Allotment competitions

[alldigging]

What sort of categories are there on allotment competitions?

Who does the judging?
What gets judged? (Everything and things you'd never thought of?)

[Aberdeenplotter]

In Aberdeen, there is a single category for the best allotment which I won in its inaugural year in 2003. Given various criteria on which plots were judged but not given marks so no idea of what could be improved. Plots were judged by Council grounds services officer which was crud. But, I won, I won,I won and I have a nice wee crystal vase as a memento

[zazen999]

What sort of categories are there on allotment competitions?

Who does the judging?
What gets judged? (Everything and things you'd never thought of?)

Some bloke who thinks the way to do it is by lines.

Some bloke who is retired and grows everything in lines.

I stopped the allotment judging on our committee as you were automatically entered and judged even if you didn't want to enter - and the one bloke with an immaculate plot who was down there day in day out, with no job, and strangely enough - no weeds [at all - ever] always won it. So I said it was a pointless exercise. Unless they published the judging criteria, and published an application form for entering and produced feedback for everyone who entered based on some actual criteria.

[Samurailord]

The idea that I passed over to Diane was to have lots of single criteria categories as well as a 'Best Plot'.

Things like

Best Use of Space
Most Variety of Crops
Healthiest Crops
Best Use of Various Growing Methods
Most Eco Friendly
Best use of Recycled Materials
Best Newcomer
Most Improved
Most Innovative
Most Photogenic (plot holders submit their own photos for judging)

This way most plots which are being worked will be in the running for at least one category, even if they can't spare the time necessary to have an immaculate plot.

Hopefully this will encourage plot holders to make that extra effort, and help them feel part of our allotment community.

I would love to know what the other Grapes think about this - would it encourage you or put you off?

Andy

[Bigmallly]

Although I won best newcommer in Leeds last year, I am against competitions......GYO should be a pleasurable experience not a chore........exhibition stuff is a whole different ball game.

[Alison]

I don't like the competitive element at all and find it very off putting. Thankfully we're a small site with no committee so I don't find myself in the awkward position of being entered into something in which I have no interest. I grow for myself and to eat not anybody else to judge or to show off. I would have thought that if people want to spend time on their plots they'd do it anyway and not just to get an award - surely if that's the key reason somebody is doing it then they're missing the point somewhat. That said, some people love it and if they see it as a fun add on to their hobby then there's no harm in it so ask around.