Volunteers at Barrhaven Food Cupboard community garden say produce stolen twice this summer

A community garden that grows fresh produce for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard has been targeted by thieves twice this summer. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports.

Volunteers at the Barrhaven Food Cupboard’s community garden say it’s disheartening that the food they’ve grown all summer has been repeatedly stolen.

The garden grows fresh fruits and vegetables for the Barrhaven Food Cupboard, which serves hundreds of families every month. It is fully run by volunteers.

“In early August we came in two, three times a week with all of our volunteers to harvest and tend the plants,” said volunteer Maryanne Jackson-Hughes. “We came in during the first week of August. The gardens, including the community plots that are privately managed, were devoid of any ripe produce.”

She estimated that around $300 worth of food had been taken, and believes it wasn’t just the odd person looking for food.

“Our tomatoes were all gone. The eggplants that were about to be ready to be harvested, the harvestable peppers were gone, not the hot peppers, they take an immensely long time to harvest, but the sweet peppers,” she said. “Honestly, there was so much taken and it was so thoroughly done, it did not seem like a family coming in for dinner.”

Elizabeth Brown, another volunteer, said she filed a police report and has contacted both councillors for Barrhaven and the church on whose property the garden is located.

“We did discuss what can we do,” she said, “There isn’t Wi-Fi out here, so we can’t do cameras out in this area. But we we asked the church to put a camera facing the carpark, which they should be able to do from the church where they do have Wi-Fi.”

One theft occurred in early August, and another happened earlier this week, the volunteers said.

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“We do start these plants from seeds ourselves. We are growing them from a seed, starting in February, March, growing them indoors and then transplanting them outside, so we really invest a lot of time in growing these plants,” said Brown.

“It’s not for us; it’s for our neighbours. If anyone needs food, we want them to contact the food cupboard so that it’s shared equally among those who need it... And as hard as it is to approach the food cupboard to say I need some help, that is the right way to do it.”

Volunteers recommend donating to the Barrhaven Food Cupboard to make up the difference.