Find a Plot (General Garden)

Member Name: biffer

Product:	General Garden
Date:	11/05/01 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's cheap, and the produce is great

Disadvantages: Occasional vandalism

Allotments....don't they conjure up pictures of old men in flat caps, cycling down them on their bicycles with carrier bags of cabbages? Well, yes, there is that element to allotments, but there's a lot more besides.

I have been married for 10 years and the 2 houses that we've lived in have been brand new, therefore they have had small gardens. The houses that I was brought up in always had lovely large gardens and my dad always had a vegetable plot.

One day I got talking to a colleague at work who mentioned that she had an allotment, I asked her all about it and how I could get one. As it happened later on in the week there was a small article in the local paper advertising allotments, so I rang up. The allotment was a five minute drive away and my husband and I arranged to meet the allotment manager the following Sunday morning.

We turned up (with our 10 month old son in tow) and were given a tour of the allotments. Many of them were available, but they were also terribly overgrown. However, by looking at the ones that were in use you could see the potential. We duly chose our plot and set to pulling out all of the weeds.

All the plots surrounding us were taken up by older people, but that's OK, because most of them have held their plots for years and they know exactly what they're doing and they're only too keen to give loads of advice. They are really pleased that there's some young blood coming back into the allotments. After all if the allotments aren't used then the land is soon sold off for houses.

Now, we're not great vegetable eaters, but having an allotment and growing our own has certainly encouraged us to eat better. We grow strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, sweetcorn, onions, garlic, shalots, peas, runner beans, broad beans, cabbage, brocolli, carrots, beetroot, rhubarb and of course potatoes!!! It sounds a lot, and it is, but with f
reezing and giving lots of lovely fresh veg away to family and friends it all gets used up.

There's great satisfation in growing your own, it does taste much better as it's so fresh and it's cheaper too. We get out in the fresh air, there's a great sense of community and my son (now nearly 3) loves it down there. I'm 7 months pregnant again so I'm not able to do very much at the moment, but I know that all our allotment neighbours are eagerly awaiting the new arrival and that this baby will enjoy the allotment as much as we do now.

Oh, I forgot to mention the cost. Well, we pay a six monthly rent of £13 - yep, that's right, it's only £26 a year and that includes the water. There are water troughs every few plots and it's all free. You can also keep chickens and rabbits on your plot if you so wish, just imagine, fresh eggs!!

So, get on down to your local allotment and see for yourself how easy it is. Support your allotments before they're all gone.

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