On Thursday, I took the day off work and arrived before the county inspector.
Dad was already outside, picking beans.
The inspector, a young man named Tyler Ostrowski, arrived just before nine. He was polite and professional, carrying a clipboard and carefully examining the property.
He photographed the garden, measured its boundaries, and inspected the rows.
Eventually, he stopped beside the tomatoes.
“Mr. Lindqvist, how much time do you spend maintaining this?”
“Six or seven hours most days,” Dad replied.
“Every day?”
“Every day I’m able.”
Tyler looked genuinely impressed.
But when we returned to the porch, his expression changed.
“I’m sorry, sir. The zoning rules changed in 2019. Gardens larger than a quarter acre now require a special permit. Yours is approximately half an acre.”
Dad nodded.
“My family’s been growing vegetables here for generations.”
“I understand. Unfortunately, a complaint has been filed, so I have to issue a notice.”
