Onions dumped in desert around Las Cruces are not up for grabs

If you ever needed a reminder not to believe everything you see on the Internet, this is it.

Thousands of pounds of onions were discovered dumped in the desert around Las Cruces in the West Mesa area.

People have been taking the onions, based on a Facebook post saying that they are free.

But Brandon Barker with Barker Produce said that is just not true.

A rancher called Barker about getting some onions for his cattle, he said.

“He called wanting to buy some of our onions,” Barker said. “I told him, ‘No, If you want some, we’ll haul it over for your cattle.’ He was going to eventually take them to his cows as he needs them, so all of those are donated to that rancher.”

One woman, identified as Rebecca Leiferman, was seen taking some of the onions.

“I found the posting on Facebook about the onion oasis and so, me and my client came out to get some for me and my family and friends,” she said.

The moral of the story: Don’t always believe what you see on Facebook, Barker said.