'The Big Allotment Challenge'

[Laura Hillier]

Hi all,

We just wanted to flag up a great opportunity for keen growers who are looking for a challenge!

Talented amateur kitchen gardeners are being sought to take part in a BBC2 series, The Big Allotment Challenge.

The series to be filmed this summer will follow the fortunes of eight green-fingered amateurs as they each turn a plot of land in a walled garden near Reading into a beautiful and productive allotment over the course of six months. The series celebrates what you can do with home-grown produce.

The TV company is looking for amateurs, so obviously don’t expect anyone to be highly skilled at everything. You could be a city living window box grower, an existing allotment owner, or might simply love to grow veg in your back garden; if you have got some experience as well as the enthusiasm and dedication to learn then they’d love to consider you for the show.

The participants selected will also undertake various challenges during the series using produce they have grown. These tasks could include producing chutney from their vegetables, jam with their fruit, or a bouquet from flowers.

The deadline for completed application forms from keen amateur kitchen gardeners wanting to be considered for The Big Allotment Challenge is midnight on March 20, 2014. Anyone who feels they have the skills to compete in the challenge and are interested in featuring in the series can email grow@silverriver.tv for an application form.


Laura

[Jakejakeyjakejake]

My allotment neighbour is in series one would be pretty interesting to have a go


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[alldigging]

I looked at the application form but I don't have enough hours in the week.

[Olorin2001]

I cultivate 30 rods of allotments, I don't have time to be a TV personality as well.

[binley100]

Snap ^^^^ plus a school garden plus my jammin' ..is there already a series going on of this I seem to remember this being asked about before..and if so when is it on ?

[WendyC]

It's a shame there's not time to watch any of the first series before applying for the second. I am still a bit sceptical about working an allotment as a competitive sport but then it's worked for baking and sewing (as opposed to sowing) so I'll wait to be proved wrong. One or two days a week for five months is quite a time commitment, pity some of us have to work.
Slightly irrelevant but where is it filmed? Says near Reading in Oxfordshire. I though Reading was in Berkshire, but near the border? So in Oxfordshire but near Reading.

[sparrow100]

It's an interesting concept, but who has the time to faff about on a temporary plot, including the time for the cooking/flower arranging challenges & commuting to the walled garden once a week, without neglecting their own space?

I'll watch it, but I will also wish that this was filmed on people's own plots so there's a variety of growing conditions and layouts.

[veggiechicken]

Snap ^^^^ plus a school garden plus my jammin' ..is there already a series going on of this I seem to remember this being asked about before..and if so when is it on ?

We were asked this time last year Bins, good memory http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_70296.html

[binley100]

I've been waiting to watch it ...

[veggiechicken]

Looks like the programmes are imminent! Anyone we know?
BBC Two - The Big Allotment Challenge - Gardeners

[bearded bloke]

My money is on these two bearded blokes rule particularly King George V .........

[veggiechicken]

Don't you mean King Edward - he was a potato

[Bill HH]

Bearded blokes definately have the advantage, they can store bits of cake for a quick snack and sweep up their potting bench whilst having two hands free to move pots around.

[bearded bloke]

nutter

[Mikey]

I would say as a concept it alienates vast swathes of the populations, by locating it in one spot it means those travelling from further afield will spend half their time on the road. Not very green as a philosophy.

I would rather see them give plotholders a local plot and give them access to each others video diaries, you could still have meet ups for challenges, but the act of tending the plot would be done locally not from a distance.

I find having 2 jobs, a family, a dog, an allotment, and a social life (as if!!) hard enough without the thought of taking 2 days out a week to travel to the other side of the world. (remember I'm welsh I'd have to get a passport to visit Reading). I'm looking forward to see how its going to work as a concept.