Allotwhat?

Nancy Weikle of the Garden's Gift emailed to ask about allotments. I guess they're a phenomenon that doesn't exist in the US, at least not in the sense they do in Britain. Allotments are areas of land owned by local councils that are rented out to local residents in small parcels (usually about five poles) for a small charge annually, allowing people to grow their own fruit and veg. The idea began in the last century as the industrial revolution sent the urban population soaring, but really came into its own during the first and second world wars. Now the allotment movement is undergoing a renaissance as people turn away from supermarket produce and start growing their own produce. This site has a pretty good potted history of the allotment movement if you want to learn more.

I'd be interested to hear from non-British garden bloggers about whether an equivalent scheme exists elsewhere: I've seen what looked like allotments in Vancouver, and I know they exist in France and other European countries.

Allotments are wonderful: people simply can't believe it when I tell them that mine costs just over £6 a year to rent. Provided I stick within a few basic rules, I can do what I like with the land. It's an extremely cheap form of exercise: I'd rather be sweating away digging with a fork than sitting on an exercise bike just vacated by some sweating wreck of a man going through a midlife crisis at the gym.

Must get into the habit of taking my new camera when I go down there: it's shockingly remiss that there aren't more pictures of the patch on this blog yet.

Comments

[avril]

I supppose we have a similar thing here in the states, but only in certain areas. Some areas (especially more "liberal, hippy-esque" cities....)have community gardens where someone donates or loans an empty lot and everyone pitches in in exchange for fresh produce. Or sometimes the produce will be donated to a food bank or shelter. Its always wonderful to see but I have to admit, you don't see it often enough. All right, I'm inspired to go start one right now!

[Amul]

We in San Jose have community gardens and they operate in the same manner as your allotment. Community gardeners pay a small fee that covers the cost of water.

I imagine most people grow produce for their own consumption or other things for their own sanity. I met one kind gentleman, he goes by "Top Seargent", he has a plot in addition to his own home. He grows produce year round and donates all his excess to a food bank.

There is usually a waiting list for a plot.

http://www.sjcommunitygardens.org/

[Don]

Yes, community gardens in America have been around for at least the past 30 years or so, places where folk agree to rent a spot set aside for gardeners who either don't have the land or space to garden, or who just like gardening amidst other like minded people.

These are often organized by city government parks departments, although there are probably some non-government owned gardening co-ops as well.

Community garden plots are quite eclectic and personal, particularly in the lots where some have been continuously gardening for many years.

I've participated in these in the past, but those were in college towns. I don't know that I've ever heard of a community garden in Indianapolis (a large city that has colleges but is not dominated culturally by them). Our loss.

My neighbors have set up a community vegetable garden in my backyard. This involves about 4-5 families. I supply the land and water, they supply the planting. We mostly grow tomatoes, but are branching out to vegetables.

I am a rose, herb and perennial gardener, so I appreciate the collective expertise to vegetable gardening. My Depression-era grandparents always had large vegetable gardens until they got too old to garden. They would be proud of the ever expanding vegetable bed in the backyard.

[Nancy Weikle]

Jane: Thanks so much for the mention and the education about allotments. My husband tells me there is something in the states called "green gardens" that was most recently publicized in the Clinton administration. Anyway, I really appreciate the primer about allotment gardening and will research green gardens as well. When I have a new article posted, I'll reference you and send you the link. Thanks again, Nancy