Thursday 5 June 2014

A bloody good rant

Maggie is furious, so angry in fact that she called a meeting last weekend to talk about a subject which Andrew and I had been getting more and more frustrated and upset about. Look, tongue slightly out = determination, haa.
Maggie calls a meeting - 'growourown.blogspot.com' ~ an allotment blog

Our next door plot owners have had their land for the same length of time as we have had ours. Each year they did a little tiny bit of clearing and maybe planted one or two plants, one year they put up a bird feeding station, next they got a man to build them a huge shed and a lovely sleeper bench. In the past there has been rotovation, strimming, weed killing and if I'm not mistaken...burning. But it has never been productive.

They haven't been around for months now and the grass is up to my thigh, there are even rushes in there and it couldn't be in a worse state. Oh how I wish it had just been left alone from the start.

Arrrghh - 'growourown.blogspot.com' ~ an allotment blog

What about the tenancy rules!! 

We have been battling their weed seeds for years and recently it has proved too much, particularly with other neighbours who don't care around our 14b plot (not to this scale but bad enough!). It's the reason we are giving that one up.

This is all we have to battle it with. We do our best but it's exhausting and time consuming. Plus, the council aren't doing a thing, either with evictions or mowing the paths as they are meant to; so the frustration increases here.
A little scythe and hand powered mower - 'growourown.blogspot.com' ~ an allotment blog

We have got on top of this path....
Transformation of the 24a path - 'growourown.blogspot.com' ~ an allotment blog

next, we have to tackle this? Arrghhhh....

The 14b path arrgghhh - 'growourown.blogspot.com' ~ an allotment blog

Tomorrow shall be happier - I'm going to show you the joys of 24a and some pretty other stuff
Hugs
Carrie xx

10 comments:

  1. It's SO frustrating isn't it. When there are so many people on waiting lists all over the place. There was a plot at our site that was taken over by someone who visited TWICE. And that was it. The plot next to me hasn't been touched this year, but apparently it was given to someone new at the weekend, so I live in hope that it will be sorted out. I hope that your neighbouring plots are given to more deserving people too. CJ xx

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  2. your allotmenteers live in a parallel universe?

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  3. I can not believe that it is let go like that....and the fact that the council does not do anything is mind blowing! What is there a council for then!?!?! You hang in there and I look forward to seeing your many victories tomorrow! Nicole xoxo

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  4. My Daughter has just been given an allotment a few doors down from ours, she is not allowed to go on it until the agreement is signed and payed for. This has taken weeks now the weeds are taller than me!

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  5. I think this scenario is repeated on many allotment sites. We have a plot next to us that the tenant has had for over a year and made no headway. He keeps turning over beds and leaving the weeds and grass to grow back before repeating the process. On the other side a vacant plot just gets worse and worse. Fortunately two other plots alongside us that we overgrown have new tenants and they seem keen and are making headway. I think as long as the council are collecting money they don't really care.

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  6. I sympathise as there are plots on my site which have been untouched for years about which the council do nothing. Flighty xx

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  7. The exact same thing is happening next to my Sister's allotment plot. There is such a long waiting list to get one in the first place, totally infuriating. grrrrr

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  8. Oh how I can relate to your post and frustration. We have the same problem on the site where we have an allotment. It has always been the same - and so disheartening. I gave up half of my original plot about 150ft x 25ft - it's soul destroying isn't it. I am going to give up another chunk at the end of the allotment 'year', and just keep about 100ft.

    Keep up the good work!

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  9. so sad & frustrating, ive been searching for a waiting list, nevermind getting a plot for so long & when i see this i want to come over & claim it as mine!!!! haha I dream of having my own plot, so sad it can be left like ths :( (fab blog by the way ;))

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