Vandals have damaged the Seeds of Hope Community Garden three times this week, pulling up unripe crops.
“This evening, several individuals damaged our crops, destroying unripe onions, turnips, and mustard greens. This follows a similar incident two days ago where garlic and whole pepper plants were uprooted,” said Luisa Simpson, executive director of the nonprofit organization that feeds the public, said Wednesday night.
“I want to remind the community that while the garden is a shared resource, we must follow the “OK to harvest” signage to ensure the plants can continue to grow. These crops are a vital resource for many families who rely on them for meals and educational programs. We had already had that happen where a couple of days ago with some peppers.”
Simpson got a call from a neighbor who observed the intruders and told her they “looked mad, and they were just yanking and throwing things.”
Simpson called the police and met them at the scene about 10 p.m. Wednesday.
On a previous evening this week, she said, a camera at the site captured people “taking signs and throwing them as Frisbees” in the adjacent Seeds of Hope Pirate Force Garden.
“The playground and the community garden are for everyone,” Simpson said. “If we don’t take care of it we are not going to be able to have it. I have had to call law enforcement three times in the last week.”
“People were having intercourse in the pirate garden while children were playing. There was a man on drugs passed out near the front door. He was not moving. I am not trying to create an issue but let the community know that it is for the community,” Simpson said.
Simpson said the fence that encircles the garden “is to keep rabbits and squirrels out, not to keep humans out.”
“We started these (plants) from seed for the community. We can’t go back and start them again at this point. We are going to have to purchase the plants.”
Simpson speculated that maybe there are people who are new to the community who don’t know the mission of the nonprofit.
“It hurts the hands that toil the soil and the mouths that depend on the food,” Simpson said. “It makes it hard on the volunteers who are doing it. There is no explanation.”
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