A New Poll!

[Fruit&2veg]

Agree with snadger and aberdeen plotter 100%- Suffice to say they wouldnt do it again in a hurry!! Cant vote, no suitable option

[northepaul]

I would be abit cross and tell them so!!

Helping yourself is stealing beit one raspberry or a whole crop.

[WillyNelson]

'Sampling' as in a raspberry or two then I'd have a gentle word but let it go. Outright nicking of crops and it'd be straight to the overseer.

Last spring I had a manure delivery to the plot on a Sat morning. By the time I'd walked the 50m to my shed to fetch wellies & barrow one of the old boys had helped himself to a barrowload and was wheeling it away. I let him keep it as a good will gesture but on my next trip another was doing exactly the same. I told him I'd just had it dlivered and it wasn't a communal pile and he got the hump, "You want me to put it back then do you?". If he'd been more apologetic about it I might have let him get away with it as well.

I'm due another delivery soon and this time I'll be sticking a big sign right in the top. 'KEEP OFF MY S**T!'

[Piggle]

We actually do have a large scale thief on our site ie. fills a bag up with other people strawberries but does it late in the afternoon when everyone has gone home. ... a bit of a sad case if you ask me, I mean why would you!

The police won't do anything unless we can get photgraphic evidence so we're all wandering round trying to catch her on film

She won't venture to my plot as I'm too far away from her - she only does it on the plots which are within easy reach.

[HeyWayne]

I'd quite happily provide them with another "sample".

[Photo]

I would speak to them and ask why they had done it, maybe our crops where just too irresistable, maybe theirs had failed or they do not know how to grow them for themselves.

I'd suggest they ask the next time then offer to help them grow their own crop the following season. To my mind education is better than punishment.

Steve

[dawnh]

Feel a tad guilty voting on this poll, as I don't have a 'plot'. I do however, have my front garden, which I have completely turned over to growing my own (poor kids have to help out or go to the park to play!). My next door neighbour helps herself, and I have no problem with this, as she lets me use her garden too!! She is a complete star :-D

[super trowel]

I am forever giving my stuff away, I would not mind if a few people helped themselves

[justgimmeethefaxmaam]

I have been offered and have accepted a 25ft x 25ft section of a lottie
I was up there today sorting out the plan of work etc & the previous lottie renter told me to take the beetroot,the carrots & the swedes she had left
Then a chap 2 lotties down said to me 'Would you do me a favour?' & I said 'Yes, of course...'
He said ' Please pick a bag of apples when you leave as we have more than enough at home'
Seems to me people are very generous, but if I took without asking or being invited then I would be a thief..
Lotties,houses,cars,gardens...compost bins... they're all the same to my mind if they do not belong to me, I do not touch.

[Newton]

I have often given away my produce to fellow allotment holders and even members of the public that wander around the allotment occasionally. They are normally on the waiting list and eager to learn. The odd piece of fruit or courgette always goes down well.

But if I found someone helping themselves then I'd have to have a quiet word or two. I am sure it wouldn't happen again. If it did I would name and shame.

[dave_norm_smith]

As somebody who enjoys trying new veg I would be only too willing to let somebody try something if the enquired or asked. However if anybody was brazen enough to help themselves with out my permission then the best they could hope for would be reporting to allotment coordinator! You have been warned!!!