Trying to get past the first hurdle of allotment!

Sorry but I've got to vent frustration

There's me thinking the biggest problem with getting an allotment was a 'waiting' list after you'd made your application.

In my case it seems, contact is the issue..

I phoned our local association secretary 3 weeks ago, got an answer phone, so left a message but also emailed her same day. As yet no application received, no reply to email! I've tried to phone several times but all I get is the flipping answer phone...

There is two nearby villages one that I know will accept non-residents the other I am not sure about but worth a try anyway.

The village (which I do have family connection do) that does accept non-residents I emailed the Parish Clerk as he deals with the allotment rental, but still no reply from him

The other, well they really haven't had a chance to reply, only just made the query... Knowing my luck they will reply first, with a 'unfortunately you have to be a village resident blah blah'

Is there anything else I can do to at least get my name on a waiting list?

Frustrating thing is, that we have 10 allotment sites around town, and I'm not fussy to which I rent in, as all would mean that I have to drive there anyway! So my side or the other side doesn't make much difference to me.

 

August is a bad month lots of people on holiday the Secretary may be ill ?

 

This is what I did.

Go onto the allotment site and say your just looking around if anyone asks. Strike up a conversation with a plot holder on site and ask them a few questions. Eventually ask them who to contact and they will tell you its someone in the village. I knocked on their door and spoke to them on person. That was in April and I got my plot two weeks ago.

Things get lost on the post, emails forgotten about etc so you can't beat talking to them face to face.

 

JJ

I've been reading your thread with envy believe me

Good idea, I know at least two of the sites where you have an access lane, these have locked gates, due to break-ins and vandalism being a major problem around 10 years or so back. Not sure about the rest though... But I shall take a look and stroll if I can.

Just found another one a little further out 5 miles distance, so still within easy reach, they did have plots available for the 2014 season, fingers crossed that they might just have some available I've just sent my application in.

 

I'd say don't wait to be asked what you're doing there, go past at a weekend/evening when the weather's fine, look out for parked cars or signs of people working their plots and go straight up to them and ask (as some people can be suspicious of strangers wandering around allotments, especially if they've had stuff nicked).

 

Go to the site and ask anyone who is on site about getting a plot,some one will soon tell you,or if like our site at the moment some one will soon ask what you want or who you are looking for.
Why I say this is that last week we had 43 sheds broken into in one night,the eve of our local show and open day,so at the moment anybody strange walking about is soon asked who they are looking for and can they help.

 

Well, the two allotments that I contacted on Saturday (Villages near to me) have both answered, now that what I could service.

One said we are full at the moment, etc with a couple on a waiting list, but please forward my details to XXX to be added,

The other one I feel slightly more positive about.

As said, they are fully let at the moment, but a very strong chance that I get one in Oct/Nov when the rents are due!

So I have me fingers crossed.

Our town council and the other one, still not replied at all?

 

I was told that back in April and was contacted in August. But it depends on how organised the secretary is. Our one visits the allotment at least once a week and is pretty much on the ball. You can guarrentee that with all this wet weather we have been having the weeds will be making themselves more known on newly neglected plots and so you may get in quicker.

Use this time to gather bits/tools/plants up you may need or tie up a few loose ends in your life as you may not get the time to once you get the plot depending on how bad a condition it is in.

 

I would choose the one closest to you which also has water. If there are two that are suitable choose the one with the better soil - if one is a relatively new allotment, converted from farming land, then choose the other. Ignore the brambles etc. on the plot as, once cleared, the quality of the soil underneath, and how well/much it has been worked in the last 100 years will make a difference.

If the one you want has a waiting list then take one further away / without water and give it up when the nearer one comes up.

Might mean having to "tame" two plots supplied complete with brambles and head-high weeds of course ...

Lots of old timers won't regularly check their emails - my father in law checks his once a week - when he is not on holiday / ill and can be bothered! so their delay in replying might be as simple as that (can't speak for why a council wouldn't reply - email address may be old & stale). Check you Spam Folder for replies - might have got stuck in there?

 

Guess who's birthday is only a couple weeks away

I pondered whether I would be jumping the gun, as yes taking on an allotment will mean that I shall be needing a bit more gardening kit than I at present do, think I might struggle a tad with a cheap border spade.... Oh do have a proper sized fork but no rake, hoe etc...

Ah, the weeds, know exactly what you mean, been out today sorting out my drive which for some reason seems to be weed heaven! Time isn't too bad, I do work full time, but work 12 hour shifts, which isn't as horrendous as it sounds a lot less tiring than when I was working 5, 7 hour shifts a week. But already decided that hubby and son are going to be railroaded into doing some of the work hehehehe.

I know both of the sites are pretty new, the one that I seem to have a very strong chance of getting an allotment at, was established back in 2008, the other one is newer started in 2012, but because they are further out on the levels (or what some call the 'levels proper') their soil tends to be a lot more peaty than what we get in town which is clay based soil

But one thing that I will be getting very quickly if there isn't one already there is a shed, really don't want to drag tools to and from home, nor keep muddy boots in the back of the car.

I'm getting quite excited now, I've wanted an allotment for a long time, but time was an issue, then when that wasn't I sustained a shoulder injury which turned what was supposed to be a 6 month sabbatical into a 4 years stint of not being able to work. But shoulder fine now, it's taken a bashing since the beginning of the year, with sandbagging on flood defense at the beginning of the year, to returning to work, reinstating my home garden etc. so allotment working doesn't worry me.

 

I think a lot of people, even if they have a shed at the allotment, don't keep tools there - as they tend to walk Under the floorboards of the shed is often an answer (and leave the shed unlocked so they a) don't jemmy it open and b) can look in and see nothing worth nicking.

 

Its mostly powered tools they are interested in on our plot. I've locked my shed up, but there are other plot owners who leave the door wide open. They have told me I can borrow any of their tools if I need them.

 

If the waiting list is so short you should not have to wait too long hopefully,on our site they seem to change quite often.I used to find when I was allotment secretary that some people took on a plot, but found that they could not be bothered after a while,I then had to have a quiet word,and most would just say sorry but I can't manage and give up.So good luck when you get yours and hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the last 4o years ,Have made many friends over the years and had a lot of very happy banter and many a good cup of tea or coffee

 

As Jungle Jane say's power tools and fuel are the main things they seem to want.As I posted earlier we had breakins 3 weeks ago 42 sheds broken into out of 124 plots , Out of those 42 sheds all that went missing was 2 Rotavator's ,1 brand new strimmer,1 Mante's tiller and 3 x 5lt cans of paraffin

 

And the thieving idiots will smash your door/shed side walls to bits in their efforts to get in and find you've got nothing of value in there, but the idiot police advice is still to put bigger padlocks/hasps on sheds which just makes those other idiots think there must be something worth nicking in there and they will smash your shed to bits to find out it only contains a few quid's worth of cheapo car boot sale bought tools.

Leaving only a handful of cheapo tools protected by a tiny flimsy padlock is my preferred option, however police advice is make your shed look like Fort Knox and just attract attention to it.


P.S. And the other stupid police advice is to mark all the cheapo tools left at your allotment shed with your house number and postcode, so every thieving scroat will know exactly where your rotavator, lawnmower, brushcutter, chainsaw, generator, etc. is stored.