Comments on: WAR ON TERRA

By: fhagetaboutit

fhagetaboutit — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:26:56 +0000

This article was right on Megan. It is a huge shame that the so called community gardens become nasty, mean spirited places. That other group -Hell.B.O – is quite the same, modeled after LBCG I am sure with a self-appointed board that has hurt folks, especially the non-white ones. Notices for things you did or did not do are written in such a Nazi like tone that I quit after my first one. The City should be ashamed of themselves for allowing these regimes to use public land for private benefit, and allow them to bully people out of the garden because they do not like them for discrimating reasons. Everyone beware. They are a hateful, self serving bunch. I was told to read this article after I shared what I saw and heard and got from the Hell.B.O WO/WackO garden. The City should not be giving public land to such sham. Put in a public park for ALL to enjoy instead!

By: Ricky

Ricky — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:36:07 +0000

Wow!

Nice job. What a cast of characters.

I was with the garden for four years when it was at the old "prison farm" site. It was open and wonderful. But, it had the same nasty board members as it does now. I could not visualize being locked behind a gate with them. I did not renew when they moved.

Capricious, arbitrary, mean spirited, their attitude is tinged with a greedy blight that drips of "privilaged class." They have true contempt for "those outside" the gate.

I now garden in my front yard. If anyone wants a tomato - they are welcome to it.

By: Gardener too!

Gardener too! — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:36:00 +0000

This story is 100% TRUE!!!! My husband and I are gardeners there. The writer described Lonnie to a tee!! And same with Joan. Those women must have had something bad happen in their pasts, that theynwo ffeel the need for POWER!!!! The first thing my husband and I said to each other after our orientation to become a member, was that Lonnie needed to get a life!! Then we realized that the LBCG WAS her life! We have not been there our full year yet, and have not decided if we will renew our membership next year. We love to garden, but the NAZIs are just too much!!! At one Work Day/Meeting, one of the members suggested that we bring in a speaker every once in ahwile, and the member even volunteered to be in charge of arranging it. She thought that having fun gatherings would bring the “community” into the community garden. Well, Lonned just mumbled that she'd tried that before, and it didn't work, then just walked away!! It was the rudest thing!!! So that was the end of the discussion. Joan, the president, follows Lonnie like a puppy, so nothing else was said about the member's idea and suggestion.
Yes, gardening is fun and theraputic, but these women are WEIRD!!!!

By: Nitpicked

Nitpicked — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:41:04 +0000

I am a current gardener at LBCGA and have gardened there for many years. The article was funny and true. The board is an older group who spend every day in the garden. Most of the problems in the garden are personality issues. The board doesn't handle things well and make people angry. They used to have friendly notices that they sent out if you had a problem that could head to a notice but they eliminated them. So, you could have something you think is fine and the whammo. Also, instead of noticing everything that is in violation at one inspection, they seem to give you one notice and then next inspection you get whammied with something else. Plots are put on watch lists (told to me by a board member) so if you get on that list you are more heavily scrutinized. I just try to do my best, but sometimes it doesn't feel like enough. Now about the gates and the rules, I do think they are absolutely necessary. There are over 200 gardeners and would be absolute chaos without some order. Also, the garden is under very strict guidlines from the city. So I can see the need for regulation, they just need to be nicer about it and not complain about every little infraction. Lonnie can be very abrasive and I would not say she has alot of fans in the garden. She does truly love and care about the garden and volunteers countless hours to make it a nice place. But in this case, Lonnie really blew it. It could have been a beautiful article about all the good in the garden. She should have accepted an interview and nicely as asked for it to be scheduled after registration ends. But she over reacted and gave her typical behaviour that makes many cringe. Now when we're talking we quote the article, knock on our head and say “What are you stupid?” It was an unfortunate but accurate portrayal.

