The plan is to develop rules and conditions allowing anyone to grow vegetables and sell produce from their property without a permit. The Oakland plan would go beyond that of other cities, including San Francisco, because it would also set up conditions for raising farm animals without a permit."
"Many of the zoning codes regarding agriculture were written in 1965, when cities were developing clear distinctions between life in the city and country. At that time, freeways were carving up Oakland and feeding a sense that urban life was for folk who preferred not to get their hands dirty farming."
"Oakland's rules have always allowed the growing of vegetables and raising animals for personal use on residential property. But selling, bartering or giving away what you grow is not legal without a permit. The new rules will establish limits on distributing food, including food byproducts like jam, without a permit."
Read the article here
My Grandma is on it and sends me this kind of info from the San Francisco Chronicle all the time. She's an avid newspaper reader and if she comes across an article about surfing, Obama in Hawaii, or farming, the link is in my inbox asap and the book about it is being shipped over to my house as well. BUT, with this book, the Bassing family beat her to it last xmas and I give all credit to Viki Marie Bassing for how much Farm City rocks my world.
I like this article because I love to see citizens rebelling against The Man. This woman is redefining the concepts of cities and farming, combining them because she wants that control of her own food. It makes sense! But The Man and other citizens aren't comfortable when control is out of The Man's hands (the article mentions a woman who is concerned about urban farming being utilized as a guise for animal abuse) so she's up against zoning laws and expensive permits. The consistent debate I get in with people is that over Big Government versus Small Government and I'm a pretty big hypocrite because I am always inspired by those that reject the conventional standards and boundaries that are placed on them as a result of some power hierarchy (even if sometimes those standards are right, and it's just for the sake of choice and individuality), such as in this example what it means to live in a city, what it means to have a farm, where you get your food... BUT I'm also big on being taken care of. I want to trust that my government has my safety, health, and happiness as their priority, being that they are suppose to represent me, and these people have greater access to information than I do, so when they know what's up in ways that I don't I want them to lay down some laws that protect me. I want regulations on corporate practices, I want labor laws and food standards and we have these BUT I know I am too idealistic in wanting to trust that politicians and law makers are making current laws and regulations based on the best information out there. Their motivation seems to be money and re-elections. So where does taking care of ME fit into there?!!?!?
Anyways, this woman is my hero for her revolutionary actions, and not cowering away from the challenge. If the city with it's zoning laws and permits genuinely work towards adapting the laws to the new realities of agriculture in the city, then I see them as heroes too. The heart of this issue I see is letting people grow their own food. If politics and money and outside influence turn it into something else, then my conspiracy theories about The Man will have supporting evidence.