The Archibald Neighborhood Garden has been plagued by vegetable thieves and we are at our wits end about what to do.

At first we thought that it was a simple misunderstanding of what a neighborhood garden is and is not. However, signs at the site explaining that it is not OK to take food without permission and listing places that do have fresh food for anyone in need (Food Shelf, Imani, etc.) have deterred some of the culprits, but not all.

The Archibald Garden is an allotment-style garden. It is not a communal garden, nor is it a public park. Each plot belongs to a specific individual, family, or group who registers in the spring and pays a small fee. There are a few shared herb beds, but most of the garden is private plots. The land is owned by the Visiting Nurse Association, which graciously leases the site to Grow Team ONE  for use as a neighborhood garden.

All the workshops and events are open to the public and we welcome ALL community members as registered gardeners, volunteers, mentors, workshop leaders, and steering committee members. However, we do not welcome people to pick other people's precious food. The gardeners have invested a lot of time, money,energy, and care into their plots. To have the fruits (and veggies) of their labors so callously taken is frustrating and disheartening.

Also, we have heard that someone may be charging people for the"right" to pick veggies at the garden. No one has the authority to do this.

Of course, the big question is: why are people taking the food? Is it out of need, convenience, malice? The need is clear and a big issue in the ONE. Part of Grow Team's mission is to increase access to fresh food. To do this, we encourage ANYONE who would like to be an active, contributing member of the garden community to join our wonderful group of gardeners. Equitable access to affordable, healthy, fresh food is a critical issue that needs to be addressed at the community level. The garden is a small part of a much bigger discussion.

Meanwhile, we welcome any suggestions you have for reducing the amount of theft at the garden. Please add your comments below or e-mail them to growteam@yahoo.com. If you would like to  have a plot next year, volunteer, be a mentor, teach a workshop, or join the Grow Team steering committee, contact us at growteam@yahoo.com or 598-3139.