A woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma is suing the city’s code enforcement teams after they illegally cut down her entire survival garden. Denise Morrison, who started the garden after becoming unemployed, had over 100 medicinal and edible plants in her front and back yard.
She told local Tulsa reporters that she started her garden after becoming unemployed as a way to feed herself and treat a variety of medical issues. Instead of relying on government handouts, this woman took matters into her own hands and decided to become self-sufficient. She filled her yard with things like fruit trees, berries, nut trees, and a wide variety of edible and medicinal herbs. She used these herbs to treat her diabetes, high-blood pressure, and arthritis.
Is the Self-Reliant Lifestyle Now a Crime in America?
All her hard work ended when the local code enforcement team showed up to her house and forcibly removed her entire survival garden. 
Morrison says that she tried to explain how everything in her yard followed the local code enforcement rules. You see, she had problems with these people in the past and this time she was determined to do things by the book.
She obtained the local ordinances and followed every rule to the tee. She made sure that everything in her garden had a purpose, and that her garden looked its best at all times. Local ordinances stated that no plant could be over 12-inches tall unless they were being used for human consumption.
Morrison made sure every plant in her garden could be eaten, but that didn’t matter to the city. They could care less about what the law actually said; they were determined to take out her garden. “Every word out of their mouth was, ‘we don’t care’,” Morrison said.
Over 100 plant varieties were removed by the code enforcement team, leaving her with no way to feed or medicate herself. They took almost everything, including a number of her fruit and nut trees. She told local reporters in Tulsa, “I came back three days later, sat in my driveway, cried and left.”
Government Crack Down on Liberty
While this case is extremely sad, it’s also becoming more and more common throughout the country. From “nuisance abatement teams” that have been forcing Off-Griders in California to hook back into the grid, to the heartbreaking story of Andrew Wordes who took his life after code enforcement teams seized his home, this country is making it harder and harder for self-reliant people to live on their own land.
While some dismiss these cases as localized issues, I believe they’re part of a larger movement to control anyone who dares to live a self-reliant lifestyle. I think evidence of this can be seen in the federal government’s attempts to regulate small farms out of existence, their use of the EPA to seize private land, the formation of the Department of Homeland Security’s Green Police Force, their attempts to seize control of the Great Lakes, oceans, and waterways, and their use of organizations like The National League of Cities to take control of local governments.
To: the authorities or the governament,you all need to leave this woman alone when she want to plant,it is her proptery, not your’s. youneed to learn to stop nosy on the pple ‘s proptery when they want to plants, stay off ! God will watch you(authoities, governament, city counselaor etc)for that you can’t go to paradise when die. Just leave the people alone when they want to plant garden to save the money when they were unemplyment, If I was like this woman I’ wld plant what I wanna “there is no law ” !!! God will watch you !
I cannot believe this. It is a nightmare come true. Who do they think they are? It seems Orwell’s 1984 is truth. My prayers are with this upstanding citizen.
I will agree that the conservatives have been part of the war on drugs. However they did not start it.
The first laws controlling drugs was the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 under Teddy Roosevelt, a self proclaimed progressive. Its power was expanded in 1912 under William Taft, another progressive. Then a major power boost in 1914 with the Harrison Tax Act under the progressive Woodrow Wilson which restricted the sale of heroin and was quickly used to restrict the sale of cocaine as well. And let us not forget Prohibition, also brought to us by Wilson.
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics started in 1930 under Herbert Hoover – progressive. In 1937 we have the Marihuana Tax Act under FDR. Ten there is The Boggs Act of 1951 under Harry S Truman. The progressive Dwight Eisenhower actually called it a “War on Drugs” and established the U.S. Interdepartmental Committee on Narcotics, in 1954 and the Narcotic Control Act of 1956 really got things moving along. From that point forward both sides have been actively perusing it.
Now onto modern times, it’s the liberals that want to amend the 1st amendment to control free speech and don’t want us to have our 2nd amendment right either. It’s the liberals that want to tell us how much soda and popcorn we can have and which foods we can eat and how much. The liberals are even trying to say how many children we can have. How’s that for reproductive control? The most conservative had said in that area is don’t kill a child in the womb.
Look at any liberal controlled area and you will find more laws controlling & restricting personal behavior. Look beyond the spin to the facts and its clear that liberals are all about control & restriction.
Note: I have said liberal and conservative, not political party.
There is a lot of left vs right banter going on here. When will you all wake up and realize that is the back and forth that keeps you distracted from the real issue. It doesnt matter anymore, they both play for the same big government team. Let’s be more creative than republican or democrat.
Doesn’t matter. Democrat or Republican. Both parties suck… And DO NOT have your best interest at heart.
Quit your petty bickering and blaming. Your doing exactly what they want you to do… Be divided.
We all need to come together to fight these injustices.
Carry on.
Pretty “B-A-D-D” Bad when a citizen can’t even grow a garden??? WTH? This is more stupid letting things like this go! The good is being pushed more to the bad…My grandparents lived out of there garden and shared–gardening was and is a way of life…this is crazy, her fruit trees to!!!
From an outsiders perspective it’s weird.
I’ve got a veggie garden (two) and have a tree that needs cutting…so?
People in some suburbs of Australia are growing veggies in community gardens on nature strips.
http://www.thebestof.com.au/local/marrickville/blog/marrickville-lga-is-home-to-sydneys-most-sustainable-street/article005144.htm
http://www.mosmancommunitygardeners.com/p/our-vision.html
For all the paranoid and conspiracy theorist out there, Marrickville, a left-leaning electorate, previously had a Greens mayor and now has an left-leaning independent. Mosman, a primarily right-leaning electorate, has an independent mayor too.
The answer is: educate yourself and get out and vote.
