Author Topic: Heirloom Eviction!  (Read 3098 times)

nodig

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Heirloom Eviction!
« on: January 05, 2019, 12:58:39 »
A made up xmas story -

About 5 years ago a group of hippy types on our site set up their own club called the Heirloom Club for those interested in heritage seeds etc.  I think there was about a dozen of them, but I didn't pay much attention to them, and just carried on as normal.

Some years went by, and I cultivated quietly in the corner of the allotment site, taking little interest in site management etc, I left that to the ones who went everyday.  I didn't really pay much attention to the yearly AGM reports either - I wasn't interested.

This rather tranquil existance came to an abrupt end on Jan 03 this year when a letter came through the post warning me that my cultivation practices would be checked in June for cultivation rules compliance.

Unnoticed by over the last few years the the small group of Heritage Seed Warriors had grown and had taken over control of the association.

The letter included a long information sheet informing me of the dangers to world ecology of using F1 seeds and that from now on only heirloom varieties would be allowed on my site.

I think this is a step too far - I understand that some believe heirloom varieties are more eco friendly, but I like the hybrid vigour and predictable results of F1 varieties.

So how do I react to this letter from the association?  .... should I ignore it and carry on planting what I want to or should abide by the rules of the new allotment management regime?

Beersmith

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2019, 16:21:13 »

So how do I react to this letter from the association?  .... should I ignore it and carry on planting what I want to or should abide by the rules of the new allotment management regime?


You don't need to do anything. It is a made up story.

In the event that it was a true story after all, could I refer you to a comment recently posted by a member called"nodig".

My guide to successful growing.  Buy cheap seeds - never over a £1, it only encourages them.

That would put you in the clear. How many F1 varieties can you find for less than a £1?

« Last Edit: January 05, 2019, 16:33:56 by Beersmith »
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Beersmith

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2019, 16:58:55 »
One further thought.  You have previously reported that your site is on  privately owned land. So while there may be a committee with responsibility for day to day management issues, they do not have ultimate control. That would rest with the land owner. Arguably they might overrule a committee that started to introduce arbitrary or unreasonably silly rules.

Of course, I may be wasting my time here. After all, it was a made up story.
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nodig

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2019, 18:13:05 »
Thanks for your reply Beersmith  :wave:

Elfeda

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2019, 22:35:59 »
does the seed names are visible on plants or fruit when they started growing ???? use your seeds with their labels :P

Beersmith

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2019, 10:19:21 »
Thanks for your reply Beersmith  :wave:

You are welcome! 

I am lucky. My own site has a committee that manages the site on a day to day basis, but the rules are those set by the borough council who own the site freehold. Also, the committee and officers are all sensible people, so for these two reasons the rules are fair and avoid any silliness.

I hope your site is owned by someone sympathetic to your views. Hopefully the land owner will intervene to prevent this unreasonable interference in what people grow. There is a possibility the land owner will side with the committee, or possibly will simply not care one way or the other. Lets hope this doesn't happen.

Personally, I think it is verging on tyrannical to have a rule like this. But if all else fails there may be ways to fight back.  As explained above, get yourself some plastic labels and an indelible marker. Write heirloom variety names on the labels,  then plant what you like use the labels and throw away the packets.  Also forward a copy of your letter to your local newspaper. I can see the headline now. "Eco loonies threaten to evict pensioners from allotments for planting the wrong seeds"



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galina

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2019, 12:56:55 »
And I thought for a minute "Heirloom Eviction" was all about getting rid of heirloom seeds on the allotment  Phew!, seems like you fortunately dodged that bullet, nodig!    :tongue3:

nodig

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2019, 13:23:50 »
Thanks Elfeda Beersmith & galina.  I was thinking on those lines Beersmith, that is planting F1 and pretending they are heirloom varieties.  But the problems come along in June/July when the Heritage Seed Warriors start their plot cultivation compliance inspections.  If they see a plot with a mixed bag of moth eaten vegetables looking like they need a good dose of vitamin pills they will assume it is a heritage plot, but when they see my plot with rows of vigourous and tasteless vegetables (the sort I prefer), they will smell a rat.  Is their anyway I could disguise my vegetables in some way to look more like their sickly heritage cousins?

