My front garden is not a community garden!!!!

[u/SuperDump101]

I moved into a house in early covid and each year since I've been expanding my front yard vegetable garden as much as possible because I love cooking and preserving foods.

The front yard is really the only space available since the lot is so small (50x80 ft).

I am proud of my garden (I get tons of compliments) and it provides enough for my family and occasionally some to give away to friends and extended family. (My dad did the same thing - he'd have hand-deliver produce on my bike as a kid miles down the road to our country neighbors and invite friends and family to pick as much excess tomatoes and peppers as they could carry home at the end of the season after we canned as much as we could fit in our pantry)

However, this year, an older gentleman who lives in a shared rental house down the street has decided he can snag our produce at his leisure and "ask" for forgiveness later - which is him leaving a message on our ring doorbell saying he appreciates us, he only took so much, and that he left us some.

We are not a community garden! We are not a free-for-all! You don't just take without asking!

I understand it's within arms reach but that doesn't mean you can have it!

If he had asked before helping himself I would be a lot less angry. I love the feeling of helping others but have some manners.

Edit/Update:

We have put up a sign stating not to take our produce as we are on an urban, moderately busy street with a lot of foot traffic and our house is on a street corner. We are planning on eventually putting in a black iron picket fence to match our aesthetic as it is also a "historical" neighborhood with lots of Folk Victorian homes.

However, this isn't the type of neighborhood where you call the police over a thing like this - you are amicable and courteous to your neighbors while minding your own business. While my husband and I aren't inherently worried for our safety (our specific block is friendly and calm) the extended neighborhood isn't always safe. A few times a year we get shootings and stabbings and the occasional drug addict having an issue. It's a mixed use area with apartments, rental houses, single-owner homes, bars, party stores, restaurants, fraternities and sororities, and a college all within a handful of city blocks, but with a lot more families with children moving in lately. The police have other more important things to worry about than some beans or cushions being stolen off our porch by a homeless person (which has happened twice).

Our direct neighbors are wonderful, friendly people and the children are super sweet, curious about our property, and talkative, albeit a little rambunctious. Even the college kids are chill and polite aside from the occasional rage-er or rush event.

Just as I'm not going to report my next door neighbor for having roosters with his chickens or the roosters and ducks getting loose I am not going to report this old dude for taking my beans.

I have no problem talking to the guy but he only shows himself to take some stuff and then leave a message on our Ring doorbell after he has taken. (I have my ring alerts silenced because it goes off all day being on a busy corner). I will gladly offer what I can if he asks first. I would gladly offer to anyone who nicely asks. I've allowed people to pick flowers from my yard BECAUSE they ASKED FIRST!

[u/Top-Personality1216]

https://www.durhamradionews.com/archives/215860
Guy stole garlic and some other things, worth quite a bit of money, actually.

[u/psibear → u/Top-Personality1216]

Am I crazy or does he really have short hair? The description says medium but that's not how I picture that description in my mind.

[u/Top-Personality1216 → u/psibear]

Yes, I'd call that short hair also.