Right To Bear Fruit Established In Maine
By Bob Small
I had almost forgotten my previous days with a community garden in Philly (she was a blonde, too) when my wife (#3 but who’s counting) decided that now that we’re retired we can start a vegetable garden, along with some fruit trees. Borough Swarthmore fought us on the fruit trees but went down to defeat.
This brings us to Nov. 2 in the state of Maine, a secessionist state –from Massachusetts in 1820– which recently passed Question 3 by 60 percent of the vote. Briefly, this gives individuals “the right to produce, harvest, and consume their own food.”
State Rep William Faulkingham (R-136) give a rather long-winded support of this. Jumping ahead 25 to 30 years into the future, could we see our government creating roadblocks and restrictions to the peoples right to food?
Will Monsanto own all the seeds?
Opoosition ranged from valid concerns to well….
While Katie Hansberry (Maine State Director of the Humane Society) brought up the possibility of lifestock cruelty unlimited by animal cruelty laws, Janelle D. Tirrell (Maine Veterinary Medical Association) queried “Does this mean I can keep a cow in my Portland Apartment? Can I slaughter pigs in my front yard?”
While Maine chose to constitutionalize these rights, only a handful of other states have these rights, Pennsylvania not being one. Thus cities and municipalities can try and determine what you can and cannot grow, Of course you can always appeal this but who has the time and money to take the long way around just to grow apples and tomatoes, etc.
Further, Pennsylvania does not grant a Constitutional right to hunt or fish, as half our states do, but the state does sell fishing ($22,90) and hunting ($20.97) licenses.
I seem to remember that the Pennsylvania Legislature unofficially closed on the first day of hunting season.
You can also continue to purchase raw milk in Pennsylvania — until big Farma prevents that.
So, in Pennsylvania, you may grow and consume your own fruit and vegetables
but you do this at your own risk of legal ramifications.
And Monsanto may be watching.