Ahead of their time.

Image from Botanical.com

The other day I was headed to the store and drove the same route I've been driving for years. As I headed down my street and made a right I noticed, for the first time, a front yard FULL of fruit trees. Like a mini orchard. Citrus and maybe some stone fruits. Then I noticed herbs growing beneath the trees...and even a few tomato plants here and there. It's enclosed by a white picket fence. There's more...but I've had to be slick and take note while I drive by rather than being an obvious lookie lou and stopping in the middle of the street to gawk! What I really want to do is walk by...and maybe even knock on their door and introduce myself. Which I just may do. I haven't decided yet. Wouldn't it be cool if they were creating their own little urban homestead? Someone right here in my own neighborhood?

Now, I said earlier that I noticed all of this "for the first time" which isn't exactly the whole truth. I remember when they were planting everything, oh, maybe 5-7 years ago? And honestly, at that time, I thought it was really weird to have all trees, and at that time herbs (that might still be in there somewhere but I've been trying to be incognito), and no lawn. I mean, come on? Who doesn't put grass in their front yard, right? It's what we do. It's what's expected. It's...a front yard.

So, yeah. I noticed it. But I forgot about it. Until last week. Then I realized...wow, they were ahead of their time. They had the "Food. Not Lawn" theory down before it was popular. I admire their bravery. Years ago I thought it was weird. Today I think it's smart and a great use of space. I'm turning into Chris' grandpa whose philosophy was "if you can't eat it, why grow it?" which is making more and more sense to me as time goes on.