Victory! Memphis Teacher Gets to Keep His Urban Garden

After a fruitful campaign on Change.org, a Memphis urban garden will keep on growing.

Adam Guerrero grows vegetables, produces biodiesel, raises honeybees, and composts in the front and back yards of his Memphis home. He even brings some of the local students by to teach them about sustainable food production. But after a neighbor complained about the smells emanating from the yard and a county judge deemed the operation to be a “nuisance,” Guerrero worried that he would have to dismantle the garden he’s cultivated for the past two years.

Two Memphis residents, Kristen Heath and Hannah Giles, didn’t want the community to lose the treasured garden, so they turned to Change.org. The women created a petition to save Guerrero’s garden. After only one week, the online petition got nearly 9,000 signatures and was covered in local newspapers and TV stations, Grist, Treehugger, and even the Washington Post. The two women also organized local rallies and protests in support of Guerrero.

"I was very angry that what this teacher was trying to do for his students was just taken apart and not even looked at," Heath told WREG after she created the petition.

On Friday, Guerrero received some good news. He attended his follow-up hearing with Judge Larry Potter armed with a lawyer and photos showcasing his efforts to clean up—but not dismantle—his garden. Judge Potter agreed that Guerrero’s garden was headed in the right direction and that so long as the teacher continued to tidy up the operation, he could keep it.  According to news reports, the judge clarified his original stance: He said he never told Guerrero he couldn't have a garden, but that in order to have one, he would need to seriously clean it up.

But that’s not all: After the huge display of support for Guerrero’s garden, Judge Potter went one step further. According to the Memphis Flyer, Judge Potter advocated for finding Guerrero a plot of vacant city land where he could expand his gardening operation and use it as a place for teaching more city youth about sustainable farming methods. The City of Memphis is currently tracking down a spot where Guerrero could establish this community garden.

Judge Potter’s decision came after community members and groups like GrowMemphis and Project Green Fork rallied support around Guerrero’s garden. And of course, after nearly 9,000 people signed the petition on Change.org.

“We need to stand up for everyone's right to garden,” commented Judy Heap, a Change.org member. “In a time of rising food prices, it's a very practical thing to do, and everyone should be entitled to do it on their land.”

“I am signing because policies need to catch up to what our communities need today,” said Hai Vo, another petition signer and Change.org member. “It's more than a garden. It's about youth empowerment, community resilience, and social justice.”

Guerrero's next step is returning to court on October 21^st to show the progress he’s made on his garden. Thanks to all who signed the petition and worked hard to ensure that Adam Guerrero got to keep his educational and sustainable urban garden!

Photo credit: photon_de via Flickr