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I don’t know anything about the particular gardening regulations of Sheepshead Bay but I do know that in other areas corner lots are subject to more rules. The reason concerns the visibility of traffic in the intersection. Generally, they don’t want tall or bushy, sight-blocking plants or triffids on the corners. Sometimes, they’ll limit the height of hedges just as they do with some fences. I guess they want drivers approaching the intersection to be able to see vehicles coming from the perpendicular direction to avoid accidents. As far as I’m concerned it’s just another way for the man to try to hold me down!

Wow… that’s huge. What the heck is it? Readers: don’t dig too deeply trying to figure out if this is illegal or not. It’s cool – I don’t want you guys going and ruining it with your curiosity. ;)

I find it difficul to believe that the city wouldn’t allow a homeowner to grow sunflowers. Especially in Queens. There are rules about coniferous trees growing too close to wood frame houses. But home gardening is good for the ecosystem.

BTW, I do not remember cows and goats here in Sheepshead Bay. Chickens and Roosters, yes. Perhaps John Manbeck is thinking mainly of Canarsie here. We did have a few vegetable farms though.

The last paragraph refers to the Brooklyn Eagle link that Ray provided.

Roosters are illegal in city limits. I think its because they crow in the morning. I specifically remember reading in a daily news article a long while back that they are illegal.

And I think its zucchini squash.

Lisanne!, something tells me that it’s not zucchini. This picture available at the Evergreen Seeds website indicates that is none other than Winter Squash.

Ray, I thought it was large for zucchini. Winter squash sounds right.

Lizzy, just because you heard one doesn’t mean it was legal. This is New York. I doubt anyone would bother complaining.

Actually, The guy that lives on Plumb 3, behind the UA Parking Lot, next to the Marina. He has a pretty nice Cock. This one time I saw it walking around and clucking about as I was driving past after I movie and I opened my window and told the dude “Hey Bro, You’ve got an awesome cock there!”

The double entente made everyone laugh. It was funny.

There is also the possibility that I’m just wrong.

jesus arthur. thanks for that gripping tale!

Better to grip the tale then the cock!

A hour and half ago, I predicted this was where this thread was headed.

Have you ever held a Rooster? Them things are ornery.

Arthur, you have to understand that Sheepshead Bay in the late 1950s still bore a resemblance to its days as a 19th century farming town. Some of the streets here weren’t even paved. (East 21st Street between Voorhies and Shore Parkway come to mind immediately) and many of the streets between Nostrand and Knapp) It was very much a different world then.

The three rural towns which consolidated with Brooklyn in 1894-96, were given certain privileges. One would be an assurance that farming would be protected in various ways. Many of these agreements were continued after consolidation with New York in 1898. By the late 1960s,. however, most farming activity had totally ceased in what was the three towns, as well as in the rural towns in what became Queens. Only then would the city, in steps, pass limiting laws regarding farm use of property.

I see more and more vegetable gardens popping up in Sheepshead Bay and when you ask the owners about it they say they’re tired of putting out tons of money for fruits and vegetables. It’s a great idea. As for the rooster behind the UA, my family had a boat in Venice Marina years ago and when I’d walk there I’d have many encounters with that little guy he was harmless but loud as all get out. I remember spending nights on the boat just to wake up at dawn to him, I wasn’t a fan on those days.

I believe the city has been encouraging vegetable home gardening. Its good for the environment. The good soil we have should be used for practical as well as aesthetic purposes.

Here’s an interesting blog entry. If it is correct it is legal to have a rooster in NYC, even in Manhattan, apparently.

http://www.whatsnextblog.com/archives/2008/09/this_rooster_lives_where_obama_once_lived.asp

And I know that rooster on Plumb 3rd. Couldn’t get a good picture last time I was out that way.

We grew sunflowers last year. We didn’t do it this year because the old (all over 50) Russian ladies all felt that the flowers were for their enjoyment. I caught 6 of them stealing the flowers and eating them.

Umm… sorry BrooklynQ. I occasionally dress up as an old Russian woman so I can take food from people’s home gardens. When they try to stop my I put on a goofy smile, and keep nodding and saying “Da, da. Sank you.”

Times are tough.

Brooklyn, Just put up a sign in russian asking them not to take them. :-D

I remember when the animal nursery in Coney Island used to sell baby chicks.
They also sold eggs you could hatch yourself.

If you are growing more food than you need. you may want to visit http://www.AmpleHarvest.org – a site that helps diminish hunger by enabling gardeners to share their garden produce/herbs with neighborhood food pantries.

The site is free both for the food pantries and the gardeners using it.

Over 970 food pantries nationwide (including many in the NYC area) are already on it and more are signing up daily.

It includes preferred delivery times, driving instructions to the pantry as well as (in many cases) information about store bought items also needed by the pantry (for after the growing season).

If your community has a food pantry, make sure they register on http://www.AmpleHarvest.org.