There is a lot more going on here then people think. I myself refuse to be one of the governments sheep. Our country was founded by people who did not want to live under that kind of rule. I and my family will not be pushed but only so far and I know a few things that would make most peoples hair fall out knowing what I know. I am a law abiding citizen and a hard working one too. It is a losing battle for those who will not be lead like sheep to the slaughter.
Ok, I am wondering why my internet browser will not let me bookmark this site?
Anyone know where exactly she lived in Tulsa, if it was public housing well she made that deal with the devil. Here in OKC, I just don’t see it. There is more than enough run down houses in both cites, that I don’t see this happening unless it was public housing. Not like all the yards in the city suburbs are perfect either.
BTW, yes we are right wing politically, our democrats are more conservative in views than most “republicans”….we take pride in being the only state in the nation where Obummer didn’t even carry a county. However in reality, we’re just heavily armed libertarians in most cases… Mind your own business or else.
“Heavily armed.” Woo-hoo! Now, there’s a bright boy. And a good shot, by golly. Don’t you forget it. Send that boy to wherever Halliburton is fighting its next war. We need the canon fodder. “Got live one over here, Roy.”
This is crazy. This is not the country that was founded just over 200 years ago where personal liberty was heavily prized.
Hum,a country “founded” on Guns,steel,and diseases,and the almost extermination of Native Americans and Africans,and you still think that personal liberty was heavily prized!
Oh it was only for one group,huh!….Peaceeeeeeeeee
its all about un agenda 21. the plan for one world government. google agenda 21 and prepare to be blown away
I plan to research, locate her & offer to share my garden with her.
I think this is the only useful comment that I have seen on this discussion! Finaly somebody that isn’t arguing politics, paranoid about the u.n. or calling down wrath on obummer! I have more respect for this Lady than all of the rest of you! Why? Because she is actualy doing something to help this woman. And (here’s a shocker) she isn’t just throwing money at her. She is spending time(a much more precious commodity)! Her example should be followed.
I’m in training to become a Master Herbalist. I could help this woman find effective herbal medicines to treat her health issues. Lady White Eagle, if you find her, let me know. I can help as well.
This is disgusting! Not even going to argue what side of the coin (government) is right, wrong or to blame for the BS this woman has had to go through! If I had the exact address of this woman, I would share my medicinal herb garden’s produce, with her till this mess got resolved and reimbursed for her lost gardens!!!
Everyone is arguing over this and that. How does that help anything or I help me her. If she had no illegal drugs growing in her garden and she kept it decent then ad far as I Am concerned they had no Right to tear it down. I am originally from OK and those of u bashing it, who r u to say ur state is any better. People need to start looking after each other. If not yes this world is gonna end up gone. Plain and simple. We live here because of our rights to be free. We also get poorer each day as the rich get richer. That is not hard to see and it doesn’t matter if we r republic, democratic or liberals. It is happening to all sides. I see people get state assistance that do t need it while the ones who really do can’t get it. I see businesses jack their prices higher and higher each day cause they no they can get away with it because we have to have food, necessities and gas to get to and from work. Those business do not care about us. They only care about themselves. Everyone needs to start caring about each other or evil will win. We all know that the world will end some day but that doesn’t mean we need to rush it along. The whole world needs to start working together for it and to get better. Seems like everyone wants to control everyone. There are good and evil people in this world. Has nothing to do with politics and has everything to do with how each person chooses to act. Everyone makes their own choice on what they do, say and act. I hate when people say I did it because of how I was raised or some such crap. Doesn’t matter if u werecoming raised bad or good you make your own choices to act and say the things you do. Everyone needs to start taking the responsibility on who they r and what you do. Just like people say guns kill people. NO, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE.. guns don’t think, they r not alive. It is the person holding the fun that uses it.
Why does everyone think they need to argue all the time. Most everything posted above is arguing and disagreeing. Yes that is freedom of speech but why good is it doing if it is just everyone disagreeing about everything. Yes the government now a days sucks. They don’t work for the people anymore they work for themselves. Things need to change but unless everyone can get along and stand up for what is right, nothing is gonna change. Sorry all but that is the truth. People need to grow up and be responsible.
Good night.
This story was typical of the over-reactions across the prepper world.
Cities and towns won’t let you pull up your grass and grow crops. That has to do with property values and not hostility to prepping.
You can’s say its a republican or democrat thing they all work for the same man. One day you will read a blurb in the paper or hear it on the news about a crazy man who attacked or killed some some government workers or agents who were only trying to do their job. What really happened is they came in my home without my permission trying to put me back on the grid or cut down my victory garden, in the process they probably killed my dog which was probably just barking at them. And it will never be known but I will go down in my book as a patriot refusing for my rights to be trampled on, and i will take as many of them with me as i can. my only regret is that their puppet masters were not there at the head of the line busting down my door.
Does she need money to hire a lawyer to sue the city?
this just happened to my family too, a city official showed up to our house with police every couple of days insisting that we had to follow “city codes”. Instead, we weedwacked our beautiful yard and saturated it in salt and vinegar to kill it. looks, dreadful, but if we can’t enjoy our own lawn, noone else can either. And i’ll bet they wish they had left us alone because it really is an eyesore!
Since they did this before at her previous residence I bet both are rental properties where the planting of gardens are prohibited and the complaint was filed by her landlord.
As a landlord, I can say for myself and most of those whom I’ve conversed with we don’t give a rat’s butt what the tenant does with the yard provided that 1) The tenant keeps current on their rent, 2) They’re not obviously breaking the law (no planting pot please). That about sums it up from a landlord’s perspective. Any tenant who wants to keep up the yard care themselves reduces my expenses as a landlord if I can cancel the expensive lawn care service.
BTW, landlords can’t call in city code enforcement for lease violations either. City code people enforce city codes, not landlord/tenant contracts.