To lottie or not?

Started by robkb, September 08, 2005, 09:35:23

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robkb

#40
September 16, 2005, 12:11:37
Quote from: Svea on September 16, 2005, 12:02:13
and dont forget to buy some nice (real) bread at neil's yard dairy

Is that the one near the fresh ostrich stall? If so, it's fab! Bought a huge roundy-type loaf there the other week, about the size of a bus wheel - kept us going for days, toasted brilliantly, and didn't go manky - unlike supermarket bread that's full of so-called preservatives! I like drooling over the fresh game stalls (although the stallholders don't) and wishing the rest of my family liked rabbit as much as me...

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#40
September 16, 2005, 12:11:37
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#41
September 16, 2005, 15:48:05
Quick update - the ball's rolling. Council gave me number of site manager at another place with vacancies, have phoned and will be visiting tomorrow afternoon to choose plot (assuming I have a choice...).

Anybody got any suggestions about what I should be looking out for? Obviously huge infestations of Japanese knotweed are to be avoided, but apart from that...

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

ellkebe

#42
September 17, 2005, 18:39:16
The one with the best neighbours Rob  ;D

robkb

#43
September 19, 2005, 11:57:27
Good morning everyone, and it certainly is! Went to visit the site Saturday afternoon - got met by a very helpful chap who showed us round, told us about the plots and some of the other plot-holders, and also showed us the plots that have been set aside as a small wildlife area. And he wouldn't let us leave until he'd filled a couple of bags of veggies off his plot for us to take away (including huge beetroot and the freshest radishes I've ever tasted)!  ;D ;D

So, phoned council this morning and put my name down for a plot (not too overgrown, nothing a bit of hard work won't sort out), and the paperwork/key will be in the post in the next couple of days. As you can probably tell, I'm quite excited! ;D

Cheers,
Rob ;)

"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#44
September 19, 2005, 12:42:25
Ta Wardy,

The OH was really enthusiastic when she saw what other people were doing - think she was kind of worried about taking on too much work and also being perceived as a bit of an old f*rt (like me!), but now has lots of plans for prize dahlias, sweetcorn etc. The chap who showed us round told us there's a lot of seed-swapping on the site, so that sounds good. And on top of everything, there's a lock-up for tools if you don't have a shed and a big, well-stocked hut run by the local horticultural society. And a loo - blimey! :o ;D

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

Petra

#45
September 20, 2005, 12:49:50
You're so lucky.........I am up against a brick wall still. The woman at the council is on holiday til the 3rd and so is the treasurer. Ive got to wait til the 2nd when I can attend the meeting and pay my fees. I really want to get started but cant and the weather has been lovely as well. We had a wander round on Saturday but couldn't do anything :(
Never ming, carry on reading the books/seed catalogues and drawing little pictures of how I want it to look. I have a friend who's father has sadly passed on and I get to go through his shed on Sunday and pick whatever I want from his vast collection of gardening implements....any suggestions?

robkb

#46
September 20, 2005, 12:56:51
Hi Petra, sorry to hear about your delays. I must admit I'm slightly surprised at how quickly mine seems to be moving! And I don't want to rub it in but it seems I even get 6 months rent free :o, as the council don't bill until April next year and have told me they don't backdate the rent as they know most new plot holders take that long to clear the plots and get things moving. Still, at least yours will be properly planned out by the time you get it...

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

Petra

#47
September 20, 2005, 13:10:03
You're right, gives me time to get bits organised in advance I suppose.
Interesting about the fees being waived, there's plenty to do on my plot so Im wondering about that.......... :-\

robkb

#48
September 20, 2005, 13:14:22
Definitely worth a try. The chap who showed us round said we should say this to the council, but to my amazement the council woman got in first! She also offered me a different plot free for a whole year, but as this had 5 foot tall brambles and a huge great tree growing out of the middle I politely declined!

Cheers,
Rob. ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

Petra

#49
September 20, 2005, 15:36:32
Yes I have chosen one, there were 8 available and I picked the only south facing one. The others were all shaded by trees and as that is a major issue in my garden I feel that Ive made the best choice.
Im going to start looking at plants now and might try and get into the site again. My name is against the plot list pinned up on the meeting shed and Ive been assured that no-one else can now have it but as you say this bureaucracy is a nightmare. Why is there only one person in the local council employ who deals with allotments and no-one else capable of making a decision in her absence?I have to make sure everyone knows whats going on when I go on leave.......I'll leave it there before I get even more frustrated. >:( Better get some more work done as well tee hee!

robkb

#50
September 20, 2005, 15:45:03
Work? Oh yes, that's what I did before I joined A4A... :-[

As for council bureaucracy, I'm beginning to realise I've been lucky! Worst I had was the council woman saying the site secretary would know which plots were available, and the site secretary telling me he wasn't actually a secretary in any official capacity (just a long-term plot holder who knows everything about the site) and he couldn't put my name against an empty plot in case the council had already leased it and not told him yet! When I told the council woman this she admitted he was right and immediately told me which plots were definitely free - at which point I took the best one available and thanked her for her help!

