Just curious...who has had an allotment the longest on this site...how long and have things changed a lot since you started?
I'm new to allotments...only one year.
Not me. I can not believe that I have had mine for four years and at last have just about managed to have nearly cleared the lot. Never realised it would take me this long.
I started allotmenting as a young married, so have been allotmenting on and off in different parts of the country for 27 years. But like you kg, I have had this one just over a year, and the second one next to it since December, so in for the long haul of 'bringing it round'.
1986 making it twenty years this year!
Have things changed? In some ways Yes, in others No
I don't find the camaradery as good today as it once was.
In my early days you could approach the 'older' plot holders for advice and it would be freely given.
They always had time for a natter be it on gardening or putting the world to right, nowadays people don't seem to have the time (at least on our plots)
Another thing with the younger people is; and it is age thing, once you are over fifty its a case of 'what do they know'? something I am led to understand happens at job interviews as well.
I have watched over the years of how new people come onto the plots and say they are going to do this and they are going to do that.
And Yes! they do a terrific job until the weeds come up again and their crops do not perform as they would have liked so they disappear.
This in itself I don't mind, each to their own, but what I find is because these plots have been cultivated and possibly fertilised the weeds come up with a vengeance, which is rough for neighbouring plot holders and off putting for new tenants.
Then their are those that ask for advice and don't follow it, then they wonder why things didn't work for them.
Personally I just take it in my stride and get on with it.
ps Hope I haven't offended anyone, the question was asked......I answered it!
I'd better stay out of this??
Yes agree no I don't........I am 51 don't know everything and the old boys near me on the whole are just a lot of darlings. So informative. There are one or two that are pains.
ie:
To my pal "Why aren't you growing beetroot?"
Pal " Because i don't like it"
Groaner " Oh no you will have to grow some so you can have some thing to swop"
Same groaner to pal " Can I have some of your manure to take home to put on my roses, only I have dug in all mine"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yes we do have the yuppy gardeners too. that you know are not going to last but is that not all life and I feel all the richer for being part of it.
Tim I wish you were on my lottie nudge nudge!!
As a youngish family with 2 young children we have had mixed experience with the more mature allotment holder.As soon as we got the plot and started laying it out a fellow plot holder well over 50 took great delight in telling us the things we couldnt have despite everybody else having them (tyres pallets trees to name 3).And we did consider giving up.But on the other hand we find the other older plot holders to be more than happy to share their knowledge and we always look forward to our chats with them.And it was the older plot holders who informed us to ignore the miserable old bugger who was laying down the law and thanks to them we kept our plot and have enjoyed it ever since.
I'm claiming an almost unbeatable 36 years. During a walk with our youngest son in his pram in 1970 we came across a large field being converted (by new allotmenters) into parcels. I phoned and had one immediately. In many hours of voluntary work we laid water pipes, paths, built fences, toilets, storage facilities etc., and today everything is perfect. I'm one of the last of the first , so to speak, and still get very keen in early spring to get things going.
I have a cherry tree, an apple tree, a plum tree, all berries, 15 vegetable beds and a lawn, I love it.
Just in case you are wondering where it is, it's just outside Zurich in Switzerland .. and.. on a sunny day I can see the Alps from Austria, through Switzerland and almost down to France... lovely.
Busby you are very blessed.
Busby, I am VERY envious... ;) I have a fantastic view of the dual carriageway...
mat
wow busby - sounds great! I can see a housing estate on two sides and a road to the other... at one point I am about 4 ft from some ones back door (big fence inbetween though)..... but then I did choose the plot for this as it makes me feel more secure when I am there on my own.
I've only had these allotments 13 years, a mere beginner! We are a private site, and they back onto our houses and go three sides round a Cemetery, (nice neighbours very quiet!) what I really hate are people who get the allotment behind their house and then treat it as an extension of their Garden, or worse still don't do anything apart from strim it and/or have a bonfire in Nov.
(MY real pet hate is the chairman who lets allotments go to people who have to employ a gardener because they are too busy to even work their own Gardens, but that is another story!)
When I lived at home I had an allotment at Ridge Road in Sutton with mum and dad. Had that for about 6 years, then I moved away. We did try to keep it up, but when my dad died it was to painful to go. Glad to say a local school took the plot on. Now I am an Essex girl and I have had my 2 fabulous plots here for 4 years - wow does time fly! I don't see many people as they tend to be weekenders where I am a weeker, but I do see Old Jack who has worked on our site for over 40 years. He is a love, gives me veg when he has an abundance, and leaves me in soul charge of his vast rasberry bed in the summer when he goes on his 2 week holidays! Delicious. We have no water or security, but it is only a small site owned by a church charity. Dad still helps...in his own way... ;)
I've had mine since just before Christmas 1998; I'd have had it earlier if it hadn't been for ME followed by a back injury.
i'm only a newbie with 18 months under my belt, but if i live to be 100, and i'm still able, i hope to be the longest plot holder! we've got quite a good community spirit in our allotments, and a mix of young and old. i get advice and new ideas from both, as i know not a lot, but a lot more than i used to.
