Grrr!! Allotment Judging!

[Pumpkin Becki]

Your rant is entirely understandable Mrs D. as with anything like this (Best Allotment, Britain in Bloom, Best Hanging Basket (I've entered this one in our new village)) the judges only get to see a tiny snapshot of your effort. We all know how hard you work, and if we could award you a highly commended you bet we would, no quibbling. My plot wouldn't win any prizes, I have to cut the grass paths with a pair of scissors at the moment (OH can't get there with the strimmer just now and I'm thoroughly ashamed by it), but I still win good prizes at the Garden Society shows - thank goodness they don't see the plot my produce comes from, thats all I can say!!

My frustration comes when the GS Judges overlook the rules for people, ie we have a class for 'a vase of mixed spring flowers, excluding tulips, narcissi, and daffs'. I entered my lovely vase, and was soundly beaten by one which was soully made up of tulips, narcissi and daffs!! They should have been disqualified according to the rules. What made it worse was the committee wrote my name on the prize card but put it infront of her vase, so I had the pleasure of querying it with the committee. 'Oops sorry, she won and you didn't', 'Yeah, thanks'.

[pigletwillie]

Our judges came and went but have a better attitude. Points are scored for water recycling, wildlife, flowers, legumes, spuds, brasicas etc etc.

We use our lottie to grow fruit and veg so tend to have lots of say, onions so have whole beds of them. This may mean that some varieties of brasica are grown on our second plot.

In 2007 we came third in Leicester, in 2008 second and this year, who knows. The bloke who has won the last 2 years grows on or two of everything to ensure he has the spread of crops required to win. He may have won the cup, but really he has lost the idea of what allotments are all about, which is growing stuff to eat and put bunches of flowers on the table.

[Alison]

Reading all this has made me incredibly grateful that I don't have to endure any of this on my plot. I have no interest in being judged and would hate to be forced into it! Sounds like a bleeding nightmare, I love my plot and would be furious if somebody I hadn't invited, came along and critisised.

[Hazel at the Hill]

You have to ask yourself why you have an allotment - is it to grow veg (more tasty, fewer airmiles, exercise etc etc) or is it to get a little card?

.... you can't help but feel as though you've been 'looked down on' if you dont at least get a commended

Personally, I can't see why you're remotely bothered - everyone on here, all your friends and neighbours, and other allotment holders know it's a good looking and productive plot - what more do you want? A pat on the back from a couple of strangers? If so, why?

Suspect you are bouncing off the walls as you can't get down there yourself - I'd be just the same if I couldn't get to the Hill!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Reading all this has made me incredibly grateful that I don't have to endure any of this on my plot. I have no interest in being judged and would hate to be forced into it! Sounds like a bleeding nightmare, I love my plot and would be furious if somebody I hadn't invited, came along and critisised.

You're not forced into it. You can just carry on as normal - you don't have to be present for the inspection, the 'results' don't have to bother you. As long as you keep things tidy (i.e. not overrun with weeds thus triggering off a 'tidy your plot or else' type notice) you can mind your own business and there's no reason to even know these things happen.

The only 'critism' here is a list of 1st 2nd 3rd commendeds etc being put up on the allotment notice board.

A couple of years ago I was talking to a newcomer as we passed each other at the entrance to the Hill I said 'well done' as she'd 'won' best newcomer's plot, which I'd seed on the notice board. She hadn't got a clue what I was talking about.

[Mrs Dobby]

You have to ask yourself why you have an allotment - is it to grow veg (more tasty, fewer airmiles, exercise etc etc) or is it to get a little card?

Not for a card certainly, but deffo for the fruit, veg exercise etc!

Personally, I can't see why you're remotely bothered - everyone on here, all your friends and neighbours, and other allotment holders know it's a good looking and productive plot - what more do you want? A pat on the back from a couple of strangers? If so, why?

Its not the pat on the back from the strangers, more that we would like to be acknowledged as having a nice plot, theres 3 or 4 on our site that always get a commended or highly commended, it would be nice to be able to match them for a change! We know we harvest more from our plots that anyone else on the sie, (without any doubt), but it would just be nice to have that acknowledged!

Suspect you are bouncing off the walls as you can't get down there yourself - I'd be just the same if I couldn't get to the Hill!

Probably more than a grain of truth in there chuck! I'd love to be down the plot, but cant do it with a bad back, gotta rest n heal!