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#51
September 23, 2005, 14:21:28
Latest update for anyone who's interested/cares...

Tenancy agreement is in the post! Hurrah!! ;D ;D

I asked the council person what happens next (ie. meaning collecting keys etc) - her reply was "You go down there and dig like crazy!"  :o ;D

So could be a busy weekend...

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

Jessie

#52
September 23, 2005, 15:53:42
Excellent news Rob, congratulations, now go get digging! ;D

robkb

#53
September 26, 2005, 08:52:04
Hmm... did go mad this weekend, but for different reasons to what you mean Wardy. Got the tenancy agreement on Friday, went back to the plot on Saturday to have another look round, think about what needs doing - was overjoyed to see the plot looking in very good shape, a few weeds but nothing a quick going-over with a hoe wouldn't sort out. Was then mightily pi**ed off to be told that someone is still cultivating the plot! >:( >:( Amongst the baby weeds is a fine crop of spinach, and the shed is apparently a fairly new addition to the plot - why would someone who's given up a plot put a shed on it? So now I have to go back to the council to find out what the hell is going on - has the other person given up their plot and not told any of the other plot-holders, or have the council sent me an agreement for a plot that isn't actually vacant? As much as I want to have a lotty, I don't want to walk straight into some kind of 'turf war' on my first day!

Cheers,
Rob >:(
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

kentishchloe

#54
September 26, 2005, 10:12:40
ooh, nightmare rob >:(

I've visited my lottysite, met the rep, agreed to take on vacant plot AND he's offered to divide my plot into beds and rotavate them for me :D  all i need now is my letter & key from council (although i think lotty rep going ahead with rotavator anyway) It's been 10 days since i filled in my application form & sent it back... maybe there'll be something in the post today.

Hope you sort out your situation soon Rob - i'm sure you'll keep us all posted,
Chloe
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
'Kubla Khan' Samuel Taylor Coleridge

robkb

#55
September 26, 2005, 10:25:19
Hi Chloe, thanks for the sympathy! Your site sounds very well organised, wish mine was the same! >:(

Just phoned the council, apparently the previous tenant was served an eviction notice in June but is refusing to budge - this is an argument I really don't want to get involved in. However, I might still come out of this okay... There's another vacant plot which is very overgrown and a bit of a rubbish tip, but by way of apology for the thingy-up the council have agreed to clear it this week :) So looks like I might still have a lotty, just not the one I was expecting...

Cheers,
Rob  ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

kentishchloe

#56
September 26, 2005, 10:53:00
I hope your 'new' plot works out for you Rob,

Post's just been - no key but did get my cyclamen seeds from T & M (free packet worth £4.99 - only spent £3 on other seeds so v pleased with self ;D)
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
'Kubla Khan' Samuel Taylor Coleridge

robkb

#57
September 26, 2005, 10:56:08
Hi Wardy,

Not sure of she's squatting or not - I get the impression she paid her rent but was so late in paying the council evicted her in the meantime! Oh well, let them sort it out... :-X

As for the clearing, the council don't normally do it but there are 3 completely overgrown plots. 2 have already been let but only on the understanding that the council do their bit first, and they're doing it for me because a) they're doing the others anyway and b) they've been made to look very silly by the failure of their own procedures :-[

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#58
October 04, 2005, 09:42:33
For anyone still following this sorry saga... I've got a lottie! ;D ;D Well, I've got 300 square yards of grass  :'( and a very nice shed!  :D Oh, and a decrepit fruit cage with several currant and gooseberry bushes in it that my OH spent the weekend clearing. Have started the long job of digging it all over and getting all the bloody couch grass out, and even managed to clear enough ground to get some onions in!  :D Hurrah, summat to watch grow while I'm digging the rest of it...

Cheers,
Rob ;)
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.

robkb

#59
October 04, 2005, 10:10:46
Quote from: wardy on October 04, 2005, 09:50:12
Watching onions grow is like watching paint dry  ;)

Well, I can do both when I paint the shed! ;D

I can think of better things than digging, but if I'm trying to be organic it seems a shame to fall at the first hurdle and nuke everything with Roundup. Anyway, with all the interruptions from people coming over to say hello and offer afvice I'm just glad to have got anything done at all...

Cheers,
Rob ;)   
"Only when the last tree has been cut down, and the last river has been poisoned, and the last fish has been caught, will we realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree Indian proverb.
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