By not focusing on the actually growing process & having plots ready complete with greenhouses will just encourage everyone to think they can easily grow things, so like I said before the waiting lists will go up.
I really didn't hate the show, it was a bit bland I suppose but enjoyed the tasks part. There is certainly room for improvement & to develop the characters more.
I do think there is room for a real allotment show following plots for a full season as it is several years since there was one, but I suppose that will depend on the viewing figures for this little dip into the subject.
Westi
The Great Allotment Challenge
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Westi
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Westi
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PLUMPUDDING
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Personally I am sick to death all the stupid competitive rubbish on TV. Are they incapable of making an interesting informative programme about anything without it being a competition. I have no interest in the people doing the gardening, cooking, etc. unless they are experts in their field. If I want entertainment I will watch a drama, film, or comedy.
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Ricard with an H
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PLUMPUDDING wrote: Are they incapable of making an interesting informative programme about anything without it being a competition.
I think theres an assumption that the majority of us are mostly dim so any entertainment has to be basic in its content, the statistics for those who can't spell or string a sentence together in the english language is compelling. I've shared views and experiences on a water sports forum where most contributors are under 30 and many under 20, they have to use text-speak and claim dyslexia for their poor english language spelling and articulation.
To be honest, if the producers illustrated the necessary make up of soil organisms and structure they would probably loose half the audience in the first few minutes.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
Richard.
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Shallot Man
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Could always bring back repeats of "Clacks Farm" Now there was a gardening programme.
Oh yes please Shallot Man. I thought I was the only one who would remember dear Arthur Billet and of course Geoffrey ..... whose surname escapes me now, but was brilliant on vegetables but also an expert wild life, particularly birds, presenter and very knowledgeable and entertaining he was too on both subjects.
The name will come to me as soon as I post this perhaps someone will jog my memory for me.
Beryl.
The name will come to me as soon as I post this perhaps someone will jog my memory for me.
Beryl.
I remembered -Geoffrey Smith.
Beryl.
Beryl.
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Shallot Man
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Re" Clacks Farm". I always thought it was Norfolk TV. But I was assured it was Yorkshire TV. Maybe someone from Yorkshire TV might be reading this !! 
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PLUMPUDDING
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Yes Beryl I thought Geoffrey Smith was excellent - bring back Clacks Farm.
I don't remember it being on for very long, so repeats would be a treat.
I don't remember it being on for very long, so repeats would be a treat.
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FelixLeiter
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I've recently been enjoying The Victorian Kitchen Garden on YouTube. When this was first aired, it got more viewers than the footy.
The allotment programme wasn't so bad. For sure, short-cuts were made. I'd be interested to see how it develops. It may take a little time for me to warm to the contestants. But at least it doesn't have Monty Don anywhere near it, and for that I can be grateful.
The allotment programme wasn't so bad. For sure, short-cuts were made. I'd be interested to see how it develops. It may take a little time for me to warm to the contestants. But at least it doesn't have Monty Don anywhere near it, and for that I can be grateful.
Allotment, but little achieved.
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Cider Boys
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Over the years the BBC and other television companies have sought to give us frivolous entertainment rather than hard facts and education in their attempts with gardening programmes, as with many other subjects.
The likes of Arthur Billet, Percy Thrower and Peter Seabrook would never fit in with the light-weight supercilious requirements of today's gardening programmes.
It is indeed a shame (scandal I would say, given the cost of a television licence) that the older programmes are not repeated. We now have to endure country programmes from an urban perspective. Bring back repeats of Jack Hargreaves, Phil Drabble etc., true country people that understood the countryside rather than the giggling ineptitudes of the likes of Kate Humble and Bill Oddie (a very fitting surname).
Having said all of that I must admit that Gardeners' World has improved greatly since the return of Monty Don. (I do realise he is not everyone's favourite on the forum.) I certainly do not agree with his sanctimonious completely organic approach, especially when it comes to advocating using (of course ) peat free compost (the worst sort of compost), but I do enjoy his enthusiasm and I think that he is an excellent presenter. I particularly enjoyed his series on gardens around the world.
As for the Great Allotment Challenge it meets the requirements completely of a light-weight frivolous gardening programme that the modern programme producers are only capable of making.
