Allotment Advice :)

[LimeGreenMonster]

Hi Everyone :), im hoping someone will be able to give me advice, Ive been looking for an allotment since early this year, I sent several emails to any commissioners i could and basically ive been told ill get one either when hell freezes over (its that bad to get one) or when my name comes up on the list which looks like a good what 10 years wait and thats everywhere ive tried.

So i went and put a personal ad up for either an allotment or a space of land. Someone contacted me with a piece of land they are willing to give me, im going to post photos below.

The advice im looking for is would you go for it? As noone i ask is helping me with my decision. Ive already decided that i want to grow my own veg and get as self sufficent as possible. The land is around 30 to 45 mins away from where i live and from the looks of it needs alot of work. I also looks like it used to be an old horse arena, and he also stated it is sandy ground (Is that ok to grow fruit and veg on?).

Now what im wanting to use the land for is possibly as many fruit and veg as i could with 2 hens/ducks if i have enough space. I am still looking into the caring side of the hen's/ducks and i want to make sure the land is suitable for them. The owner of the land also has millions of hens/geese and said it i can catch them i can have any of the ones there ( he has some really 1000% cute babies lol). Id also want to if i can plant maby a tree or two.

What do you think, is 45 minute jorney there and back to much? Does anyone out there have that long to travel to there allotment? Does the ground look suitable, will it be ok to put what i want in there? Will i be able to fit 2 hen's/ 2 ducks and give them as much free range as i can?

Photo's

Looking to the right hand side from the makeshift gate


Looking to the left hand side from the makeshift gate


Looking to the left hand side from the far right


Also we havent arranged a price yet, he has told me to put in an offer and he'll probably accept it, how much do you think the land is worth for a yearly rent?

Hope someone can lend advice,

Nessy :)

[prison break fan]

It looks and sounds perfect, but the journey is too long. I have an allotment just a few minutes walk from home,and I know I would not be nearly so keen if I had to travel any distance. I think you should keep looking!! pbf.

[LimeGreenMonster]

Thanks for the reply's :)

[Millymollymandy]

That's not a horse arena as the areas is far too sloping, BUT if it was a sand school then no you can't plant in it - it may well be covered in weeds now but believe me, even normal sandy soil is a nightmare but if it's sand from a sand school then it is not a planting medium and never will be unless the sand is all scraped off and taken away!

[LimeGreenMonster]

Thanks Millymollymandy, ive already decided that it will be too far away sadly, and i think its going to be ages till i find somewhere nearer where i live.

Nessy

[wolfsong]

try Hugh-Firley-Whirley's Landshare thing, to be round on the channel 4 website, it looked good on the episode and I had a quick look when trying to find places to grow veg in Portsmouth...
Otherwise I wouldn't try keeping hens too far away!

[inishindie]

Hi

I like the idea of micro allotments....If you can wheel the barrow to it to collect your veggies then that's perfect.

The idea of utilizing a neglected area or even getting together with locals to take over a neglected large private garden locally is a good idea...although the legals would have to be sorted out....

cheers

ian

[Cheezy]

Just for reference we pay £22 per year rent for our allotment, and this includes mains water

[Millymollymandy]

That's brilliant Cheezy, I can go through a lot more than £22 of mains water in a dry season and my veg patch comes free!

[ina]

Another bit of advice - if somebody offers you a piece of land, make sure you are allowed to use it as a garden... If it was agricultural land, it would need to have a "change of use" or whatever it's called - you'd need to ask the council! Better ask first, rather than being evicted later for doing something unlawful... (Yes, I know - I think it's a bit ridiculous, too!)

[Cheezy]

That's brilliant Cheezy, I can go through a lot more than £22 of mains water in a dry season and my veg patch comes free!

It is good, but as you can imagine most of the £22 is the water rates, and so people get annoyed when it keeps going up, these are the same people who don't collect any rain, don't use heavy mulches , and water the soil surface everyday

I have a retired couple on our stand pipe who hog it all the time. As they say around here: " It really boils my p*ss!". And when they water it is over all the garden, not intensive at the base of stuff that needs it.
I went down on Sunday , and a lot of the plots were flooded on Friday, we had torrential rain. (smug as previously my plot flooded, but with the raised beds, soak aways and pond in the low spot that I've installed over the last few year absolutely no issues at all!)
While I was there M & P arrived and as normal came round and attached their hose, it's the first thing they do. I could not believe it, as they were shouting over the hedge that they had been flooded out. As it turns out they were despiratley try to lift potatoes and wash them, complaining that they were too difficult to lift, and had no where to store them, plus they were still too small. On consulting I said did they have signs of blight?...no did'nt think so, so why not leave them in and let them dry out for a couple of days keeping an eye on them