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Vandals destroy irrigation system in North Jacksonville farm

It’s a rough time for the White Harvest Farms in Moncrief. The farm has been attacked by vandals three times in the last few weeks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s a rough time for an urban farm in Northwest Jacksonville. The farm has been attacked by vandals three times in the last few weeks. The latest attack was Thursday night. Damages are over $10,000 in cost.

The White Harvest Farm is asking for help to rebuild their irrigation system.

It’s in an area of Moncrief that has been considered a food dessert because of the lack of healthy food options.

Now, the irrigation system is down because someone destroyed pipes Thursday night.

“It means we can’t water our crops so we need to move water around using different methods that aren’t as efficient of our use of time,” said Mallory Schott, farm’s manager.

Schott says they’re using buckets to water crops.

The buckets are the only means they have to keep fresh greens, fruit, flowers.

“It’s going to cost us another $10,000-$15,000 to put this irrigation system back in which we are a non profit.. we don’t have that kind of money just laying around,” said Ju’Coby Pittman, CEO Clara White Mission.

This non profit farm is the first African American farm in the urban core of Jacksonville and it’s supported and funded by the City of Jacksonville and other private donors.

There’s a market, volunteering and free classes for the people of Northwest Jacksonville, but now, a vandal has slowed down progress.

“Unfortunately every irrigation system on the total property was damaged and we know this was maliciously done,” said Pittman.

Those who run this farm are trying to work with police to find out who is responsible for this. They also say they’ll be getting security cameras very soon.

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