OH and I are mad keen allotment gardeners, when we made a will and were asked by the solicitor what we wanted doing with the ashes we looked at each other and both said, Allotment! The solicitor wouldn't have it saying if we both died together someone else would have to do it! Both of us and our boys are d**n certain that the vine gets it... then we will become the longest allotment tenants in a way!
;D
I had plot when I was much younger but the plot I m on now I have had fro 6 yrs
This is really interesting stuff, especially the comments about older / younger folk. The people at my allotment always stop and have a chat. I've had loads of advice from the 'oldies' and tend to follow when they plant etc.
I've had that many plants and veg ready for eating given to me and i've given as much as i could back.
It's a shame it doesn't happen on all the allotments, perhaps it is a sign of the times and todays younger people...but i'm only 39 so perhaps its down to individuals rather than age?
I've been helping on my famillies allotment, ever since I was a little girl and i'm now 47. But I took over the plot 10 years ago when my father died. He had takern over the plot when his father died to and it's been in my family for 90 years. Can I claim by default lol. ;D
Busby beats me by 6 yrs. My current one - 28yrs. Not many changes, biggest loss was a spring by the side of my pair. No water now.
I say Tee Gee, that looks like 'Adam the Gardener', I still have his gardening manual. Memories eh?
I've only had mine for for 7 years and it's my sanctuary.It's a very friendly and social lottie site.Everyone swaps plants,seeds and advice with each other,and water each others greenhouses when at work or on hols. Everyone seems to be growing lots of different tomatoes this year and they are being swapped all over the site. When my shed was torched along with 12 others two years ago the kindness of my fellow allotmenteers was unbelievable,new shafts were put on any tool heads found in the ashes or new tools given to me, a new shed was found, dismantled and put on my plot(it's now painted ocean blue with white trimmed window and slats).The site is beautiful,my plot has a d**e and a river at the back of it, a mature orchard in the middle of it and lots of wildlife and insects to photograph. I feel like Snow White ;D. It's paradise/shades x
I can't claim to have been the longest serving allotmenteer, but there are now three tennants on our small site who arrived after me n-Dunc. There are only 14 plots (and one tennant has two of them), and there is a nice range of ages.
I'm the youngest and i'm in my early thirties. When we took over our plot in april 2003 I thought we didn't have enough time to get some things started. With all the digging and weeding to be done, there was little time to plan what to grow.
Our new friends at the lottie were full of helpful advice though, and when we had it dug and marked into beds - baby plants of all kinds were offered. We had courgettes, lettuce, shallots and others from various sources. It was heart warming because by the time I could plant, it was a little late to start sowing seed.
We had a cracking year, and the produce was more than we had hoped for at the start.
I finally "arrived" as a proper allotmenteer this year though - whan one of our senior members asked my advice about his asparagus :D ;D :D
Where I come from there is a saying "There's nowt wrong wi right folk." Whatever the age of the other plot holders on your site, we all have a lot to learn from one another - and if we agreed about everything, there would be nothing to gossip about whilst the onions grow.
Have fun!!!
Tricia :-*
Great news, all this, isn't it?
I have had an allotment for 40+ years since being at school but how they have changed...
Today we seem to be more like liesure gardeners than allotment holders....
We always kept the house in veggies but also most kept hens ,rabbits ,ducks geese etc... . .Some of us bred pigs others bought a couple of 8 week old ones to fatten up for home use..
My kids wouldn't eat rabbit stew as they knew it was from rabbits we had kept but they loved the 4 legged chickens i used to roast in the oven wrapped in tin foil and sliced before it went on their plates ;)
There weren't many who didn't have something in a shed wether it be cockerels ,,ducks, geese .which they were fattening up for Christmas...
No veggie waste went onto the compost heap it went in the coppers to be boiled up and mixed with meal etc for the live stock..We had manure a plenty for the garden
The community spirit still exists on allotments to a point bit it isn't the same as it used to be .. But it is still a great hobby (obsession :) ). cheers Jim
I'm a veteran of just five years, and have only just recently got it to the stage where I'm happy with how it's turned out. Loads of newbies have recently appeared so for some reason I keep getting asked how I do things instead of me doing the asking!
