Tomato Thieves!
 

Lord have MERCY!~ I have tomatoes planted all over my property that I've grown from seed each year. I share my harvest widely in the community and I love taking notice of how each tomato is doing...but I have this new neighbor. I was out gathering today (as I do every day) and she said she picked a bunch of my green tomatoes because she'd hate it if they just rotted and went to waste! (Trust me - NO danger of that happening, here!)...I don't understand some people! And then she asked me if I could do something about the people who use our driveway as a "cut through" to the street behind us. I guess that is too intrusive for her!? I just don't understand some people!!! If she would only give me a chance I would offer her my best tomatoes. Earlier in the season, I'd go out there with my notebook - making notes of how different varieties were faring ( so I could get a handle on what I want to grow next year)...So if she was paying attention at all, she would know these tomatoes are a great big deal to me! Bet I am not the only one in this group with such a problem! It's yucky!

That would drive me insane.... You should have asked for them back.

I hope you told her that you keep weight and production records on each plant and that taking tomatoes without your knowledge is detrimental to your record keeping and decisions about which varieties come back next year! But a person this entitled probably can't be made to feel guilt!:shock:

Maybe she just doesn't understand that taking something (anything!!) that does not belong to her is stealing...? She needs an attitude adjustment!!

Sheesh!!!!! I have told people "please don't take things from my garden. if you want something ask. it may be for a special project of a specific crop for a person". tell her to keep out of your garden in no uncertain terms. and post a NO TRESPASSING SIGN> THIS INCLUDES YOU! she has no right to help herself to your garden produce.

[B][SIZE=4][FONT=Garamond]Like clkeiper mentioned, a sign might be appropriate... maybe one like this: [URL]https://www.amazon.com/King-Kush-Trespassing-Trespassers-Survivors/dp/B07CGC6LB3[/URL][/FONT][/SIZE][/B]
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:lol:

[QUOTE=Koala Doug;760086][B][SIZE=4][FONT=Garamond]Like clkeiper mentioned, a sign might be appropriate... maybe one like this: [URL]https://www.amazon.com/King-Kush-Trespassing-Trespassers-Survivors/dp/B07CGC6LB3[/URL][/FONT][/SIZE][/B]
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:lol:[/QUOTE]

THAT! was the sign I was actually thinking of. :)). seriously!

I would be tempted to say a number of things, but "Well, you are a self admitted thief and busybody, what other hobbies do you have that I should know about?"

I expected when I opened this thread, the thief was going to be a raccoon or another critter. It never occurred to me that a person would help themselves and then indicate that they would have rotted. Since when do unripe green tomatoes rot on the vine.

I would never give her anything from the garden again and avoid her altogether. That takes the cake for rudeness!

I had some tomato thieves too. This year I gardened at the community garden. I planted 32 tomato plants for the MMMM swap as well as some other veggies. Just at the peak of the season someone came to our gardens and wiped some of us out. Someone harvested all of my tomatoes as well as my wheelbarrow. One woman breeds daylilies and some of her prized plants were dug up. For someone to know where to go and what to dig up, it must have been an inside job because these plots were not side by side. The funny thing is that our CM is on the grounds of our County Work-Release Jail. Taking what one is not given is stealing. Stealing is caused by greed.

Donna, what did you say to this woman when she told you that?

I have the opposite problem;nobody wants my tomatoes and they just rot.

Oh my.

Tell her you are fine with her stealing your tomatoes, as long as she doesn't mind you walking into her house and taking her television or computer.

Tell her maybe the people who use your driveway as a "cut through" to the street behind, don't want it to rot and go to waste.

Donna, I'm almost speechless but that would be out of character for me. I would have a real hard time being polite to this woman but I would absolutely make it known to her that her touching anything in your garden is not acceptable. If not deterred in some way, people like this will be repeat offenders.

ddsack said "I hope you told her that you keep weight and production records on each plant and that taking tomatoes without your knowledge is detrimental to your record keeping and decisions about which varieties come back next year!... "

I like that approach and also tell her that you are doing other research on tomatoes as well and that some of your carefully collected data is now skewed if not useless. I'd lay it on heavily before politely banning her completely from your garden in order to safeguard other data.

ELECTRIC fence that side of your yard/garden. that would help a lot I bet.