Allotment Wars BBC 1 Or BBC One HD

[Aberdeenplotter]

Might shorten the waiting lists though, as only folk who know that allotments are not full of weirdos will stay on the lists.

I wouldn't say we're not weirdo's. . Just read the winter edition of Simply Veg, the quarterly magazine of the National Vegetable Society. At Malvern alongside the National Championships we had a fun competition
with three categories. Small Fruited tomatoes, a fruit cake(which we could all have entered ourselves in without baking anything ) and a vegetable animal(mine was a potato and long rooted radish spider). There was only one rule which was that there were no rules. We even had one of the guys who can't grow peas dress up in a green outfit complete with hat and pink tutu. I'll try to scan in the page with the pics and post it on here.

Anyways, back to the magazine. There's a photo of those who took part. Every face a smiley face and that for us is what it's about. Allotment wars. Pah. Load of B@ll@cks

[veggiechicken]

I wouldn't say we're not weirdo's. .

But there's nice weirdos (like us ) and absolute weirdos - some of whom you wouldn't want to meet. Speaking of which - if you're at Malvern this Autumn, I must come along and see your fancy dress

[Mikey]

How do we know if we are nice weidros or not VC?

[Aberdeenplotter]

But there's nice weirdos (like us ) and absolute weirdos - some of whom you wouldn't want to meet. Speaking of which - if you're at Malvern this Autumn, I must come along and see your fancy dress

Indeedie. p.s., I don't do fancy dress.

[veggiechicken]

How do we know if we are nice weidros or not VC?

You're a nice Weirdo, Mikey - I'll vouch for you

[veggiechicken]

Indeedie. p.s., I don't do fancy dress.

Not even a pretty frock?

[Aberdeenplotter]

rofl, especially not a pretty frock

[veggiechicken]

Not even if you were meeting me

[binley100]

Excoose meeee......did that bloke really bin those carrots ? .....there was good eating on them and he just chucked them aside. MEH..........

[Sheneval]

I wondered if anyone else would be watching it....what a load of tosh.

Come on how many of us have lost veg to someone sabotaging?, or know of someone who has.

I don't do competitions, or get involved with the committee, but think there would have been far more to the issues with the young lad than he was letting on. He was quite happy to give up his key in order to get out. Had it been me, it would have been over my dead body if the only issues had been those he mentioned.

Where was all the gentle conversation, the swapping for seedlings, the loaning of equipment, the chilling having a cup of tea. Life on my allotment site bears no comparison with any of that at all.

I'm not surprised with the 100,000 waiting list, though I do wonder how many of those genuinely want one and are prepared to make it past the first years hard graft.

Mikey,

You make a number of valid points but I suspect different sites have different requirements and perhaps different rules to suit circumstances so the following comments refer only to my experience, short that it is, on my own site:

1. I was told that a load of potatoes had been stole from one plot just before Harvest time last year - thought to be Travelling people responsible. Vandals had climbed the fence and stolen a pumpkin and some leeks last October - we found where they had climbed the fence as the broken up items were scattered about - two of with no little effort made entry more difficult [although I was not allowed to put up razor wire as it was not considered PC]

2. On our site there are certain tasks that have to be performed by volunteers:
a) Cutting grass paths - (takes a couple of hours on ride on mower)
b) Filling up water tank - (a summer job)
c) Planting bushes round boundary fence to eventually deter vandals (1,000 purchased last year)
d) Checking boundary fence for holes in an effort to keep out rabbits

When one annoyed plotholder pulled up a Committee member because the water tank was empty last summer and as he did not get fast enough action, became more annoying, the Committee member resigned, thus leaving one less person to fill the tank during the summer months.

I agree we only got one side of the story but, unless I am mistaken, I noticed large number of weed seeds on his plot just waiting to be distributed round the site - I know from talking to fellow allotmenteers that this is the thing they dislike most about people who do not look after their plots.

I agree - the chatting on the site is one of the most enjoyable parts with the proviso that you have the time to join in which I fortunately am able to do in abundance.

I went from 15th on the waiting list to first in the space of two to three weeks - I suspect that the other 14 did not like the plot they were offered or had just failed to reply.

[Samurailord]

Well, I watched the program last night and had mixed feelings about it.

The theft of show veg is not a new thing - I remember hearing about it years ago, long before I even considered taking on an allotment, and I can appreciate how totally exasperating it must be for the plot holder.

The burning down of the greenhouse and vandalism of Committee sheds - even on the Vine we have recently heard of committee members' sheds being torched, so it does go on.

The attitude of the two olde boyes who no longer talk - I'm sure we all know someone like that, either on or off plot.

I know that every site will have it's problems, and the bigger the site the potential for problems must be much larger, but I was disappointed that they decided to only focus on conflicts.

There was nothing about the friendships and good times that you can get on a good site, but then again I suppose that wouldn't make good TV?

Andy

[alldigging]

but I was disappointed that they decided to only focus on conflicts.

Would have had to have been called something different then

[Bigmallly]

Just finished watching it & wasn't that impressed, I felt sorry for the Manchester lad as he did make an effort to pay. I'm glad I watched it but won't be bothering again...........I'm assuming it is a series & not a one off.

[veggiechicken]

The Manchester lad was the only one who appeared to be filmed as it happened - the rest was so staged and poorly acted - it was worse than our local drama group would do. I think its one of 3

[Sheneval]

I hope not - it was too depressing to make it a habit

I wish we could get the benfits of the professional camera work for ordinary allotmenteers who know their stuff, perhaps with some human interface thrown in, just to satisfy those not particularly interested in the fine detail of GYO.

In my humble opinion this would be far better than the never ending parade of overpaid professionals; examples can be seen on some of the really good Blogs on the Internet, which are completely down to earth - (no pun intended)