Here's the current state of play at the allotment:
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| The view from the end |
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| Reverse view of potato patch |
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| Alliums, Other Roots and Brassica patches at the ready |
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| Legumes/Others with Fruit Cage Beyond |
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| Fruit Cage - reverse view. Black is a colour too - now that's stretching it! |
Dear reader, you may be a little underwhelmed by this post as the pictures consist almost entirely of swathes(?) of earth with little of interest (aside from a busy allium patch and some emerging clumps of rhubarb). The reason for this public display of monotonous cultivation is down to the fact that allotment tenants of City of Edinburgh Council are experiencing unprecedented scrutiny by way of inspection - at two weekly intervals. Reference has been made to a tendentious 70% cultivation rule, third strike and you are out rule, and photographic evidence too! In the light of this worrisome state of affairs imposed by our betters (that’s our local allotment association FEDAGA in collusion with City of Edinburgh Council) it’s time for me to produce some photographic evidence of my own. You never know when you might need it. I currently meet the fastidious standards, and I thought I better record this fact! My rent is up to date – but this is no longer enough for the landlord - horticultural excellence is now a contractual requirement if you want to rent an Edinburgh Allotment! I don’t know of any other group in society subject to such overbearing strictures from their landlords.
If you are a member of an allotment association make sure they look after your interest, not that of the Council.
Blimey I've never heard of that before. Is there a reason or a point to them being so ridiculously picky or has this become the norm?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I have enough land to cover all my needs but I do feel for those who want land, don't have it and then have to put up with such silly allotment rules.
Loving the evidence btw!
Linda
"Is there a reason or a point to them being so ridiculously picky or has this become the norm?"
DeleteThis is an urban problem, Linda.After years of embarrasingly long waiting list the Council have failed to increase the supply of allotments in Edinburgh. The only successful measure has been to only let half plots so that for each retiree two people come off the waiting list. Still supply exceeds demand. With the support - or even at the instigation of FEDAGA - they turned their attention last decade to solving the waiting list problem by putting up the rent (from £30 to £100) and moving people on - or rather off, much faster than in the past. So it's a double squeeze. Why the allotment association has abandoned it's members interest, financial and otherwise, in favour of the percieved bigger societal issue is a mystery. But it is very convenient for the Council.
Well it certainly looks "cultivated" to me! You could always pretend that the patch is full of potatoes which have yet to appear...or seeds that failed to germinate.
ReplyDeleteThere are potatoes under one of those patches, Mark! And as of today, the sowing has started in earnest.
DeleteI wonder what they would say if you grew green manure - after all
ReplyDeleteOne definition I found of cultivated was:
1. to grow plants or crops; 2. to prepare the land for growing plants or crops; 3. to nurture the growth of something; 4. to develop something, like skill, judgment, taste, etc.
So referring to number 3 you could cultivate say nettles!
Since the children have grown up (and coincidentally since starting my blog) my cultivation regime has improved no end. If these rules had come in when I was juggling work and family responsibilities and gardening duties (3 miles away)I wouldn't still have a plot today. I'm glad I do!
DeletePuts some tenants on our allotment site to shame. I look at our site and wonder why there's a waiting list. Plenty of plots overgrown or just covered in rubbish from the last tenant.
ReplyDeleteThere always have been rules, and the bottom line is that allotments are for gardening. I'm objecting to the introduction of new stiffer rules - together with the higher rent. Clearly war has been declared and FEDAGA are on the Council's side, not their members!
DeleteIt certainly does look very tidy Mal. Are you going to get a prize??
ReplyDelete