Quote from: growmore on May 23, 2006, 09:47:08
I have had an allotment for 40+ years since being at school but how they have changed...
Today we seem to be more like liesure gardeners than allotment holders....
We always kept the house in veggies but also most kept hens ,rabbits ,ducks geese etc... . .Some of us bred pigs others bought a couple of 8 week old ones to fatten up for home use..
Some of us can't help it though - restrictive covenants are in place at a lot of council-owned sites. We can't have livestock of any form on ours (which is a pain as I'd love some bees). Got another one at the house so can't have any there, either... :(
Quote from: growmore on May 23, 2006, 09:47:08
The community spirit still exists on allotments to a point bit it isn't the same as it used to be .. But it is still a great hobby (obsession :) ). cheers Jim
On my site there's relatively few folk who have had plots since before the publicity push of a couple of years ago - but I've never met anyone up there who isn't friendly and happy to help!
moonbells
a whole 7 months ! and loving every minute.
Met some lovely people, very friendly and helpful ... they are also super encouraging at the (slow) progress I'm making. I've grown flowers before but this is my first real attempt at growing veg - mixed results so far, have been unable to get carrots, parsnips and cauliflowers to germinate, but have had great success with other stuff (although killed 5 of my okra and 4 sweet peppers as I left them in the propergator too long :( )
Weeds are becoming a little overwhelming, but I'm on holiday all of next week, so hopefully will be able to tame them.
A4A, the wonderful people and the advice contained within has been absolutely fantastic - thanks everyone, am learning so much.
I've not had an allotment all that long but a couple of our tenants must be pushing close to records. Bernard's Dad got his plot in 1912 and handed it over to Bernard in 1937. Bernard was first taken to the plot in 1920 in his pram. Shirley also has her Dad's plot and she started going there ( again in her pram ) in 1945 when he took it.
I thought that I would hold off in this - expecting to have the longest record - because, although we started with 2 lotties in 1959, we pulled back in 1970 to the equivalent at home. Now Jim's great story has arrived & I may have to bow?
But I did start helping my Father on his market garden in the '30s. Maybe that counts.
This is all brilliant stuff...so interesting..especially the part about how now is more as a hobbie for people whereas before it was a neccessity if you wanted veg etc
Necessity? In 1946 - in command of the base at Turnhouse - I arranged for all the spare gound to be put into use. And had the catering officer keep a record of the returns from the plot. I used the Fire Engine to water the brassica in!
My Confidential Report was more concerned with my planting than my piloting!! Sad?
Had mine think it is 7 years now, but always grew veg in the garden before that.
We definately look on ours as a necessity, It HAS to feed us.
I don't work fulltime,(a decision we made when we had the girls) so I feel it is my imput into the family, plus we could never afford organic veg, this way we grow it ourselves! ;D
Still classed as a newby me...7 months.....which has entailed lots of hard work... the plot was very over grown but between me and my mum we have conquered it and now it is looking really good...
We chose to get one for several reasons, the thought of fresh veg, no room left in my own garden, and a hobby for my mum who had recently retired..
We looked at several different sites, and lucky we made the best decision.. The site we are on is approx 80% occupied with around 40 plots... Age ranges from mid twentys to late 80's... Only last week we had a couple of younger people (early tweintys) looking around interested in taking on a couple of plots. Since we have been there we have been given no end of encouragents from fellow allotmentees (is that the correct terminology or should I say Lottees...?). The advice is always thick and fast coming, and we listen and learn... We have been in undated with cuttings, seedlings, and fully grown plants, seeds and sample crops... One comment I have, is with the increased access to the Internet people do do their own research and therefore the need to ask has been reduced greatly (e.g. this forum).
The atmosphere is friendly and family like....We have settled in and agree it's the one of the best decisions we have made... Mum has extended her circle of friends which is good as she has just moved over from Essex. We are looking forward to the summer BBQ's including a variety of home made wine tasting sessions, obviusly all made from home grown stock..
We have an open day planned for September to encourage more people to come and join our happy family...so fingers crossed this will be a success and we will become a 100% populated site...
Happy Allotmenting to you all....
Mark...
this is my third year and loving every day at the plot i love this time of year evrything is growing and it changes day to day.
today i have put planks of wood all around my plot to stop the grass growing over onto my plot and have made a rised box at each side of the plot with fruit bushes.
my cherry tree has also fruited for the first time ever all on time so will be netting it very soon to stop those birds.
well thats it folks have fun