the park telling me to remove it. They sent a letter recently that "I remove it immediately or risk the fees associated with their contractors taking it down".

I was about to transport it or dismantle it, but my father in law who is the president of our local farm bereau encouraged me to fight it. I realize that he's right.

I certainly dont need to share all the benefits to this crowd, but I would like to approach it civil and with respect instead of defiance. I could get our local newspaper to come and take shots of my 2 boys in greenhouse with sad looks on their faces with hundreds of plants surrounding with a title "Trailer park refuses gardner to grow food" but not sure if that is approach.

The challenge is their is no guidelines, there is just yes/no. Meanwhile I have row covers that stand 12" off the ground that span 25' but no issues. Or a neighbor down the road has a covered hoophouse ro cover their car... so I dont get it. If I got a crappy home depot greenhouse, would it be fine? It's a symptom of a society that doesnt value home grown food and all the benefits, and for that I will fight tooth and nail.

Douglas Alpenstock

pollinator

Posts: 5520

Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

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posted 4 years ago

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It sounds as if obviously temporary structures are allowed. Perhaps management sees the greenhouse as a permanent structure? Do other residents have garden sheds and such? I would think your rental agreement must include some wording about this.

Stacie Kim

gardener

Posts: 497

Location: Middle Georgia, Zone 8B

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posted 4 years ago

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but I would like to approach it civil and with respect instead of defiance.

I agree. The old saying goes, "You attract more flies with honey than vinegar."

Could you ask the management what policy they're using to decide that your greenhouse is not allowed? Do they have written by-laws somewhere?

Could you ask what their concern is? Ask them to be specific. Is it the aesthetics of the greenhouse? Is it safe in high winds? Are they concerned that you're growing illegal crops? Have they had complaints from other neighbors?

If you could get down to the gist of what they're complaint truly is, perhaps you could hash out a compromise.

Thanks, Y'all!

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Kyle Scheffler

Posts: 4

posted 4 years ago

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Douglas Alpenstock wrote:It sounds as if obviously temporary structures are allowed. Perhaps management sees the greenhouse as a permanent structure? Do other residents have garden sheds and such? I would think your rental agreement must include some wording about this.

Yes, after reviewing the agreement, virtually everything outside that is visible by neighbors must be approved prior of installation by the MGMT. So the guy down the street with car port was either approved or was grandfathered in. Not sure when these owners took over.

Nearly everyone has a surf on their property but guidelines go as far as having shed match the exterior if the trailer. So it seems they are sticklers - I certainly understand wanting a nice appearance, but with stipulations like this, it's not helping the cause.

So about SKIP... gotta find a property to manage and get outta here.

Kyle Scheffler

Posts: 4

posted 4 years ago

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Stacie Kim wrote:

Could you ask the management what policy they're using to decide that your greenhouse is not allowed? Do they have written by-laws somewhere?

Could you ask what their concern is? Ask them to be specific. Is it the aesthetics of the greenhouse? Is it safe in high winds? Are they concerned that you're growing illegal crops? Have they had complaints from other neighbors?

If you could get down to the gist of what they're complaint truly is, perhaps you could hash out a compromise.

Thank you Stacie, I sent them an email to breakdown some of these statements, stay tuned!

I know it's a stretch and not that I'm for bigger gov't, but are their any Fed or state laws in place that supercedes these silly community rules?

Stacie Kim

gardener

Posts: 497

Location: Middle Georgia, Zone 8B

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posted 4 years ago

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Please keep us posted. I hope it works out in your favor.

Thanks, Y'all!

Anne Miller

steward

Posts: 17865

Location: USDA Zone 8a

4560

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posted 4 years ago

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Kyle said "I was about to transport it or dismantle it, but my father in law who is the president of our local farm bereau encouraged me to fight it. I realize that he's right.

Before you take it down, here is what I would do if this was my problem.

I would submit plans for a smaller greenhouse to management. (And advise them that you will remove the current one)

If they reject those plans I would submit plans for garden beds with row cover to see what happens.

If these are rejected I would ask what can I do to grow some plants?

Best wishes for growing food.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Kyle Scheffler

Posts: 4

posted 4 years ago

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Anne Miller wrote:

Kyle said "I was about to transport it or dismantle it, but my father in law who is the president of our local farm bereau encouraged me to fight it. I realize that he's right.

Before you take it down, here is what I would do if this was my problem.

I would submit plans for a smaller greenhouse to management. (And advise them that you will remove the current one)

If they reject those plans I would submit plans for garden beds with row cover to see what happens.

If these are rejected I would ask what can I do to grow some plants?

Best wishes for growing food.

I currently have 7- 25ft x 30" beds on my property, and two adjacent neighbors properties. 1 has had a row cover over it on and off the last 2 months ( I live in upstate NY). They have been established going on 3 years now. Perhaps this was the last straw that squashed me turning every piece of lawn into productive ground.

The smaller greenhouse certainly is a thought in order to narrow in what their big concern is. Im awaiting an email after they sent the letter, I hope they acknowledge it instead of abruptly ripping down the greenhouse. I would think they would give me 30 day grace period, right? Immediate is such a vague term.

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