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Creston’s community garden, created to be a place for community members to get fresh, free produce, now has a locked gate after it was vandalized last month.
The garden, located northwest of the Methodist Church in Creston, was heavily damaged sometime overnight July 12 into the morning of July 13.
Master Gardener Suzanne Carlson went to the garden to water that Sunday and found two-thirds of the tomato foliage and ripe tomatoes had been pulled or cut off the plants and were laying on the ground and cucumber vines had been pulled from the trellis. Carlson said throughout most of the summer produce had been pulled from plants and appeared to be thrown throughout the garden but not in such a large quantity as it was that day.
Volunteers and master gardeners are solely responsible for the garden each season. Last year, the community garden was able to donate more than 250 pounds of produce to local food banks for those in the community. On top of that amount, community members were able to have access to the garden to get what they needed at any time, allowing those who would shy away from asking for help the ability to help themselves and their families without any questions.
After finding the destroyed produce and plants, Carlson contacted Perry Strauss, another Master Gardener who helps at the community garden and the decision was made to do something that hasn’t ever been needed since the garden’s inception - lock the gate.
Community members will still have access to the produce, which is being taken to the Creston Food Bank, or by contacting Carlson at (641) 208-0944 and requesting to be let in the garden or have her or other volunteers get the needed items, but public access is, at least temporarily, not allowed.
However, volunteers are always needed and welcome to help with the garden. Volunteer information can be gained by contacting Carlson. She also reminds other gardeners in the community who may have planted more than they can use that extra produce can be donated directly to the food bank or to the community garden, who will in turn ensure it gets to the food bank or those in need.