Gardens in American Suburbs

[peacetraveler22]

Can you guess what's growing in the bright, green leaves? :) I think one of the biggest misperceptions about Americans is that we all stuff our faces with fast food and pizza every day. This may be true for some people, but not the majority. I once read a report from a well-known blogger who wrote that gardens are common "only in American ghettos." Such characterization is very strange, because it's ordinary for Americans to grow fruits and vegetables in their yards, and not only in rural areas. This photo is taken from my sister's house, right in the middle of suburbia. Each year, she attempts to grow various fruits and vegetables during the summer in her tiny yard. Hidden behind these leaves is a fruit that most Russians know very well and consume on a regular basis...

1. Cucumbers! This is my nephew's favorite thing to eat, and the fruit is easy to grow. Actually, I thought cucumbers were vegetables but my sister informed me over the weekend that the proper classification of this food is "fruit."



2. Cucumbers to me are tasty only if eaten raw, and I definitely don't like the pickled variety!! Pickles to me are the worst food on the planet, and the mere smell nauseates me. Usually, I simply slice and eat them on a plate with onions. The ones from my sister's yard are completely organic, she uses no fertilizers or special chemicals to help them grow, and most come out huge (though not perfectly shaped!).



3. One of my favorite homemade salads, we eat it during summer barbecues and other family gatherings. Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and avocados, all mixed with light olive oil and various spices.



4.  I stopped drinking sodas almost twenty years ago, and consumer only water and herbal tea on most days. During the hot and humid summer months, I also use cucumbers to create tasty alternatives to plain water. It's very simple, yet the taste is somewhat exotic and refreshing. The best combination is to place water, ice cubes, limes, cucumbers and mint leaves in a jar or pitcher and let it sit overnight. Delicious! You can find the recipe here. In fact, you can use any type of fruit to add a spark to otherwise dull water (like oranges, tangerines, melons, etc.).



5. This year, we tried to grow strawberries but it was a complete fail! :( Japanese beetles infested the crops and completely destroyed them.



6. I recently left my nice apartment near the city to save money on rent. Now, I'm far away, sitting in huge traffic jams each day on my commute to work. It's horrible, but necessary if I wish to pursue my passion of travel. To pay over $2,000 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment - insanity!! When I was searching for places to live, I was surprised to learn that some complexes now have "resident gardens," making it possible for even apartment dwellers to have a garden. It's great! Here's an example from one of the properties I viewed. Almost all of the dirt plots are occupied and being used by residents in the high rise building. How about in Moscow or Peter? Have you ever seen an owner create such nice garden plots for residents of an apartment building to use?



7.  Now, I have tons of cucumbers sitting at home! In all shapes and sizes. Diversity is good. :) What else can I do with them? If you have good cucumber recipes or cooking ideas, share them in comments. I will be grateful.



Please don't believe all the stereotypes about what Americans eat. There's a wide-variety of food available, and as I've written before you can find organic products in almost every market, from expensive gourmet shops to cheap stores like Walmart. Yes, you pay more for such products but if you're anal about what you eat, or some type of health food fanatic, you can easily survive in the USA. It will just cost you more to eat. And it's possible to have a garden not only at your dacha, but also in suburbia and occasionally an apartment. How about you? Do you grow any vegetables or fruits, or do you buy such products at the supermarket?

Comments

[south-of-broad.livejournal.com]

Best comment so far)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It was a new one for me, that Americans are prohibited from growing vegetables and fruit. :) I've heard many strange things about American life from people who have never been here, but not this tale.

[(Anonymous)]

There has been a number of cases in US where people even had charges brought against them for "illegal gardening", particularly when growing veggies in their front yard. This mostly has to do with violation of various zoning ordinances and HOA rules. Some lawyer you are...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You think that lawyers know EVERY law written in all jurisdictions? If so, you are sadly mistaken. Lawyers typically work in a specialized field, and have expertise in that area. For me, it is trademark land branding law. Moreover, laws vary in each State, and it is impossible to know all statutes and regulations. Of course, there may be instances in which extreme or poorly managed gardens (or irrigation problems caused therefrom) violate some type of ordinance, but this is an exception, not the norm. Regarding HOA's, it's your choice where you buy your house. It's necessary to inform yourself about restrictions in the community (if they have them) before you buy. If you don't want to abide by the regulations, don't move there. It's called freedom of choice. :)

[(Anonymous)]

I don't think lawyers know every law, but I do think that good lawyers are smart enough to check their facts before making unequivocal statements. Living in DC though, I'm used to being surrounded by incompetence. Plus it's a blog, so no worries.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

If you know specific State laws banning gardens, please send to me. I'll be interested to read.