Elfeda

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2019, 16:49:53 »
Thanks Elfeda Beersmith & galina.  I was thinking on those lines Beersmith, that is planting F1 and pretending they are heirloom varieties.  But the problems come along in June/July when the Heritage Seed Warriors start their plot cultivation compliance inspections.  If they see a plot with a mixed bag of moth eaten vegetables looking like they need a good dose of vitamin pills they will assume it is a heritage plot, but when they see my plot with rows of vigourous and tasteless vegetables (the sort I prefer), they will smell a rat.  Is their anyway I could disguise my vegetables in some way to look more like their sickly heritage cousins?

yeah, plant f1 companions and blame those for healthy veg plants  :glasses9: (I can not do this debate very long , as me trying to find ways to finish off loads of F1's bought on vouchers 3 years a go  :BangHead:

Beersmith

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2019, 20:32:22 »
Is their anyway I could disguise my vegetables in some way to look more like their sickly heritage cousins?

I wonder if you could clarify how your committee defines heirloom varieties? Is it a proscribed list they have drawn up and that you must adhere to or do they simply mean any seeds that are not F1?  If it just means non F1 then there are plenty of robust and strong growing varieties that you could pretend to be growing without giving the game away. A bit of companion planting as suggested by Elfeda and you would be undetectable.

For all that, I'd rather you did not have to resort to deceiving others. I'd definitely try an appeal to the site land owner who might put an end to this nonsense directly. There may be others worried and annoyed by this too. You would be doing them a big favour.
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ancellsfarmer

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2019, 20:49:27 »
I love a good pantomime at this time of year.
You've all missed the best option here which would  be to mix your F1 seeds with heritage ones as decoys. When they mature, simply pick those you prefer and leave the others to show that you are 'complying'
You fear they can tell the difference? Oh no they can, Oh no them can't !
Freelance cultivator qualified within the University of Life.

Beersmith

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2019, 22:43:23 »

The letter included a long information sheet informing me of the dangers to world ecology of using F1 seeds and that from now on only heirloom varieties would be allowed on my site.


Sorry, but this did not really register with me on first reading.

Frankly, your committee are idiots. F1 hybrids are not genetically modified, so there are no GM Frankenstein food issues to worry about. They are simple crosses of two distinct parental lines. Nor can they be blamed for any loss of genetic diversity. Each F1 requires the plant breeder to maintain two separate parental varieties. So far from resulting in less genetic diversity they actually help to preserve more diversity than single hierloom types. It is a simple case of utilising hybrid vigour that has been around since man began farming. No eco threat whatsoever.

Admittedly you cannot save your own seed, but that is a different issue. Some like to do this but some of us just prefer to buy fresh each season.
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Tee Gee

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2019, 23:58:47 »
I didn't want to join this discussion because I was unsure if it was a scam or reality.Look at the opening words......A made up xmas story -


But here goes:

I am pretty much with Beersmith on this,  in fact I would not be the least surprised if heirloom varieties have been used in the production of F1 varieties, plus, not that I want to go into GM varieties, like the previous statement it wouldn't surprise me if heirloom varieties have been used here as well!

So I guess the committee in question think heirloom varieties "are special" well ( in my opinion) so do the seed breeders, hence them using types with special characteristics for producing varieties that feed " the world" rather than just an allotment holder and his/her family!

I wonder what they would say about my beans,tomatoes and sweet peppers where I have used my own seed for over twenty years! In fact I have given a name to my tomatoes and peppers which is Feurta (feurtaventura) Cala( Calahonda) and I used to grow a French bean which I called Killer Whale simply because they had the same black and white markings as a Killer Whale.

I guess I could refer to my Tomato & pepper variety as heirloom varieties  simply because I have been growing them for so long and my family have been brought up on them as part of their diet!

I guess I had better save some and put them in a safe place and mention them in my will! to ensure these " heirlooms" are still used long after I have gone:angel11:

So Nodig; if I were on your plot I would have related  the aforementioned opinion to " the committee "

I rest my case!


nodig

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2019, 09:41:40 »
Thanks for that brilliant reply Tee Gee.  Of course my posting was just a bit of xmas fun, but it has produced some great replies.  Thanks to all who joined in - and I will think of another one at some time in the future.

woodypecks

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2019, 10:06:59 »
Brilliant !  :sunny:  Debbie
Trespassers will be composted !

Tiny Clanger

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2019, 16:32:46 »
Good Luck mate. There are Nazis around everywhere these days. Our Association is really down on plotholders that just want to keep to themselves. No rules on seed - yet.   :blob7:
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Digeroo

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Re: Heirloom Eviction!
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2019, 08:21:29 »
Not sure how you police such a policy, one seed looks just like another.  Though may be the plants would tell tales.


 

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