Canada Day celebrations got out of hand on one Central Saanich farm that was the victim of vandalism over the weekend.
Longview Farms reported on Facebook that witnesses saw a white Ford F150 pickup truck doing doughnnuts on the farm at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, tearing up crops and causing extensive property damage.
Investigators say the truck did a few doughnuts, left and returned twice to do more damage.
Photos of the destruction show tire tread marks through organic crops of Swiss chard, onions and leeks, also leaving behind flattened and busted irrigation pipes.
Initial damage was pegged at $1,000 but the long-term effect on the crops is unclear.
“We don’t like to see that happening because we work very hard,” said Eric Doublier, a grower with Longview Farms. “Farming is a pretty difficult job so to get this crop, especially because we’re certified organic…we do a lot of manual labour to manage the field and keep it clean. Having someone just driving and doing doughnuts in the field, that’s very sad.”
Since posting the vandalism to Facebook, the farm said it’s been overwhelmed by an outpouring of support, with many offering to come work on the farm to restore it.
“In the meantime, just keep supporting your local farmers in the marketplace and look for Longview Farms produce in your local grocery store! That's the best way to help us,” the farm said in a follow-up post.
Central Saanich police are also investigating the vandalism, and anyone with information is asked to contact police or the farm directly.
“So far we’ve got one tip,” said Sgt. Greg Johnson. “It only takes one to solve it. We’re really hoping the people are going to come forth with more information.”
If caught, those involved could face charges of mischief and dangerous driving.