Best wishes
Barney
The likes of Arthur Billet, Percy Thrower and Peter Seabrook would never fit in with the light-weight supercilious requirements of today's gardening programmes.
It is indeed a shame (scandal I would say, given the cost of a television licence) that the older programmes are not repeated. We now have to endure country programmes from an urban perspective. Bring back repeats of Jack Hargreaves, Phil Drabble etc., true country people that understood the countryside rather than the giggling ineptitudes of the likes of Kate Humble and Bill Oddie (a very fitting surname).
Having said all of that I must admit that Gardeners' World has improved greatly since the return of Monty Don. (I do realise he is not everyone's favourite on the forum.) I certainly do not agree with his sanctimonious completely organic approach, especially when it comes to advocating using (of course ) peat free compost (the worst sort of compost), but I do enjoy his enthusiasm and I think that he is an excellent presenter. I particularly enjoyed his series on gardens around the world.
As for the Great Allotment Challenge it meets the requirements completely of a light-weight frivolous gardening programme that the modern programme producers are only capable of making.
Best wishes
Barney
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alan refail
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Hmm! I can see 30 odd-year-old repeats (some in black and white) really boosting the BBC's viewing statistics. Sorry to sound sarcastic, but I always felt that Billet and Thrower were the most tedious of presenters.
As it happens, I didn't watch the GAC, having guessed what it was bound to be like. Of course the producer would be going lightweight and concentrating on personalities. But when you come to think of it gardening which is a year-long activity cannot fit into the mould of cookery or sewing competitions and the like, which are activities which take an hour or so to complete. Concentrating on people digging and weeding would come pretty close to watching paint dry for most people
I watched "Bastard Neighbours from Barnsley" (something like that) on channel 5. Much more satisfying!
As it happens, I didn't watch the GAC, having guessed what it was bound to be like. Of course the producer would be going lightweight and concentrating on personalities. But when you come to think of it gardening which is a year-long activity cannot fit into the mould of cookery or sewing competitions and the like, which are activities which take an hour or so to complete. Concentrating on people digging and weeding would come pretty close to watching paint dry for most people
I watched "Bastard Neighbours from Barnsley" (something like that) on channel 5. Much more satisfying!
Cred air o bob deg a glywi, a thi a gei rywfaint bach o wir (hen ddihareb Gymraeg)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
Believe one tenth of what you hear, and you will get some little truth (old Welsh proverb)
My first thought, after just five minutes viewing, was that it is only the BBC that could produce such a contrived load of old pony!
My second thought was what a waste of such a marvellous walled garden.
I do not have an allotment but if I did have one and the people were like those in the programme I would relinquish the plot immediately.
It is simply a very bad programme and certainly gives the wrong impression of growing as a whole and leads to a spate of more unsuitable candidates applying for allotments. By the use of the word unsuitable I mean those who, because of the structure of the programme, get a totally and completely wrong idea of allotmenteering. It will not have occurred to most of them that a lot of hard work and effort has to go into the production of good wholesome food.
Certainly a thumbs down from me.
JB.
My second thought was what a waste of such a marvellous walled garden.
I do not have an allotment but if I did have one and the people were like those in the programme I would relinquish the plot immediately.
It is simply a very bad programme and certainly gives the wrong impression of growing as a whole and leads to a spate of more unsuitable candidates applying for allotments. By the use of the word unsuitable I mean those who, because of the structure of the programme, get a totally and completely wrong idea of allotmenteering. It will not have occurred to most of them that a lot of hard work and effort has to go into the production of good wholesome food.
Certainly a thumbs down from me.
JB.
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Cider Boys
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Welcome back Johnboy.
Best wishes
Barney
Best wishes
Barney
Yes, welcome back JB. We have missed your good plain down to earth comments.
Regards
Beryl.
Regards
Beryl.
I don't think anybody has mentioned Geoff Hamilton and his gardening programmes. We used to watch him regularly on a Friday night when we still had a TV. If I remember rightly, when a flower or vegetable was shown being used, the name (Latin for flowers, too) and variety appeared as sub-titles, very useful if you had not caught the name correctly.