Keystone
SAWHORSE
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/northampton-sd/mc-lehigh-township-garden-folo-20131202,0,5982010.story
Weeds are the champions, my friends.
Well, depending on your point of view. To Karl Hirsch, who converted most of his third of an acre on Church Road in Lehigh Township, Northampton County, to an unorthodox garden, plants are the champions.
Lehigh Township recently dropped the citation against Hirsch it filed in August, claiming it no longer considers Hirsch's garden a nuisance.
"I'm happy, obviously," Hirsch said. "I'm still worried that it's going to be an issue if I try (to plant) anything next year."
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Responding to a complaint from one of Hirsch's neighbors, Zoning Officer Laura Harrier determined that the weeds in Hirsch's garden violated a township ordinance that requires nuisance plants to grow no higher than 6 inches.
Hirsch's next door neighbor, Jennifer Frantz, said Hirsch's weeds had grown so high she couldn't see oncoming cars when pulling out of her driveway.
But those weeds weren't weeds, Hirsch said. The offending vegetation was actually food-bearing plants Hirsch uses to feed his family, he said.
Some of it might not look like your run-of-the-mill carrots and cabbages – the stalks and wide leaves are actually 100 varieties of crops with names like wineberries, cylindra beets and walking onions. But it's all food, Hirsch assured everyone.
Harrier asked Hirsch to send him a photo of his yard, labeling each plant. Hirsch said Harrier never came to visit him so he could show her what each plant was.
Eventually, it went to court. Harrier cited Hirsch and fined him more than $200. Hirsch pleaded not guilty. And, on Sept. 16, Hirsch lost his case before District Judge Robert A. Hawke.
Hirsch filed an appeal in Northampton County. Since then, Harrier and Frantz say he trimmed back the weeds. That means his garden is no longer in violation of any local ordinances.
Recently, Harrier said, the township mailed a letter to the Northampton County district attorney's office, informing them that they're dropping the citation against Hirsch.
"The area is no longer in question," Harrier said.
Meanwhile, the rural neighbor dispute drew international attention. An online petition at thepetitionsite.com entitled "Let Karl Hirsch Grow His Garden!" included a link to an Oct. 27 Morning Call article about the case and brought in nearly 15,000 signatures. Some purported to be from as far away as Portugal and Russia.
Comments on the site range from outraged environmentalism to the bizarre. "Hey, People of Northampton County," said one post from Mr. Stefano Stronati of Italy, "let me suggest You to have more sex: it works, trust me."
Hirsch said he doesn't know the woman who started the petition – Freya Harris.
"I've got to say I'm not really surprised," he said. "If people are given the opportunity to talk you get a totally different answer than you get from the quote-unquote authorities."
Hirsch's attorney, Gary Asteak of Easton, said he has yet to receive formal documentation that the charges against Hirsch have been dropped. He's received a copy of the letter, however.
"There's no law that prohibits you from planting a garden on your property," Asteak said. "If more people who lived on these large 2 acre lots planted vegetables, we'd all be a lot healthier."
Weeds are the champions, my friends.
Well, depending on your point of view. To Karl Hirsch, who converted most of his third of an acre on Church Road in Lehigh Township, Northampton County, to an unorthodox garden, plants are the champions.
Lehigh Township recently dropped the citation against Hirsch it filed in August, claiming it no longer considers Hirsch's garden a nuisance.
"I'm happy, obviously," Hirsch said. "I'm still worried that it's going to be an issue if I try (to plant) anything next year."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
» The latest on traffic, delays and road construction delivered to your mobile phone. Click to sign up to receive text alerts!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responding to a complaint from one of Hirsch's neighbors, Zoning Officer Laura Harrier determined that the weeds in Hirsch's garden violated a township ordinance that requires nuisance plants to grow no higher than 6 inches.
Hirsch's next door neighbor, Jennifer Frantz, said Hirsch's weeds had grown so high she couldn't see oncoming cars when pulling out of her driveway.
But those weeds weren't weeds, Hirsch said. The offending vegetation was actually food-bearing plants Hirsch uses to feed his family, he said.
Some of it might not look like your run-of-the-mill carrots and cabbages – the stalks and wide leaves are actually 100 varieties of crops with names like wineberries, cylindra beets and walking onions. But it's all food, Hirsch assured everyone.
Harrier asked Hirsch to send him a photo of his yard, labeling each plant. Hirsch said Harrier never came to visit him so he could show her what each plant was.
Eventually, it went to court. Harrier cited Hirsch and fined him more than $200. Hirsch pleaded not guilty. And, on Sept. 16, Hirsch lost his case before District Judge Robert A. Hawke.
Hirsch filed an appeal in Northampton County. Since then, Harrier and Frantz say he trimmed back the weeds. That means his garden is no longer in violation of any local ordinances.
Recently, Harrier said, the township mailed a letter to the Northampton County district attorney's office, informing them that they're dropping the citation against Hirsch.
"The area is no longer in question," Harrier said.
Meanwhile, the rural neighbor dispute drew international attention. An online petition at thepetitionsite.com entitled "Let Karl Hirsch Grow His Garden!" included a link to an Oct. 27 Morning Call article about the case and brought in nearly 15,000 signatures. Some purported to be from as far away as Portugal and Russia.
Comments on the site range from outraged environmentalism to the bizarre. "Hey, People of Northampton County," said one post from Mr. Stefano Stronati of Italy, "let me suggest You to have more sex: it works, trust me."
Hirsch said he doesn't know the woman who started the petition – Freya Harris.
"I've got to say I'm not really surprised," he said. "If people are given the opportunity to talk you get a totally different answer than you get from the quote-unquote authorities."
Hirsch's attorney, Gary Asteak of Easton, said he has yet to receive formal documentation that the charges against Hirsch have been dropped. He's received a copy of the letter, however.
"There's no law that prohibits you from planting a garden on your property," Asteak said. "If more people who lived on these large 2 acre lots planted vegetables, we'd all be a lot healthier."
