Please Don't Steal the Vegetables

It's not just Chicago where people are stealing tomatoes, cucumbers and corn, but Chicago's Community Gardens are in the news as harvest time is here and neighbors are ripping off neighbors all around the country. Who is getting the blame? The homeless and the poor.

Community gardens tend to be plots of land that are rented out to residents, usually by the square foot or by the plot. People who live in cities rarely have a yard to garden in. Poor populations often rely on the gardens as a way to supplement their income, or to feed their families. About $50 rent and $50 worth of seed can feed a family of four for a year with canned and fresh tomatoes, corn, beans and other produce. Excess can be sold at a farmer's market or traded for eggs or other items. It's not just a few tomatoes people are stealing when they plunder a community garden — it's people's lives.

Since most gardeners I know or have known are hard-working, generous people, I can understand the conflict between wanting to help those who have no food and being upset at having the literal fruits (and veggies) of their hard work stolen. Often thieves are stealing from people barely better off than they are. The homeless are getting the brunt of the blame — because gardens are often in the inner-city, are often located near parks where the homeless "hang out" and are often unfenced, unguarded and full of produce that doesn't need to be cooked. "Drive-by" thieves are often implicated as well — people who happen to drive by a garden and want free food. They might see the garden as easy pickings or as a community effort to provide food for the poor — like a live food bank.

Some believe that calling these plots "community gardens" can be misleading, leading people to think it means the vegetables belong to anyone who wants them. Others have put up signs that state very clearly the vegetables are not free for the taking — yet the signs haven't deterred bean burglars,

Chicago media haven't targeted or named the homeless for the thefts, but others have. Baltimore officials were recently criticized for first changing the landscaping to drive away the homeless, then for doing an about-face to plant vegetables to feed the homeless in front of City Hall.

Some cities enlist the homeless to plant, tend and sell vegetables, some of which are meant to feed those in the shelters. The gardening is a good thing — it's the thefts that have people in an uproar. The media refers to those who steal the vegetables as "human predators," and many assume that the thieves are "probably" the homeless. If you are homeless, ask and you may surprised what you'll receive. If you work in or have a community garden, find a way to interact with the homeless or, like some communities do, have a separate garden outside the main garden where the homeless and poor can harvest items. A basket of produce sitting by an entrance labeled, "You're welcome to this, but please don't steal from the garden," might deter some.

Many folks resell the fresh produce, or use it to supplement their own meager food budgets. But the thing is, needing food is not an excuse to steal. Most gardeners say, "If you're homeless and hungry, ask us and we'll give you food." It's the stealing and the loss of hours of hard work that is pissing people off. I have a small plot (2' x 10') outside my office where I planned to plant tomatoes until I saw all the traffic that goes by and realized how great the temptation to steal would be.

Some community gardens are erecting fences and security cameras. Others are seriously considering prosecution. If you've ever worked a garden then had it destroyed by vandals and thieves, you know it can break your spirit and kill any generous feelings you might have had for anyone in need. If you're homeless and hungry, considering offering your services as "night watchman" in exchange for food, a place to sleep in the garden (a shed or shack) and a small wage. If you have a garden, consider hiring the homeless. It's an honest job and both gardeners and the unemployed, marginally-employed and homeless benefit.

Photo credit: jeltovski