Notes from Can You Dig It‘s Garden Coalition Meeting on Safe Community Gardens. Lots of great advice and discussion from fellow Community Garden Coordinators on managing theft and vandalism. Participate in upcoming meetings, info here.
Key Points:
1) Keep Community Garden maintained and beautiful.
2) Lots of Signage! Personalized to each Garden Plot and hand painted is the best/most effective.
3) Make Garden an inviting meeting space to encourage people traffic to prevent theft and vandalism.
Discussion Questions:
1) What are Your Feelings when you experience theft or vandalism?
Violated, angry, frustrated. Want to give up. Hopeless.
Tendency to be more hostile and suspicious –>Don’t want to feel negative!! Change that. Assume the best out of the situation. Better to be positive. The way we perceive negatively will cause more hurt and anger.
Hope they enjoyed them! Curious why they did it.
Happy if hear about it and they enjoyed the food.
One scenario: Got a note – thanks for the beets! Happy when people tell you. Perspective on Gardening: The food is a bonus.
Best advice:
Don’t react so quickly, think positively first…Keep calm and garden on.
2. What factors can explain theft and vandalism in garden?Cultural. Don’t understand. Gleaning. Salvaging. Trying to feed family. Garden is for the Community. Many people think CG for the whole community to pick from!
People who enjoy the food when ripe!
No people in the garden. Looks unoccupied.
Hunger. Selfish. Boredom.
Young people. Mischievous.
Animals. Rats damage. Racoon families.
Miscommunication between gardeners trying to be helpful (different desires for veggies/want to help fellow gardener/going to waste).
Outsider helps water garden beds then harvests.
No fence, no signs. Garden doesn’t appear personalized and belong to people vs hand painted signs.
Key Point: Communication – A Sign Description Example – ‘Every Garden Plot is loved by someone’.
3. What are your positive strategies to alleviate theft and vandalism?
Invite these people to activities. Make the space inviting to encourage people activity. Pathway to walk and stop to visit.
Offer Memberships: Don’t need a garden plot to be a member. Example $5/yr. able to attend garden workshops and extending invitation.
Non locking gate (welcoming vs exclusive). Friendly fencing. Braiding willow as a living fence.
Plant phacelia flowers -attracts bees like crazy. Becomes your Guard Bees!
Plant Veggies people don’t recognize (Green Zebra tomatoes ) OR Crops that produce lots so won’t be a problem! Ex. Kale or Chard.
Plant enough to share. Sharing plot – Free pick me plot. Growing food for donation. Extra harvest box. ‘Only pick from this one’ Sign.
Invite Community Group to take up plots.(Have Gardeners working at different times) Signs in different languages. Community partners (groups to participate!) and people to be involved beyond Garden Plots.
Clear contact information on how to join. Personalize each plot.
Get satisfaction from other projects – having fun anyways.
All gardeners bring bag to pick up garbage to keep Garden looking good (Required in guidelines). Can call 311, Neighborhood Watch. More people in garden.
Create more community – Schedule work parties and workshop with it. Sandwich board updates on events. Art Exchange. Keeping garden beautiful!
Raise public profile! Advertise to people giving Tours! Be a part of tours.
Community Events in the Garden. Movie night. Intentional engagement of immediate neighbors. Positive relationships
Involve kids. Example – Saturdays – Little diggers program. Extra plot marked out for kids.
Welcoming process and package. Tone and expectation. Contract. Agree to give up plot when it is not maintained.
Key Point: Lots of ideas here! Look at how many positive things we can do to prevent further theft and vandalism!
