The Old un's are the best.

[smallfrog]

Following on from something HW wrote on another post about the old boys from the allotments getting all the best stuff. I thought I'd start a thread about the old un's and what they get up to your plot.

Nothing horrid about them. They are the back bone of the allotment and what they lack in teeth they more than make up for in there gardening knowledge.

Our resident old boy "Brush" told one newbie that she needed to ring up the council and get planning permission for her greenhouse. Which she'd spent most of the weekend putting up. She would have too if it weren't for a younger old boy telling her it was fine.

I could go on and on. Brush has been voted onto the comity now so god help us.

[CaroltheCarrot]

I asked one if I could use some of the fencing that was lying around to finish the fence on my new plot,and was politely told no it was needed.
I gave the man in the plot next to me some eggs from my chooks,half an hour later first manny came back to me and said I could have as much of the fencing as I liked and he loves fresh eggs!!!!

[Snadger]

I call them 'weedwatchers'!

[binley100]

We have a few characters on our site especially Wally . He's a great practical joker, god knows how old he is and he has a huge plot and gives all his produce away . I think it's the allotment that keeps him going and I hope I'm as fit as him at that age.

[weekendwellies]

There is only one oldy on my site; the rest of us are all newbies finding out as we go.
The oldy showed me around when I first went to see the plot and gave me some spuds to plant last year and some old plastic to cover a bit of ground for the weeds and some old tyres, but I have hardly seen him around since.

[binley100]

A little story........
Old Wal on our site got fed up with his shed being broken into . So he rigged up a boobytrap .....so that when the door opened you were met by a hammer swinging towards you . His mate came and said "I'll give you a hand with that Wal I'll just get a fork out the shed " Can you guess what happened next.............?

Yup that's right , laid him out flat ........Wal thought he'd killed him

He's also been known to plant a false leg on his plot

[coreopsis]

A little story........
Old Wal on our site got fed up with his shed being broken into . So he rigged up a boobytrap .....so that when the door opened you were met by a hammer swinging towards you . His mate came and said "I'll give you a hand with that Wal I'll just get a fork out the shed " Can you guess what happened next.............?

Yup that's right , laid him out flat ........Wal thought he'd killed him

He's also been known to plant a false leg on his plot

Binley,you've just made my day with this,thanks for sharing

BTW,brilliant trap for all scumbags,as long as you remember about it

[Flummery]

Our plot is about half and half oldies and young (only 11 plots and I'm the one in the middle! - In age, that is)

One of the oldies has the only sprouts not eaten by cabbage whites. We call him Chemical Charlie. He swears he only sprays once in the season !

Generous though - he shares spare seedlings, as do they all.

[weekendwellies]

I quite often see a tray of spuds or seedlings left on a convenient waist high wall as you go onto the site. Dont know who leaves them, and have never helped myself to any, but someone must do.

[di]

Our plot is about half and half oldies and young (only 11 plots and I'm the one in the middle! - In age, that is)

One of the oldies has the only sprouts not eaten by cabbage whites. We call him Chemical Charlie. He swears he only sprays once in the season !

Generous though - he shares spare seedlings, as do they all.

There's an Old Boy on our site that never have problems with Cabbage White...not sure you want to know why

Another one I'm sure has a bit of a problem with pyromania....when he's not burning stuff he can be found late at night trawling the Supermarkets,looking out for cardboard boxes...to burn.

[womble]

There's an Old Boy on our site that never have problems with Cabbage White...not sure you want to know why

Definitely do!

[lottie dolly]

what classes one as an oldy??????lol,
age,
number of years growing
experience
looks
or am i missing something
interesting to get the younger persons views

[Alison]

I assumed it meant the old boy who'd been lottying for donkeys years. Not really got any on our site, most of us are in the 35 to 55 range. Am glad we've not got any of those practical jokers some of you mentioned either as I'd find that very annoying and really rather rude and unwelcoming to a newcomer, could be very off putting.

[binley100]

Our Wal may be a bit of a joker but he has a wealth of knowledge which he shares quite readily like his produce, and he is very approachable . I find it's some of the younger newer people who have their head up their @rses and are not so welcoming.

[HeyWayne]

I've an 'old' next and behind me. Stuart his name is, 76 year old Scottish dude - always friendly and has offered me spare fruits of his labour on several occasions. He can oft be found with his iPod on.

Then, there's Doug, also in his 70's - trousers up by his armpits and a proper 'Amos' beard (just a beard, no 'tache). Doug's a pro and can be found on occasion giving tours and slideshows of the allotment. He's got a polytunnel and everything!

Then there's old Geoff, bless him. In his 80's and potters around. Getting a bit much for him now though bless. He's the dude that used to 'run' the allotment and the first chap I met on account of him taking me round to choose my plot (you could do that 'back then'). When we first spoke on the phone he asked me if I was retired and when I replied that I was 31 (I think) at the time, he replied quite enthusiatically "Ooh, a young'un!"

I'm possibly one of the youngest there.