What did you get from your neighbours

[Alice]

My lovely neighbours and friends went off on Friday for an Easter weekend break, I expect them back on Sunday night. As they do, they handed in food from their fridge which might go off over the period. We got
A box of M&S Aberdeen Angus Beefburgers
A box of Tiger prawns
A box of M&S baby button mushrooms
1/2 lb Stilton cheese
2 Avocado Pears
All were unopened and within their use by date on their return.
Do they just have more money than sense ???
They must wonder at the odd lettuce or cucumber they get from us .
What do you get from your neighbours ?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Coo - you get a better class of neighbour than me, Alice! My teacher neighbours go off on an ethnic four weeker somewhere remote each summer, and along with watering duties I get their 'perishables' which normally consist of some sprouty potatoes, a bit of exotic cheese, half a tin of catfood and a couple of eggs.

Along with a lack of tiger prawns or anything else with an M&S label (they are sadly Asda shoppers), I also note that there never seems to be a left over half bottle of wine.

And before JG makes a point with regard to how hard done by our teaching profession is having to shop at Asda, the wine that they do have is particularly fine. Not that I get any of that.

Although they do always bring me back a nice present, so it's not all bad.

[kirsty b]

My neighbour is pally with one of the local butchers and every now and again we get a bin bag full of bones for the hound.

Kirsty

[seasprout]

I got to put the bin out for my neighbours.

[Flummery]

My neighbour is an allotment holder in the village. There are about 8 behind the church - waiting list is for someone to die, I think. Anyway, he used to give me fresh veg till I got my own plot sorted. I swapped for home made bread. We now offer each other spare seedlings. Not bad eh?

[JennieAtkinson]

I haven't got any neighbours .........

Years ago when it was quite an event to leave the island and we only had three boats a week, you had to talk someone into taking you to the boat as the car had to be put on about three hours before it sailed (now its simple ro-ro which is so much quicker!), so in return you offloaded the contents of your fridge to who ever offered! I don't think anyone got much from us as we were always pretty good at organising everything so that nothing was left, but I used to do pretty well from everyone else!

[johnty greentoes]

Coo - you get a better class of neighbour than me, Alice! My teacher neighbours go off on an ethnic four weeker somewhere remote each summer, and along with watering duties I get their 'perishables' which normally consist of some sprouty potatoes, a bit of exotic cheese, half a tin of catfood and a couple of eggs.

Along with a lack of tiger prawns or anything else with an M&S label (they are sadly Asda shoppers), I also note that there never seems to be a left over half bottle of wine.

And before JG makes a point with regard to how hard done by our teaching profession is having to shop at Asda, the wine that they do have is particularly fine. Not that I get any of that.

Although they do always bring me back a nice present, so it's not all bad.

ASDA - that's posh for teachers. They are a slur on the profession - tell them from me.

Why do I always have to take the bait?

[Hazel at the Hill]

JA's got a good point there - being very organised and frugal (read: mean) I have very little to off load on my teacher neighbours when it's holiday time.

I have a week of 'eating up' meaning a few unusual meal combos like cabbage omelette, and tomato, potato and rice in order not to waste anything.

[nick the grief]

Venison as my next door neighbour goes shooting - I give him a few tomatoes for the greenhouse - seems fair to me

[Birdie Wife]

Also venison (1/2 hind annually), plus lots of courgettes, eggs, chickens (!), a bantam-sized broody box, other bits and bobs. We have nice neighbours round here!

[pigletwillie]

chicken and goose eggs on occasion, plus the mowings from the lawn for the allotment compost bins.

[Alison]

We gave the neighbours half a pint of milk when we went away the other week but I do generally hand out any spare produce - last year I was regularly offering up either cucumbers or courgettes, caused my friends to laugh, a lot! Next week I'll be taking some pots of herbs into work (repotted them the other day and split the pot bound ones) to swap with a friend for her excess sweet peas. Not a neighbour but similar idea.

[bubblewrap]

My lottie neighbour gave me his greenhouse (needed some new glass)& let me keep it on his lottie He also gave me a row of parsnips(15lb) last year!
We give each other produce we don't grow on our own

[Waffler]

Our neighbours give us nowt! Although we have got the lawnmower on loan from one at the mo, but since that's several hundred quids worth of kit, I don't think we'll be keeping it!
Last year I gave neighbours/passers by courgettes and marrows. It was worth it though, when I returned home one day to find an empty basket, save for a note saying thankyou so much - they're lovely!

Tell a lie about the neighbours, 1 gave me 3 or 4 stalks of rhubarb last year as he must help his along a bit and it's always ready before mine.

[has-bean]

had all sorts from neighbours on allotment such as surplus seeds plants and tons of advice as one would almost expect. Neighbours at home are under strict instructions that free veg is surplus and doesnt have to be reciprocated although I have had some very useful stuff such as large hardboard panels, chicken wire and carpets when they clear garages etc. Managed to get a good deal with work colleagues though. Very competitive bunch they are so when i bring in my surplusses - and I have a lot as a single bloke with a 200sq yd allotment, they have a competition to see who can cook the best dish, and I am usually first in line at tastings. The best feeling though as someone mentioned in an earlier post is where complete stgrangers leave noites and comments thanking for veg left by alotment gates and leave useful "rubbish" in return such as containers, pots, canes, hessian sacks, and in one case someone i never met singled me out and gave me her "as new" metal dustbin as she knew the full time retired gardeners would have snaffled it in seconds had it been left by the gate.

Great post. The best things about having the allotment are the fresh air, fresh food, and the ability to share with someone without.