By: Happy in LB

Happy in LB — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:53:15 +0000

The absurdity of that whole story made me laugh so hard! Then I felt a little guilty, because I know those gals are working hard to keep the gardens nice. I love it there because I do feel safe, it is very organized and they are serious about growing food. And nobody ever walks up to me in my backyard and hands me a homegrown loofah like today!! Gotta love the community at the community garden….it's not all bad, not even half bad.

By: sws

sws — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:15:55 +0000

And now, you're(Long Beach Organic/Wild Oats garden) putting up your own fences. Open space should remain open space. Nobody has the right to fence public property.

By: CURRENT MEMBER

CURRENT MEMBER — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:05:48 +0000

When I heard about this article (by a neighboring gardener) I had to rush home to read it myself. Being a member of LBCGA for over 8 years, I have found myself at the constant nit-picking of the Board/Monthly Inspectors. I come to realize whether they like you or not, if another board member or “True-Friend” of the board wants to relocate to a bigger, better location, nicer or better plot neighbors for whatever reason, they (board/monthly plot inspectors-which consist of board members – of course) start working on the current occupant of the desirable plot with malicious little written warnings; “please weed more frequently, no container growing (I have a container in my plot that I had brought down starter plants in for planting in my garden, and has been EMPTY for almost a freaking year!) and now all of a sudden they see something growing in this EMPTY container! By the way there is NO mention in the RULES about container growing (but did notice that you are allowed to GROW mint only in a container) explain this! They nit-pick everything. When I’m gardening and see them roaming around, I cringe in hopes they don’t come over, they ALWAYS have something NEGATIVE to offer in telling what you should do with your plants. Never kindly offering friendly advice or suggestions, but rude offensive control! I’m at wits end, I know I’m NOT the first member they have nit-picked to get you so frustrated in hopes you leave the membership on your own, or their desire you to the brink of crazy by their pitiful written warnings clipped to your plot fencing, in such accumulation to justify formal warnings and have you removed. For a place when I started was a kind and wonderful environment and I cherished every second I spent sweating and sore for days working my plot. NOW I’m actually DEPRESSED that my love, passion and pleasure of gardening is robbed from you. I don’t talk to anyone, not knowing who you can trust and if they’re in ‘cahoots’ with a board member, very hard to even make a friend if so desire. IT’S VERY TRUE! The same board is re-elected year after year after year, WHY because NO WANTS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THE CURRENT MEMBERS, IF ONE NEW PERSON IS ELECTED, IT WON”T MAKE ONE BIT OF DIFFERENCE. THE ONLY FIX IS TO HAVE THE CITY STEP IN AND COMPLETELY REMOVE THE CURRENT BOARD! Second is to send a letter to every plot member asking for all new board to be assigned. Start over; start fresh with ALL new people. It certainly can’t get any worst! Seriously, I suspect 85 to 90% of the general members DO NOT CARE FOR THE CURRENT BOARD, each year it gets worse and worse.

By: John_B

John_B — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:01:24 +0000

Megan: This is the best, funniest and most absurd piece of reporting that it has been my pleasure to read in quite some time. Since this story was published I have referred it to many others and have, myself, re-read it several times…always when I need a good belly laugh. You have quite a talent, Megan!

Thank you so much for effectively communicating the absurdity that the Long Beach Community Gardens seems to have become!

By: hopefully invisible

hopefully invisible — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:27:51 +0000

The board only allows candidates they approve of to run to join them on the board. Steve who made the website was on the board, until they created fake violations to remove him from the board and revoke his garden membership.

You don't understand, you cannot “get involved”. At this place you keep your head down, and hope you don't incur the wrath of the board. When anyone questions the board, they make false weed violations, give them 3 violations in one envelope and have the Park Rangers forcibly remove undesirables. Just like the Park Ranger in the article who was made to remove an 80 year old woman. It's sick.

By: hopefully invisible

hopefully invisible — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:47:40 +0000

This is a super idea. Would LB Organics want to take over this garden? It's much bigger than their little garden and has no much bad history, they may not want that headache? My neighbor Paul is on the LBO board, I'll ask him.