River Cottage Landshare

[ninnyscrops]

I think Hugh's got a great idea going on there. 

Have watched the local council mow the grassy areas in our road for years, all those little triangular and circular areas, and think I could be growing something in there!

I'd be happy to sow and grow, share with the folks in the road, a quarter of profits back to the council (after all it will be saving the mowing fee).

Not talking about green open play spaces for the children or the dog exercise areas. just the little bits of greenery there for the sake of it.

What  do you think? (I'm not ready for the white coat yet ;D)

Ninnyscrops

[ninnyscrops]

[star]

I agree I think its a great idea too. But it seriously does depend where the area actually is. Most people I would say will welcome fruit or veg for the picking.

Im not too sure how the vandals would react......just something else to pull up? Or it may give them something to look forward to?

[ninnyscrops]

Something to be said for those who have such an area outside their homes - a little more vigilant maybe and proud to be growing something they'd enjoy - they would police it maybe?

[lottie lou]

I thought those nice grass verges were only temporary as  over the years the council have been happily tarmacing over them to make them even tidier.

[thifasmom]

i also thought this was a great idea, made come up in goosebumps, i've already signed up to the scheme.

[flossy]

   There is an ' under - cover ' group --   in London I think,  who go out in the wee hours and
   plant up as many spare pieces of land that are neglected or have become unsightly.

   Roundabouts , bases of trees, road sides etc,  they have been on TV and confess they could
   probably get arrested but keep a constant ' look out ',  for the police .

   What they have achieved is brilliant, flowers and shrubs everywhere [ why not cabbages ? ],
   They feel that the councils etc are turning a blind eye to thier activities   ---   makes a change
   doesn't it, from being fined for having one eggshell too many in your bin !

   floss

[manicscousers]

wasn't some of it planting up other people's gardens and giving them a share of the produce in return..there are lots of people who don't work their gardens..good idea, with a few negatives...

if they're elderly, what happens if they go into care or die? ..I say this as our neighbour is very ill

they wait 'til it's all done and chase the person doing it..suppose you'd need a written agreement

the person who's garden it is messes stuff up..I say this as my father in law was doing it for someone and he used to get p*ssed and pull up onions before they were ready and 'help' by spraying areas that didn't need it  ::)

[flossy]

   Difficult one is that manics  [ can I call you that   :-[ ]

   There would be a high degree of commitment where a neighbour is involved I should think'
   a lovely thought to want to help.

   Just remembered a program about ' Ladybird '  Johnson, wife of the American Presidant, who
   would plant up  many roadsides with wild flowers, she really made her mark on the landscape -
   think she sowed seeds everywhere.

   floss x

[manicscousers]

course you can, flossy,
my neighbour's garden is going to wrack and ruin, her husband died 8 years ago and she's got alzheimer's and is very frail..I think it would be nice for neighbours to do it for her but we don't have the 'neighbourly feeling', they'd rather gossip and moan about folk  ::)

[flossy]

   Poor lady, thats so sad  --  wonder if Age Concern,  Help the Aged or even the local Scout
   group and schools who do help out in situations like this - would call regularly.?

    Even keeping the lawn cut in Summer is nearly a full time job, --  as we know !!!

    [ thank you     :D  ]

    flossy x

[thifasmom]

   Poor lady, thats so sad  --  wonder if Age Concern,  Help the Aged or even the local Scout
   group and schools who do help out in situations like this - would call regularly.?

    Even keeping the lawn cut in Summer is nearly a full time job, --  as we know !!!

    [ thank you     :D  ]

    flossy x

when i visited the landshare site there was also a link allowing groups to join up.

[ceres]

   Poor lady, thats so sad  --  wonder if Age Concern,  Help the Aged or even the local Scout
   group and schools who do help out in situations like this - would call regularly.?

    Even keeping the lawn cut in Summer is nearly a full time job, --  as we know !!!

