Thanks Dorene, Here's a bit more detail:
We have 100 individual plots, maintained by individual residents to grow food for themselves and their families. We also have a community food donation program, whereby donated produce is delivered regularly to a daily food program (Scott Mission) in Toronto. The gardens are in an open location on hydro land. No surrounding fence is permitted as hydro needs occasional access to the towers. Many gardeners put up their own temporary fences (5-feet; some of the locked) during the growing season. Thefts of vegetables seem to occur mostly at night, or perhaps early in the morning. Typically, a gardener will be wiped out a a certain harvest -- e.g. all peppers, all garlics, all leeks etc. We occasionally have non-gardeners wandering about with plastic bags, helping themselves to things, during the day, but this is generally under control. And yes, the melons/squash tend to "walk" if they are visible -- good point. IK -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alliums Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 9:33 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Community_garden] theft prevention Ian -- You have to break it down better than that if we are going to help you. What kind of thefts, when and how? If folks aren't harvesting, then other folks worry that things are going to waste and "help themselves." We have a rule in our garden that if you don't harvest and it's ripe, we pick it and give it to the food bank. Folks may grumble, but they learn to communicate and/or harvest at the right time (you'd be surprised how some folks don't realize what "ripe" is), but with the harvest going to the food bank, they don't mind so much. Garden design does a lot to discourage theft. What are your perimeters like? What is being stolen? If you put melons in the front where everyone can see them, they will walk. Tell us more and we can give you better advice. Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth A mission of St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460 _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c ommunitygarden.org ________________________________________________________________________ This e-mail message is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and is confidential, subject to copyright and may be legally privileged. Any unauthorized review, use or disclosure is prohibited. If you received this in error,please contact the sender and delete all copies of the e-mail together with any attachments. _______________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [email protected] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
