Motueka community garden volunteers are urging people to ask before taking produce, after a flurry of damage and thefts from garden beds.
The community gardens, near the skate park on Old Wharf Road, were established in 2010 and are maintained by about eight volunteers who gather for weekly working bees. The gardens include both communal growing spaces and private allotments.
Produce from the communal gardens is shared among volunteers, with much of the surplus donated to the share shelves at Motueka Community House.
Recently, volunteers have noticed produce disappearing, with plants snapped off, harvested, or pulled out and left on the ground.
Coordinator Sue Walker says that thefts occur every spring.
Nets help deter not only birds but also people from interfering with the plants, but the gardens' accessible location makes them vulnerable, she says.
Taking produce without guidance can lead to damage and waste, and visitors do not always know the difference between private allotments and communal growing areas.
Another volunteer says that it is “so disheartening” to see produce disappear overnight.
“It is there for the community, but there’s ways you can access it,” she says. “Get it from Community House, or come here. We’ll give it to you.”
Community House manager Jane Henderson describes the gardens as an “important asset to our community”.
“Not only do they provide a supportive space for people to grow their own food, their volunteers also put in tireless hours of hard mahi to produce beautiful fresh, high-quality vegetables for our community in need,” she says.
“It’s devastating to hear that the community gardens, one of our precious community assets, has been a target of thieves and vandals. We urge people in need of fresh produce to reach out to us for help before considering sabotaging the hard work of generous others.”
Produce from the gardens is delivered to Community House every Tuesday and, during times of abundance, some Fridays. Jane estimates about 50 people access the share shelves each day.
She also encourages people with home gardens to donate excess produce, saying it is a tremendous help for people facing tough economic times.
The community gardens are looking for more volunteers to help with Friday morning working bees and watering throughout the week. Anyone interested can contact motcommunitygardens@outlook.com for more information.
