Explanation on where the 'gardening is illegal' rumor came from

[nao57]

So this post is not political. I will try to be as careful as I can.

My objective is only to explain where the rumor of 'gardening becoming illegal' came from. I remember hearing about this early on and I watch many sources of news, so I am probably one of the few people that can explain it clearly, because I was watching much of this unfold.

Its very possible that the question about if getting chicks was illegal came as part of the 'gardening is illegal' issues. If 'gardening is illegal' its possible those areas decided, well aren't mailing chicks part of gardening too, and then stopped them.

When Covid19 started off, Vermont and Michigan jumped in right away to make gardening illegal. They were the first ones to do it. This was unfortunately not rumors. It was fact. It was also done by the state governments and their governments, and NOT federal. This was also why the Michigan people got so riled up that they got armed and stormed into a government legislature session (it was not a primary factor, but part of some of the underlying issues.) I am not justifying this and not taking sides. I only want to explain where these rumors came from.

Here is one source talking about it. Also see that I tried to use a non-political source (Forbes is about finance and money);

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicksi...pplies-calls-them-not-necessary/#4165e4c35f80

https://www.today.com/home/big-box-...et-stop-selling-nonessentials-vermont-t177397

(See Vermont, on second source)

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/money/walmart-target-costco-stop-selling

Now after Vermont and Michigan did this, other places were jumping on this also but didn't get noticed, because this was right when the lock downs started. And this means that many places only noticed Vermont and Michigan doing this.

(If you live in these types of states I would not be vocable about your home self sufficiency activities any more for awhile.)

California was doing all kinds of crazy stuff during this time, but didn't do this (that I know of)...but they did other things that were considered very radical also.

http://www.iceagefarmer.com/2020/04/04/states-ban-sales-of-seeds-meat-packers-closed-food-shutdown/

There were also back door methods of doing it, like states that had HUGE lock downs would not get noticed but where doing much the same thing.

So I hope this helps.

I tried to not be political. I left out several things I could have said to do so unfortunately.

But I would suggest censorship makes this kind of thing happen more because people who are doing bad don't get censored. Only people trying to do good end up getting censored. So it creates an environment where only one side is heard.

 

[Studabird]

I think the term gardening is illegal is a misnomer. There were no regulations stating you couldn’t garden. For instance many gardeners harvest and secure their own seeds. Just as many compost their own soil. Not being able to buy supplies does not make something illegal. States were taking action to stop the spread or flatten the curve. While we( and by we I mean society) may disagree about what is necessary. I think to use the term “making gardening illegal” is inflammatory.

 

[Sequel]

Well remember when this first broke out here there was very little to no proper personal protection for the general public. I think the policies that were enacted were meant to make it possible for people to get food and other necessities and get them the heck out of the store.
Here the hardware stores were open but they closed the paint department. Maybe you could still buy it off the shelf, I don’t know, but they didn’t want people standing around Handling the paint chips and then standing around getting the paint shook.
Same for seed racks. People stand there and touch everything. And breathe on everything. Until we were able to get masks and more information on how to protect ourselves I think my own Governor and local health district did the responsible thing. My brother in law works in a grocery store and so far that store has had no Covid infections among the employees. If you don’t have a mask they will give you one. They constantly clean and I believe it shows if people are careful and responsible we CAN go about our lives . Some things will probably never be the same. At least in my lifetime.

 

[rosemarythyme]

MI was earning a lot of eye rolls because while gardening supplies and seeds weren't considered essential, lottery tickets were. The media grabbed that and ran with it.

Many states weren't quite so unreasonable. In WA, nurseries were considered essential business and allowed to open and sell everything, even if the majority of what they carried were inedible flowers, trees, etc. instead of vegetable starts.

 

[Aunt Angus]

We saw oddities in what I would think of as essential as well.

While seeds, gardening and home repair/maintenance may not seem essential to some to others these things are critical.

Paint sales.....I can see those having gone up. So many people stuck at home without much to do deciding to spend the "found" time being as productive as possible......or staring at the walls deciding they really could use a new coat of paint.

Seeds while legal here were in short supply. Probably for several reasons.

For some reason there seems to be an increase in how many households around us have and are setting off fireworks.......I do NOT consider those essential. I don't even understand why there are fireworks stands here as they are illegal in town.......

Imma go weed my onion rows.......lol.
Maybe even look to see if the squirrel left me any strawberries.....

Oh, I bought paint, so I know why sales went up!

But paint is not what I'd consider essential. Home repair is. I just think it's funny that some states ban sales of gardening supplies but still allow paint sales.

 

[NatJ]

Why would gardening be illegal??!!

It is not, and never was.

During Covid-19 lockdowns, some states banned the sale of anything not "essential." Then some of those states defined gardening supplies as not essential. (Seeds, plants, fertilizer, shovels, rototillers, hoses, and on and on--"not essential.")

So buying gardening supplies, in person, in certain states, during a specific few months--that was illegal.

Growing a garden with supplies you already had was fine. Ordering things over the internet was fine.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

It is not, and never was.

During Covid-19 lockdowns, some states banned the sale of anything not "essential." Then some of those states defined gardening supplies as not essential. (Seeds, plants, fertilizer, shovels, rototillers, hoses, and on and on--"not essential.")

So buying gardening supplies, in person, in certain states, during a specific few months--that was illegal.

Growing a garden with supplies you already had was fine. Ordering things over the internet was fine.

Ohhh, okay. Thank for clarifying!

 

[Aunt Angus]

This is news to me! Imma read those articles you linked right now!

 

[21hens-incharge]

We saw oddities in what I would think of as essential as well.

While seeds, gardening and home repair/maintenance may not seem essential to some to others these things are critical.

Paint sales.....I can see those having gone up. So many people stuck at home without much to do deciding to spend the "found" time being as productive as possible......or staring at the walls deciding they really could use a new coat of paint.

Seeds while legal here were in short supply. Probably for several reasons.

For some reason there seems to be an increase in how many households around us have and are setting off fireworks.......I do NOT consider those essential. I don't even understand why there are fireworks stands here as they are illegal in town.......

Imma go weed my onion rows.......lol.
Maybe even look to see if the squirrel left me any strawberries.....

 

[Doc7]

this thread is clickbait