Just before Thanksgiving, the folks at Spear Spring Farm in Warren finished building a new high tunnel that would serve as the sole space the farm could grow crops during the colder months.
Farmer Jamien Richardson had kale and spinach transplants ready to plant in the high tunnel in the coming weeks. The crops would overwinter in the structure and be ready for harvest in early spring.
But those plans were dashed this weekend when Richardson found the plastic covering of the high tunnel slashed with large X’s. The incident occurred sometime overnight on Saturday and is being investigated by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
“To me, it seems so senseless,” Richardson said. “We’re right on Route 1, and it’s always sort of in the back of your mind that you might have to worry about equipment but we really have not had any incidents.”
Daniel and Grace Evans own the farm where Richardson serves as the resident farmer. The Evanses purchased Spear Spring Farm in 2016 with the mission of creating an organic and sustainable vegetable farm, Richardson said. The 150-acre farm dates back to 1736.
After spending a season getting the farm in good productive condition, Richardson said 2018 was Spear Spring Farm’s first growing season under new ownership. The farm grows five acres of diversified vegetables, and offers other farm-raised items, such as eggs.
The high tunnel would have given them a head start on some of the hardy greens they can offer in the spring. Without having a place to plant the transplants, Richardson said the destruction to the high tunnel is a setback.
But the farmers plan to rebuild.
“It’s an expensive fix. It’s definitely a blow, but it’s not going to scare us off from rebuilding,” Richardson said.
Spring Spear Farm straddles Route 1 in Warren. While Richardson was having coffee at her house on the farm Sunday morning, a neighbor who saw the slashed high tunnel called to deliver the news.
Since then, Richardson said they have been overwhelmed by the support from the community.
“We’ve been so grateful for the outpouring of support from the community,” Richardson said. “So many people have offered to help us.”
Knox County sheriff Chief Deputy Patrick Polky said there haven’t been any similar incidents of vandalism in the area. Polky encourages anyone with information about the incident to call the sheriff’s office at (207) 594-0429.