    [ thank you     :D  ]

    flossy x

In this area there is an organisation called SPADE.  They do free garden maintenance for people who are unable to look after it themselves.  It's part of a bigger aid charity I think.

[Si D]

I'm liking the idea of landshare.

as all the plots on my local site are gone (looks like I got mine just in time) I was already thinking of doing something similar as my MiL has a large garden that resembles a jungle because she doesn't do 'outside'.  Look at the advantages: no rent, water supply and secure shed thrown in, not on an allotment site so less chance of vandalism, great 'club room' where there is always a hot cuppa ready and waiting.  Only stuff I have to do is hand over a ew veg (which I do from my plot anyway) and look after the garden.  Everyone's a winner!

Now, I wonder if I could persaude her of the benefits of chickens!

[manicscousers]

   Poor lady, thats so sad  --  wonder if Age Concern,  Help the Aged or even the local Scout
   group and schools who do help out in situations like this - would call regularly.?

    Even keeping the lawn cut in Summer is nearly a full time job, --  as we know !!!

    [ thank you     :D  ]

    flossy x

thank for your concern  :)
this lady has 3 children, 4 grandchildren, all fit and able, I think they're counting the minutes  ::)

[star]

Oh I am growling Manics...........................isnt that just the way some families can be. Selfish no good parasites >:( >:(

I speak of this with anger as it is happening in my family right now. It makes my blood boil over!!

[Old bird]

I didn't see the programme - as usual!!! But I like the idea.  The ones in London are called Garden Guerillas or something and they do a fantastic job!

Unfortunately I cannot see the Council's letting people do some verges as it is now so difficult for the Council's and their insurance.  Which has to cover them for every eventuality - and as you know - random people sue the Council - sometimes over trivial things or their own stupidity and the Council (or their insurers) have to pay out.  Which is why the insurance for events now is so astronomical that quite a few have to be cancelled - due to the law making organisers having to cover the event with insurance.

The Nanny state has now had to look after itself as most people that do injure themselves - think about suing someone else for potentially some things that - in the old days - we would call "accidents".  It always has to be someone elses "fault" these days!!!

Rant over - but a great idea - but in practice I can't see it being very successful!

Old Bird
;)

[Pesky Wabbit]

Who would be responsible if the Landshare Lottie became overgrown and very weedy ?

Its fine if its done properly, but what if the 'tenant' becomes ill, or just can do it for whatever reason ? I wouldn't want someone turning my grass patch into a weed bed - for me to put right.

PS Loved the recipe for squirels legs - now I know what to do with the critters - yum.

[flossy]

  Manics, aint it just the way of some families   .....   can I tell you this now, I couldn't have before.  

  My lad  of 46yrs is one of the best and always there for OH and me ,  he took a day off work
  to help us put up a shed.  Told him the base was already, so no digging etc..  fine - except he insisted on levering some heavy concrete with a crow bar  ..  just to get it perfectly straight.

  He then collapsed - I got the ambulance , he was at two hospitals and had stents put in a blocked
  artery to the heart well within an hour.  They said it was waiting to happen - anytime, any day or even
  in years to come, a heart attack.  

  We all reckon he was where he was, when he was , doing what he was doing   --   on his Mums
  back lawn because it was meant to be !!   He is making a great recovery !

  This happened this June past,  had some sort of delayed shock a few weeks after but can talk
  to you folks about it now and I thank you for listening,

  Sorry to break this thread,

  floss xxx

[flossy]

 

  Thank you so much mal,

   It was very kind of you,  I felt that I shouldn't have posted, but of course - thats after
   you have pressed ' send ' !

   It has helped as that is the first time I could even relate past events - rationaly.

   floss xxx

[simmo116]

after being 11th on the list for my plot my friend offerd me the bottom of her garden she being a veggie just made sense but i still turned her down as me and the missus felt it would be to weird coming and going all the while on someone elses property i wonder if we would have felt differently if it was a strangers garden?