West Seattle Crime Watch: P-Patch pilfering

Lots of gardening-related news today already (Community Harvest update here; West Seattle Garden Tour report here), but here’s one we wish we didn’t have to report. Maybe it’s a simple case of misunderstanding, rather than outright deliberate theft, but whatever it is, Lincoln Park P-Patch coordinator Michelle wants it to stop – here’s what she e-mailed us:

I was wondering if you would post a note on your blog about the rise in the number of theft incidents from the Lincoln Park P-Patch over the past couple of months. We have had entire vegetable plants stolen from the beds as well as produce prematurely harvested.

With the rising cost of food and fuel, we recognize that everyone is feeling the pinch at the stores lately. That, and the concern over the safety of mass produced food, is why many of us find growing our own vegetables and herbs to be our best option. Quite a bit of sweat and effort goes into growing the gardens, so to have someone come along and pluck until their heart’s content is very discouraging. We want to let the community know that they are more than welcome to wander and admire the variety of flowers and vegetables there, but the produce and plants are not up for grabs. If anyone is interested in gardening a plot of their own, they can find more information at: www.ci.seattle.wa.us/neighborhoods/ppatch/gardening.htm.

We’ve also reported here in recent months about various group gardening efforts that are using volunteer help and sharing the harvest with those who helped do the work (like Longfellow Creek Garden in the Delridge area), so watch for more word of chances to get involved with gardens like those. TUESDAY MORNING P.S.: After this WSB item appeared Sunday night, two citywide media outlets contacted us Monday asking about the story; here’s the KOMO version.

8 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: P-Patch pilfering"

  • Under_Achiever July 21, 2008 (6:07 am)

    More likely the ‘campers’ in Lincoln Park and Solstice Park are helping themselves to the fruits of other’s labor.

  • Christine July 21, 2008 (7:50 am)

    Whoa up, there! I find it difficult to believe that a homeless person is going to pull up basil. Not the sort of food that’s enjoyable or useful when you’re roughing it without cooking facilities.

    My biggest losses have been in the spring when the tennis player let their large dogs run loose through the garden. I’ve lost entire rows of peas and beets from digging and just tromping.

    Other Patch gardens have fences. Maybe it’s time fro us to have one, too.

  • J July 21, 2008 (9:35 am)

    Sounds like the handy work of an animal to me… I’d be pretty suprised if this was a person that did this…

  • WSB July 21, 2008 (10:02 am)

    OTOH we are checking reports of vandalism at nearby Solstice Park so unfortunately ne’er-do-wells seem to be afoot in the vicinity one way or another …

  • flipjack July 21, 2008 (10:20 am)

    Probably some future presidential candidates honing their skills.

  • old timer July 22, 2008 (7:44 am)

    You made the King5 news with this story.
    Nice going WSB!

    BTW, it is an animal that’s doing the stealing, it walks on two legs.

  • WSB July 22, 2008 (10:29 am)

    Oh, so did they manage to do it too? They and KOMO were the people who called. I wasn’t able to put them in touch with the person I originally heard from (and I never redistribute people’s contact info – when you e-mail or call WSB, the buck stops there unless I contact you and get your permission) but I figured they would just go over to the P-Patch and hunt around for people to talk to, since that’s what we always did in my tv days if we couldn’t arrange something in advance by phone or e-mail.

  • VicinSea July 22, 2008 (1:37 pm)

    If anyone is interested in gardening a plot of their own, they can find more information at: http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/neighborhoods/ppatch/gardening.htm.

    Unfortunately, contacting the P Patch through the website doesn’t help a whole bunch. I have sent several emails to their contact addresses and have never gotten a response. At last count there were over 1000 people waiting for plots.

    A recent visit to my local P-Patch (Thistle)was kind of disappointing. Dozens of plots growing corn and pumpkins. Lots of bare dirt and very few plots being used to their potential. (The Food Bank Program averaged under 6 pounds of produce per plot in 2007) Many plots look mostly abandoned and are covered in bugs and weeds. It would be very hard to control pests if your next door plot-holder isn’t even trying. After seeing that, I have withdrawn my application and will confine my efforts to my own yard.

    I don’t mean to be cynical but some of the current P-Patch holders don’t seem very interested in making the most of their plots.

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