That's incredible! I just posted on my facebook that we need to start doing this in our city. I have asked the Parks Department if we could start a community garden in one unused end of the park near our house, but he refused on the reason that people wouldn't be interested enough to commit to it. But with a growing number of homeless people here, I think he's wrong. This would walk right around his high-handed opinion and would be fantastic. Thank you, Liriodendron, for the link and information.
Thank you, Busy-Lizzie. I am gathering so much information and if we can't find a way to help people grown their own plants here, it won't be for lack of trying. I may be handicapped, but I am not done! I love the history. What a great country you have...and to think that I am 75% British by birth. Yay for me!! LOL!!
The allotment culture of today is perhaps different to peoples perception. The cost of food in the supermarket here is currently comparatively low, a much higher proportion of income goes out on rent and mortgages. So growing your own has a minimal impact on poverty and makes no economic sense if you factor your time in.
So in honesty allotments, like gardening, is often about the love of doing it, developing a deeper understanding, social interaction, mental health etc
I would say (to your council) it is their duty to provide amenity space to the comminity, the same as parks. If you can get a list of people wanting to work their own square of land you might have the best chance. Best of luck Richard
Hmmm....I am wondering if the current mindset of not shopping for your own food and supermarket items, but just ordering and paying online so you can pick them at your leilsure is something that has caught on outside the US. The business of having the supermarket hire people to shop for us has caught on here and of course that means much, much higher prices on everything for those of us who choose to get out and shop for ourselves. This in turn has driven the prices of produce at the local farmer's markets higher and higher, so we have more and more people who want to raise more produce for themselves. Even the Amish have gotten into the game and have raised their prices, at times, way higher than the supremarkets as people seek out fresh and organic produce. Recentl we fought hard and long to make the city pass an ordinance that would allow each household within the city limits to have up to 6 hens if we choose (no roosters allowed), so I think that although right now the city councel will not allow us to buy land that is not commercially zoned for any use like small scale farming, we can do it just outside the city limits and that would allow people who either want to garden to raise their own fresh produce, or just putter around because they love it to have a place to go. It's going to be a novel idea here to begin with, and we really have nothing to lose if it doesn't go over well because we can always use the land ourselves. Farms that allow the public to come directly to them to buy things have always done well here. I just know from experience, that you are right, Richard, it's a great social interaction and it really helps people mentally to focus on something besides all the problems of this life.
Hi Richard, Firstly, I love your design. After another growing season, have you tweaked your design any further? Do you find with this design that you've lost growing space due to increased walkways or do you find that the increased walkways allows increased access and flexibility? Thanks
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@dreamin.in.blue thank you for posting. I think that's a wonderful idea and you are very brave. This link is all about allotments:
https://www.nsalg.org.uk/allotment-info/brief-history-of-allotments/
The cost of food in the supermarket here is currently comparatively low, a much higher proportion of income goes out on rent and mortgages. So growing your own has a minimal impact on poverty and makes no economic sense if you factor your time in.
So in honesty allotments, like gardening, is often about the love of doing it, developing a deeper understanding, social interaction, mental health etc
I would say (to your council) it is their duty to provide amenity space to the comminity, the same as parks. If you can get a list of people wanting to work their own square of land you might have the best chance.
Best of luck
Richard
Firstly, I love your design.
After another growing season, have you tweaked your design any further?
Do you find with this design that you've lost growing space due to increased walkways or do you find that the increased walkways allows increased access and flexibility?
Thanks
Darren