possible plot - advice please

[becslb]

Hi, after years of waiting for an allotment, it is strongly looking like I have a plot via the HFW's landshare scheme! I am trying not to get TOO excited having been letdown over allotments a couple of times before but so far it is looking positive.. I went to see the land today and to have a chat with the owner, I have arranged to go back in a few days and meet up with the owner again to discuss an agreement (as per the landshare website) but wondered if anyone here might have some useful advice as to maybe what I should be aware of and possibly to confirm with the owner before everything gets official?

thanks

[Two_Sheds]

Well done, I'm glad that Landshare appears to be working.

Without knowing the "rules" I can't comment on what you should be looking for, but at a guess ... access to water, access times/days, what to do with rubbish, who can access the site (will you make it all nice and then the owner lets all his friends onto it for a BBQ?)

Um ...

[SarzWix]

Gosh becs! Congratulations That's really quick from it going live isn't it?
I'll echo what Two_Sheds says about access arrangements, is there any time you won't be able to get on site, where will you get water from? Are you allowed to put shed/greenhouse/tunnel on the land (and remove them again if you want to)?

[Eco-Chic]

In addition, access to electricity, access to existing shed/greenhouse/tools? Amount of crop in exchange for land use? Ownership of fruit bushes, trees, semi permanent planting and raised beds etc?

[becslb]

thanks for the replies

from what I know so far:

*no electric

*water via 2 possible waterbutts.. there are taps - house is on a meter so minimal use of those.. there doesn't seem to be anywhere I can put a waterbutt

* there is no shed etc that I can use.. I will ask if I can put a shed up BUT I think the answer would be no.. I will ask about a greenhouse/polytunnel but again I think the answer would be no

* tools - use my own

* didn't ask about raised beds... the owners are experienced growers but unable to do as much now.. so not sure whether they would accept "new" ways of growing but I can ask

* land isn't part of a garden so no bbq's etc would be held on it.. my dh and ds's can come with me. Access can be whenever as out of the way of the house

* compost bins/area - need to clarify that

what is on my mind is that the owners are elderly... so if something happened.. what rights would I have - I could have all this produce growing - would I be able to tend till harvest? etc...


Would I better off using this to grow crops such as courgettes/pumpkins/beans etc... keep growing stuff in my own small garden and use it as a stepping point till I can get a lottie? (My council are searching for land - this may take time but they are apparently committed to this; I am on the waiting list at another lottie site but have been waiting 5 years already)

all so difficult!

[NOG]

You will need to know what notice they have to give you.

If there is land to grow you can have a water butt. Mount a piece of corrigated plastic on a wood frame and slant it over a water butt to act like a sail. A bloke has done this on our allotment and it is surperising how quickly it fills up a butt.