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Revisiting the idea of the perfect lawn in Midwest suburbia

Re-inventing the lawn: from aesthetically pleasing to food producing
ProfRule

It’s early August in Indiana, a historical time of bounty, but in today’s climate this bounty as been decimated by years of pesticide runoff. The once iconic Suburbia neighborhood mentality with sodded green yards, decorative potted flowers and cast iron lawn furniture has eroded into a sea of candy thistles suffocating any vegetation that survived the summer drought. There is no grass, just dirt. And that in itself wouldn’t be such a bad thing if the dirt could grow food, but when builders purchased this land, they stripped the nutrients and all we are left with is clay. Although there are some benefits to clay, such as retaining moisture due to its density, and its negative charge attracting calcium, potassium, and magnesium, it is problematic when trying to establish a vegetable garden.

 

The second problem is residual pesticide runoff from neighbors who are still hell-bent on a green yard. With the erosion of natural buffers, these pesticides are creeping into the eco-friendlier yards.  We need to come up with a way to sustain the work of individuals who are trying to grow food for their families while appeasing the families who are denying that there is a problem.

Oct 15


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