Allotment politics - Who cares?

[azadigger]

After about a year on my allotment I am very aware of a lot of back biting and self-interest; people using the association to jump the waiting list or get better plots, etc. What's wrong with people? This is suposed to be an enjoyable hobby, not a metaphore for the rat race!!

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

Unfortunately wherever in life a group of people gather you will get 'politics' - you either keep your head down and potter along your own sweet way or you get in the thick of it - meetings, volunteering etc, and try to change things

[azadigger]

I think you are right, but it is hard to keep your head down when you see how some of the selfish idiots use a hobby to get a bit of "power".

[Bluemoon]

There's always going to be some people like this. One of the things we dread about going to our plot is running into a certain individual who continually tells us 'I've got my onions in'. I've done my winter digging'. The fact is, so have we all, and in many cases we've held down a full time job whilst doing it too, but he has such a high opinion of himself that his senseless bragging has got him on all the committees and what have you, until now he has a large say on how our site is run, and also - as he obviously has a low opinion of all us lesser mortals - he now has far more power than is warranted. We try to keep our heads down, but when this person is dictating policy which directly affects us this isn't always easy.

[azadigger]

I know exactly what you mean. We started an associaton, with a view to self-management, last year and the "power" has really gone to some people's heads. The question is, do we keep our heads down or stand up and voice our opinions; do we need the hastle with all that weeding to do??

[Welsh Girls Allotment]

Personally I would stand up, in the long run you will have to live under this bullies rules and ideas so take a stand and try to at least lessen his impact - you may be suprised, perhaps everybody else on the site feels exactly the same and is also dubious about putting their heads up over the parapet

[JR]

It is a shame you are right, just keep you head down and look after your own plot, be polite and friendly and dont get involved. As soon as a few holders get together to do something (whatever it may be) there will be trouble of some sort ahead.

This will always happen, it is not uniques to allotments by any means, it does not matter what the common interest or hobby is.

Humans are funny creatures!!

[azadigger]

What really bugs me is that people who are quite well off and wouldn't dream of "scavaging" in their "real life" become obsessed with what others have and anything that might be going free; even if they don't need it! By the way, thanks for all the responses, it does make me feel that I am not alone....

[Big Al]

What really bugs me is that people who are quite well off and wouldn't dream of "scavaging" in their "real life" become obsessed with what others have and anything that might be going free; even if they don't need it! By the way, thanks for all the responses, it does make me feel that I am not alone....

The bottom line is there are bullies where ever you go. The only way to treat a bully is to grab him by the throat and give him a bloody good shake.... Well maybe not quite so violent but you get the point.

We have a lot of allotment sites in my town and some are self governing. All the council do is collect the rent and then give it back to the committee. Another part of the town was wanting to set up an association and A few of us from a different site went along to see what was happening. This "leader" or bully was very vociferous about our attendance at the meeting so he got "told" a few home truths. The up shot is that the association was formed but he is not on the committee and has been sidelined.

Treat a bully like a bully and they soon skulk off to their little holes.

As for us we are also going to form an association for our site.

[Martin]

I'd agree with that! Always stand up to bullies, they always cave in, as they are just not used to someone challenging them. Even if you're only little, rear up to your full height, and belt them in the kneecaps

[Woodburner]

I'm lucky where I am, no politics at all. Unless you count the prvious occupant being evicted for me to take his plots , but he'd had two years and this is what they were like, you can't even tell there are two plots there :-

3 miles down the road, a friend of mine gets a lot of aggro, over wild flowers and onions left to seed. Admittedly she is the odd one out on the site as everyone else grows in rows and have bare ground where they don't have vegetables, but the nastiness has got to the point where she is not allowed to scavenge off the site's junk heap!

[MKG]

Woodburner, that place looks gorgeous just as it is. Lucky so-and so! Have you got any piccies of what you've done with it?

[Woodburner]

I haven't done much yet, I've only had it a week I've cleared the nettles off a strip at the top, about 4ft by 10m, but have yet to dig out the roots. I have plans though
It's a pretty idyllic location, no car access and no water, except for The Brook at the bottom. There are six plots all together, but we all have two plots each, so only two neighbours and I have yet to meet either of them.

[Flo]

Apparently the last person on the plot was the centre of many various storms with parking problems from one of the houses over the road and some altercation with the wife of bus firm boss at end of road. Some many letters to council I hear. However, we faced down the bus firm early on and grandson had words with daughter of house opposite about not getting wrong side of his grandmother who is a right pain in all parts of anatomy. So no trouble from those quarters.

The pigeon fanciers on adjacent plots explained their positions clearly early on - bonfires from Friday night to Sunday evening in the racing season stop the pigeons landing and running machinery such as hedge cutters and strimmers will have the same effect. Damn and that could be a bit difficult with the hedge cutter as we have miles of hedge around plot. Still we shall get around it - can't be affording to upset one of them who is very good to my compost heap.

[Dori]

Our site is pretty good! I've spoken to a few of the oldies who have had their sites for years, and commented about how lovely their plots are. I have asked where they get their truck loads of compost from etc, and they have been great giving me very helpful ideas.


I think they all hated seeing the plot going to rack and ruin, uncared for etc and were happy to give advice when asked.

I know that some long term allotment holders can (and only some) be very opinionated, which is why I made it clear when seeing them, that I was new, amd taking over a very overgrown plot with no experience and if they had any ideas to help, to please tell me!!!

Katie