Tameka Henry, executive director of Obodo Collective, said the group “absolutely felt violated” and was “heartbroken” after vandals cut through the fence at its community garden in Las Vegas, broke open the shed doors and stole gardening equipment. The damage was found on a Monday morning, according to a report by KLAS-TV published Nov. 4.
Henry told the station that staff noticed the disarray when the garden’s farmer arrived. She said the group wants to make sure the setback does not stop its work.
What Staff Found at the Garden
The garden is in the Historic Westside, and the KLAS report, carried by Yahoo News, describes it as a place where neighbors gather, learn about gardening and grow fresh food. Reporter Nicholas Sommer wrote that the fence had been cut, the shed doors had been broken open and equipment and tools were taken. The story did not mention a police report or any arrests.
Volunteers came to help in the aftermath. According to KLAS, they pulled weeds, cleared the sheds, removed trash, and planted and harvested food. Obodo Collective is asking for gardening tools, seeds or monetary donations through its website, obodocollective.org.
A Half-Acre Farm in a Food Desert
The urban farm sits at 1300 C St., between Owens Avenue and Washington Avenue, on a half-acre property, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The collective bought the land in 2019 and turned a bare lot into a community hub. The farm grows tomatoes, bell peppers, bok choy, arugula, basil, carrots and other vegetables, and sells produce from a small on-site building that is planned to become a grocery store…