Jacksonville group backyard torn apart by vandals turns over new leaf thanks to kindness of strangers

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An city farm in Northwest Jacksonville hit hard by vandalism is on the way to flourishing the moment again, thanks to the kindness of strangers.

White Harvest Farms on Moncrief Highway has been all-around for nearly 100 yrs. It is on the residence of African American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White.

It is now a local community backyard garden that provides contemporary develop and prospects for the close by neighborhood, bringing nutrition and education and learning to an spot labeled as a food desert.

The assets, operate by the nonprofit Clara White Mission, was vandalized at the very least a few moments this month. Jacksonville law enforcement are continue to wanting for the offender.

But right after News4JAX documented on the thousands of dollars’ worthy of of destruction to the nonprofit city farm, community firms stepped up to assist.

Dan Banfield experienced never ever read about White Harvest Farms right up until he noticed the news, shocked to find out that vandals smashed pipes, sprinklers and gear on virtually each acre. He signed up to aid volunteers who have experienced to water the crops by hand owing to the lack of a working irrigation method.

“It’s just an prospect for me to learn how to farm at my household, as nicely as serving to the neighborhood,” Banfield explained.

When Information4JAX frequented White Harvest Farms about a week and a half back, the mood was somber. Persons ended up dissatisfied that vandals were being hitting a terrific back garden again and again, ripping out the irrigation program and producing injury to a great deal of the applications that make these crops thrive. However, a couple of terrible actions have brought jointly some definitely good people today — men and women like Rusty Merritt, whose enterprise, Entire Providers H2o Effectively Drilling, repaired the pump to the nicely fully no cost of charge.

“It’s a amazing emotion,” Merritt stated with a smile. “I’ve been in Jacksonville all my lifetime, and any enable we can do in locations like this we’re inclined to do.”

The proprietors of Daniel Todd’s enterprise, Duval Landscape Maintenance, replaced the sprinkler technique without having charging the charity a penny.

“We’ve been so blessed in our advancement that it’s just an honor to support others when we can,” Todd, an assistant branch manager at Duval Landscape Routine maintenance, stated whilst overseeing the get the job done done.

The Rotary Club of Northwest Jacksonville is organizing to do the relaxation, working on a better safety digicam technique and fencing all-around the home.

“Once we listened to about what was heading on listed here with the farm, Northwest is our target space, and we just preferred to do, needed to arrive and do far more than just assist but supply some answers,” reported Dale Moe, the club’s assistant governor.

Neighbors coming together to aid neighbors — it is all element of the mission in accordance to Clara White CEO and Jacksonville City Council member Ju’Coby Pittman.

“[I have] smiles from one aspect to the other that the local community is so generous, simply because of your tale, Vic,” Pittman said Wednesday. “It’s a fantastic asset in this neighborhood, to develop in an African American local community that has been intentional in bringing products and services simply because this spot experienced been still left behind for so lots of many years.”

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This farm has deep roots in Northwest Jacksonville, and the staff hopes it carries on to blossom. The charity operates a farmers sector several Saturdays and will quickly have a grand opening for a new indoor facility.

Leaders say police have picked up patrols in the place to retain vandals from putting once again.

For a lot more info, visit clarawhitemission.org/white-harvest-farms.