Thief Strikes Sprouts Community Garden

The following was sent to us this week by Gerald Robbins. We thought we should share it with you.

The Charlestown Sprouts Community Garden, located between Terminal Street and the Little Mystic Channel ("the Oilies") was recently robbed of copper from its irrigation system.

The community garden, which moved to its current location in 1997, has 105 families working the soil. This garden is little Shangr-la, a place where families can get together to enjoy the sunshine, get their hands dirty, and grow tasty, nutritious vegetables.

Approximately 72 gardening households come from the Chines immigrant community, 17 from the Nubian refugee community, 8 from the Somali refugee community, 5 gardening households are US born, and others come from the Vietnamese, Cape Verdean, and Afghani immigrant communities. The garden is adjacent to a public park along the Channel and is open for others in the neighborhood to enjoy.

Gardeners over the past couple of years have been working to take measures to prevent vandalism and theft. Being somewhat remote from residences, there have been occasions of vandalism and theft. This most recent theft will cost gardeners hundreds of dollars, if not a thousand dollars or more. As most gardeners live in low or moderate income residences, this cost--to be paid by gardeners--is a huge burden.

Community garden gardeners want to raise the profile of the garden and show people why this is an important treasure. Gardeners will be discussing a fundraising event to pay for this unfortunate theft.