selling what you grow

[TonyF]

If the woman concerned is selling at a boot sale - the produce, not spare plants and the like - I can see what the problem is.

We don't know the whole of the circumstances here - had she been warned about selling from her plot previously and chosen to ignore the warning?

And not wanting to be too snippy about it, under the usual circumstances of her being employed, she'd be wholly in the wrong if she's not declaring the income also. If she's unemployed and selling stuff and not declaring the income - well, that's up to her moral compass if she's receiving benefit.

[carlseawolf]

We had rule 10 added to our rule book last AGM that states that if your growing for commercial gain then you lose your plot , as we had one single guy who had planted 200 cabbages on his plot.
This was voted on and there was no objections to it from anyone.

I myself plant most brassicas in batches of 18 because they fit my beds and if they all rippen at once i give to family and fellow allotmenteers or swap for soft fruit but never take money as the plot is to valuable to risk losing for short term gains.

And as snadger and other chicken keepers say selling eggs only helps to cover costs and there would be no great profit in doing it as a buisness and we have just one person one our allotments that keeps chicken because he had them before the livestock ban was introduced and he sells his eggs even to the commitee members.

[jackie j]

We are not allowed to sell our veg. any excess plants that i have over i will be selling but they are grown at home

[Eyren]

I've lost my copy of our allotment rules, but selling is usually not allowed for the good reasons mentioned above. I sell spare seeds and plants sometimes, but the latter are raised at home and so far my excess seeds from the allotment have been given away/swapped, not sold - and I only had those to spare because the peas ripened faster than expected!

[sewer rat]

I don't knows all the ins and outs, not being an allotmenteer, and the law may differ in Scotland but certainly I was always under the impression that you were not allowed to sell any allotment produce for profit.
This would be deemed to be unfair given the "penny rents" peole pay for their plots - and would indeed lead to unfair competition if it were to become widespspread. I pay the market rate for land rental - usually the rate at which poatato growers rent land - currently £250 / acre.
Most people I know who have allotments swap or barter surplus crops or give them to friends, family, old folks homes etc.

[kirsty b]

I have sold spare plants at a boot sale before now, and have also donated some to a school for a fete too. Don't sell the produce though (when I do get any that is!) Was always under the impression that you were not allowed to.
Do sell surplus eggs to friends/colleagues and put the money towards feed costs.

[Claire72]

Remember one of the cookery programmes once, wanted local produce in an area like London, and the only locally grown produce was on an allotment. (I think he was trying to be environmentally friendly and reduce the carbon footprint of the meals he was preparing or something similar)
There was a loophole, whereby he 'bought' the box he carried the veg in, and received the veg for free, therefore, not breaking any regulations

However, I do think there is a fine line between selling commercially, and selling a few spare cucumbers, and do agree in principle, that allotments shouldn't be used commercially. However, as I do not have an allotment, I am not really qualified to offer an opinion

[Paulottie]

Simply- the law requires that local authorities provide sufficient land, according to demand, on which parishioners can feed themselves. this was consolidated by the 1908 Small Holdings and Allotments Act

The 1922 Allotment Act is the one that states that no 'trade or business' can be carried out on an allotment site and that an 'allotment' 'be wholly or mainly cultivated for the production of vegetables or fruit crops for consumption by the occupier or his family' of course the grey area is 'mainly' and there is no law to stop you selling/bartering your gluts and most sites would turn a blind eye. Some even sell a bit communally at the gates to fund shops/projects.

As soon as it becomes a commercial venture (esp. in times of high demand) you are unfairly denying others. Apart from that, many are there trying to escape the world of commercial pressures and it goes against the spirit as well as the principle of plot holding. (whatever opinion you may take on the desirability of low food miles etc.)

Until recently of course many sites were very lax and just wanted the land cultivated so the council didn't sell it off for development.

Clare, I think you might be referring to Lea valley East London...who produced and excellent paper on this very subject...hope the link works...must go to work

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/selling...entproduce.pdf

[duggie]

I am aware that it is against the rules to sell produce from an allotment but for the last 2 years I've given away lots of extra seedlings, all grown at home. This year, in an effort to re-coup the cost of seeds, I was thinking of selling the extra seedling and plants. They will have been sown either at home or in the polytunnel on the plot. Do you think this will be ok?

[SarzWix]

Probably best to check with your committee Duggie so you don't have any problems later.

[Paulottie]

I am sure it will be fine duggie....As I say, if you are principally there feeding your family and not running a small nursery you are well within the letter and spirit of the law

[zazen999]

Duggie, have a quick readout of the guidance that I posted. I am sure you will be ok. It is using the allotment as a business that they are worried about. If the seedlings never see the plot, then I can't see you having any problems.

[duggie]

Thanks everyone. I'll check the guidelines and run it past a committee member.

[carlseawolf]

And duggie don't forget to get the permission in writing!

[NOG]

If your land is an allotment under the 1950 Allotment Act then the produce you grow is for your familes consumption. Leasure Gardens are slightly diferant as you can sell eggs and honey from them.

Your friend that sells her produce at boot sales is ovbiously registered as self employed with the HMRC and is declaring the income on her tax return.

Don't forget igornace is no defence to the law