I've been putting in some work for The Committee (well, I'm part of it ) - there's a lot of folk with good ideas on our site, the only trouble is, most of them stay that way - ideas. If you mention community work - there's usually a mass stampede in the other direction, haha. Admittedly I still have all my professional kit which includes a couple of mini diggers so apart from dragging the old bones on and off - the machine does most of the hard graft. Over the years, several plots have been left derelict and became so junglelike they were more young woodland than allotments. A couple of years ago, I took a chainsaw to thirty year old trees and began grubbing out their roots only to bend the digger through not checking its pins! As I was still gainfully employed then, these pro bono jobs took a back seat till now. Also had a load of moans from neighbours about my bonfire, it was large and alight a long time but it's a bit rich that the most vociferous complainants were the worst culprits for throwing their rubbish over their fences! Pulling back on last week I had to pick up all rubbish and remove by hand - about 8 tonnes of all sorts to another area for a later bonny. Much of that lot had to be cut out of thick brambles. For the last three days I've been steadily grubbing the whole with the 3ft bucket to leave it looking roughly dug. We have 17 on the waiting list so I'm expect to be showing new tenants around this week and inspecting their arm muscles - they will be needed!
I’m pleased to say all our plots are taken and a waiting list A couple look in a bad state but are worked on to a degree , however , rent due buy end of month so will be interesting who gives up Off there shortly Have a good day everybody
All sites round here are full with waiting lists. No one household is allowed more than 40 poles, 4 standard plots, no individual allowed more than 20 poles. Some would like that reduced.
@Allotment Boy what size is your poles? Our site measures in rods 25 square metres per rod - most plots are under 10 rods - which would of been tennis court size - normal size for a long time ago for a plot
@SporophyteBoy you have been doing hard graft by the sound of it, well done, hope you get new people then they can take care of those areas
@GWRS Nice to get some tasks finished, you do see when rent is due and people don't carry one with their plot
The plot next to me is still vacant 2 different lots of people have looked at it - and guess they did not want it, you do need a car if you take it on I think so many kids toys to remove old trampoline frame, does have a nice shed and some fruit trees
Been snowing here bit yesterday and today, yesterday strimmed plot grass
@Gardengirl.. Our plots are 10 Rods (Poles,or Perches all the same) 250 sq metres in modern money. We do have a number of half plots 5 rods. On some sites in London there is a tendency to divide plots into smaller units to give more people a chance of having a plot. Our current secretary is resisting this as he feels dividing plots means more wasted land, extra paths, more sheds etc etc. It's a difficult compromise, for some 10 rods is too much to manage, but too small and you don't have enough space to do a proper rotation of crops. Over the years I have seen many times when there is a clamour for plots then 5-10 years later no-one wants them again. When I joined my present site, more than 15 years ago, I had the choice of about 5 plots within 2 years there was a waiting list of 20 applicants. We keep our waiting list to 20 permanently now we only add a name if one comes off.
@Allotment Boy thanks for the info, my plot is 8.5 rods only plot offered for a good month as I was not sure about it, the other one plot that was going to come up soon was a bit smaller thinner at 7 rods even though had a shed and a few fruit trees, I went with the first one no shed not much -just land but got a free rake, I was used to looking at the plot by then and it was wider different to home garden and wanted a challenge so went for the first one in end Think only a few plots are the full 10 rods most are split up and some into 4 as they have a, b, c, and d numbers think quite a few 7 or 8 rods near me, newer end added back on in 2009 as was allotments ones used then when less plots wanted they made plots all move nearer the main gate so only 3/4 site used I think, and then our area was a tip council dumping area for a while till more plots were needed
Hello my plot is approximately 30 by 130 feet , there are lots of unusual sized plots on our site , so a couple of years ago they where surveyed and the rent is now based on square metres Good day at plot today , have been laying some slabs , a bit of weeding around edges before snow storm started
@GWRS that seems to be the standard size of many Allotment plots. It's always been a bit confusing to me that Rods & Poles are a square measure yet almost all plots are longer than they are wide. As @Gardengirl.. says 1 Rod or Pole is 25 sq M as near as makes no difference. We do have some other odd sized plots due to the topography of the site but in general they are 5 or 10 poles.
As a bit of a history buff, I looked up it's origins. The terms perch, pole and rod are a mix of Roman and old English measurements. The rod is said to be the length of the pole needed by a ploughman to drive oxen, which was used as a measure for land.
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Over the years, several plots have been left derelict and became so junglelike they were more young woodland than allotments. A couple of years ago, I took a chainsaw to thirty year old trees and began grubbing out their roots only to bend the digger through not checking its pins! As I was still gainfully employed then, these pro bono jobs took a back seat till now. Also had a load of moans from neighbours about my bonfire, it was large and alight a long time but it's a bit rich that the most vociferous complainants were the worst culprits for throwing their rubbish over their fences!
Pulling back on last week I had to pick up all rubbish and remove by hand - about 8 tonnes of all sorts to another area for a later bonny. Much of that lot had to be cut out of thick brambles. For the last three days I've been steadily grubbing the whole with the 3ft bucket to leave it looking roughly dug. We have 17 on the waiting list so I'm expect to be showing new tenants around this week and inspecting their arm muscles - they will be needed!
A couple look in a bad state but are worked on to a degree , however , rent due buy end of month so will be interesting who gives up
Off there shortly
Have a good day everybody
Our site measures in rods 25 square metres per rod - most plots are under 10 rods - which would of been tennis court size - normal size for a long time ago for a plot
@SporophyteBoy you have been doing hard graft by the sound of it, well done, hope you get new people then they can take care of those areas
@GWRS Nice to get some tasks finished, you do see when rent is due and people don't carry one with their plot
The plot next to me is still vacant 2 different lots of people have looked at it - and guess they did not want it, you do need a car if you take it on I think so many kids toys to remove old trampoline frame, does have a nice shed and some fruit trees
Been snowing here bit yesterday and today, yesterday strimmed plot grass
Think only a few plots are the full 10 rods most are split up and some into 4 as they have a, b, c, and d numbers think quite a few 7 or 8 rods near me, newer end added back on in 2009 as was allotments ones used then when less plots wanted they made plots all move nearer the main gate so only 3/4 site used I think, and then our area was a tip council dumping area for a while till more plots were needed
Good day at plot today , have been laying some slabs , a bit of weeding around edges before snow storm started
The terms perch, pole and rod are a mix of Roman and old English measurements.
The rod is said to be the length of the pole needed by a ploughman to drive oxen, which was used as a measure for land.