Part of the traditional American Dream has a "keeping up with the Joneses" sentiment to it, where one is always trying to stay in line and on-trend with what your neighbors are doing.
However, marching to the beat of your own drum can be equally beautiful as you forge your ideal "white picket fence" dreams — even if you're starting "neighborhood controversy," as suburbansalt (@suburbansalt) shared in their TikTok post.
@suburbansalt Some neighbors give us dirty looks or avoid eye contact and some have complained. Occasionally we'll get the odd comment on FB or Next Door. We get at least 1 code enforcement call every six months and none of them are legit, code enforcement thinks someone has beef with us. But we aren't breaking any codes! These people have nothing better to do. I will keep feeding the neighborhood and selling them beautiful flowers to bring people a little joy in a world where things feel like they are constantly on fire. Don't tear people down, build a bigger table. ❤️🌱😉🫑🥬🌶️🌸☀️#farmstand #flowerfarmers #urbanfarm ♬ original sound - suburbansalt
Their unorthodox front yard is far from the traditional fresh-mown green grass of the suburbs, and they detailed how they spread the rewards of it among their neighbors and community.
They said they "ripped out the grass and put in a mini farm" in their front yard, and they give away fruits and veggies from the garden for free to neighbors and use a "pay what you can" honesty system for flowers. It sounds like this homeowner is in a league of their own.
While suburbansalt is being gracious with their garden harvests, not everyone in the community approves of their front yard farm.
They explained in the TikTok that, "some neighbors give us dirty looks or avoid eye contact and some have complained."
They continued: "Occasionally, we'll get the odd comment on FB or Next Door. We get at least one code enforcement call every six months and none of them are legit. Code enforcement thinks someone has beef with us. But we aren't breaking any codes! These people have nothing better to do. I will keep feeding the neighborhood and selling them beautiful flowers to bring people a little joy in a world where things feel like they are constantly on fire. Don't tear people down, build a bigger table."
Fellow TikTokers were quick to support the generous mission, with one user saying, "This is what we should all be doing! All of us paying to water grass when we could be growing food and collecting water."
Another enthusiastic user said, "I would absolutely love to have you as my neighbor."
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Absolutely not 💯 There are facts and science to back up this TikToker's comment: natural lawns and rewilding may not be the status quo, but they're actually better for the planet while benefiting your pocketbook and saving time on upkeep.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, traditional lawns require 3 trillion gallons of water, 200 million gallons of gas for mowing, and 70 million pounds of pesticides per year to maintain that superficial green glow.
Another user summed it up best, saying, "while they're tired and worn out from keeping it 'neat,' your space can be enjoyed by many."
The new American Dream, as wisely put by suburbansalt, should be, "don't tear people down, build a bigger table." Why keep up with the Joneses when you can generously supply your neighbors with home-grown veggies?
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