A community farm in Newton, Massachusetts, is seeking help from the public after hundreds of plants were stolen this weekend.
According to the executive director of Newton Community Farm, the theft happened sometime between 7:30 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.
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"We came in this morning to discover many plants missing from the Farm. Someone, or multiple people, took hundreds of basil, scallions, eggplant, and cucumbers planted in the field and trays of cucumber, tomato, kale, corn, and other seedlings from the greenhouse," Sue Bottino said in a Facebook post. "Whomever took these plants knew what they were doing and targeted certain crops. They tried to find the scallions by first picking some leeks and then onions before they found what they were looking for. They took other plants by digging them out from the roots so they could be re-planted. They removed cloth that was over plants in the field and took them."
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Bottino said they saw footprints and knee-prints in the soil, and that they are devastated and angered by what happened, particularly regarding the impact it will have on the community. The plants were being grown for CSA sharers, farm stand and farmers' market customers, and for donation to the Newton Food Pantry and Freedge.
"Farming is a difficult, stressful job. Weather, animals, insects, and all the rest pose huge challenges. Our farm manager and his family live onsite and have had their safety and security violated. We have been here going on 18 years and have never before had theft like this," Bottino continued, pleading with the public to help them find the person or persons responsible and to help make sure this never happens again.
The farm listed a number of things people can do to help, including being on the lookout for anyone who suddenly has hundreds of plants going into gardens or is offering lots of plants for sale and hasn't done this before.
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The police have already been notified, and anyone who sees vehicles parked near the farm's perimeter is asked to call them.
Suspicious activity can also be reported by calling 617-916-9655.
