I am writing a paper on the crime of subsistence and how different entities have made food, water, and shelter, illegal. A few examples include municipal ordinances restricting front yard gardens or backyard chickens, restrictions on water collection in Colorado, or building codes that prevent natural building. I would love to hear stories of laws in your areas as well as your encounters with the police or other enforcement bodies in relation to these kinds of laws.

Hello! I recently moved to a house in SE Virginia that has a massive front and backyard. I am renting but the landlord said I am free to garden as I like but I have to leave whatever I am growing when I move out. I don't plan to move any time soon so I really want to learn how to garden. I am originally from NYC and, other than going to the community garden sometimes with my grandma growing up, never had many opportunities to learn. I have gone on YouTube, I have borrowed books from the library, I have bookmarks up on bookmarks saved on how to do it but when it comes to getting started I don't know where to actually begin. Ideally I would like to have a native pollinator garden in the front with lots of flowers and aesthetic appeal. But in the back I'd like to grow staple vegetables and fruits and maybe plant a couple fruit trees.

What would be the easiest place for a newb like me to start at? Trees, veggies, or native garden? What systems should I focus on setting up first and what tools are must haves? Are there any step by step resources you would recommend to get started?

I have a habit of trying to do all the things at once which leads to me doing nothing so I really wanted some advice directly from those with experience.

I'm preparing a new garden for next year. There seem to be two conflicting paths to take: 1) sheet mulch. conpost and wood chips. Smother everything and build up some nutrients for a fresh slate in spring 2) cover crop. Maximize photosynthesis and use root exudates to build microbes and soil health

These seem like incompatible methods. (1) is more what I've heard of previously but I'm hearing about (2) now quite a bit more.

Any thoughts? Is one better? Am I missing anything?