The ideal Allotment Site, what does it have?
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:40 pm
Our council has a new boss and he has applied some logic to our cultivation levels and waiting list.
Namely some simple data logging, surveying and mathematics!
After surveying half the councils individual allotment plots (as opposed to sites) there are about 10% to 15% that can be deemed "not cultivated" and reclaimed from current tenants for re-letting, A mixture of entirely uncultivated plots and partially cultivated plots where the tenant will be asked to reduce their plot size.
The corollary of this is that extrapolated across the entire acreage the council can whistle up somewhere between twenty and sixty individual five rod plots.
The waiting list has now been monitored beyond the simple quantity of waiters for three months. Over the period Sep-08 to Mar-09 an average of five people per month joined the list. From Apr-09 to Sep-09 and average of thirteen people joined this list. Since the change in data logging which started in Jul-09 an average of five and three-quarter people were allocated plots, meaning the list is growing by five people per month.
The conclusion.
While better, read as a stricter interpretation of the "failure to cultivate" clause in the tenancy, management of existing plots may reduce the waiting list, it will not clear it and we will gradually aquire better plotholders who are less likely to give up......
Therefore we need to investigate the possibilities of resurrecting a derelict site or aquiring a new site of about 250 rentable rod.
Ooh Mabel pass the smelling salts I feel all faint.
Muggins here has volunteered to assist with assessing site suitability and writing down what is needed.
So with as pretty a please as I can manage, can people contribute some sensible lists of what a new site should have, oh and the budget will be tighter than the proverbial ducks.........
My starter for ten is:
1. Sheltered and relatively level site, with good topsoil, any down slope being to the south or west, not a wind tunnel or frost pocket.
2. Secure fence at least 6’ high surrounding entire site.
3. Water troughs around the site, about one per 50 rod.
4. Vehicle access to site, with a farm track either, up the middle from the gate with a turning point at the opposite end, or a loop round the perimeter back to the gate.
5. Some parking space within the site, car equals crèche for young families and mobile tool shed for others.
6. Clearly marked plots with corner posts separated from their neighbours by two foot six inch wide paths, i.e. wheelbarrow sized, preferably mown grass.
7. A native hedge planted inside or outside the fence to provide natural barbed wire, blackberries, sloes, rose hips and wind shelter.
8. A site apiary for up to five hives.
9. A secure shipping container or site office thingy, either for the site agent, or with the addition of secure internal divisions making up optional rentable store cupboards.
10. Dump area in two parts, incoming for manure or compost, outgoing for non-compostable waste.
Namely some simple data logging, surveying and mathematics!
After surveying half the councils individual allotment plots (as opposed to sites) there are about 10% to 15% that can be deemed "not cultivated" and reclaimed from current tenants for re-letting, A mixture of entirely uncultivated plots and partially cultivated plots where the tenant will be asked to reduce their plot size.
The corollary of this is that extrapolated across the entire acreage the council can whistle up somewhere between twenty and sixty individual five rod plots.
The waiting list has now been monitored beyond the simple quantity of waiters for three months. Over the period Sep-08 to Mar-09 an average of five people per month joined the list. From Apr-09 to Sep-09 and average of thirteen people joined this list. Since the change in data logging which started in Jul-09 an average of five and three-quarter people were allocated plots, meaning the list is growing by five people per month.
The conclusion.
While better, read as a stricter interpretation of the "failure to cultivate" clause in the tenancy, management of existing plots may reduce the waiting list, it will not clear it and we will gradually aquire better plotholders who are less likely to give up......
Therefore we need to investigate the possibilities of resurrecting a derelict site or aquiring a new site of about 250 rentable rod.
Ooh Mabel pass the smelling salts I feel all faint.Muggins here has volunteered to assist with assessing site suitability and writing down what is needed.
So with as pretty a please as I can manage, can people contribute some sensible lists of what a new site should have, oh and the budget will be tighter than the proverbial ducks.........
My starter for ten is:
1. Sheltered and relatively level site, with good topsoil, any down slope being to the south or west, not a wind tunnel or frost pocket.
2. Secure fence at least 6’ high surrounding entire site.
3. Water troughs around the site, about one per 50 rod.
4. Vehicle access to site, with a farm track either, up the middle from the gate with a turning point at the opposite end, or a loop round the perimeter back to the gate.
5. Some parking space within the site, car equals crèche for young families and mobile tool shed for others.
6. Clearly marked plots with corner posts separated from their neighbours by two foot six inch wide paths, i.e. wheelbarrow sized, preferably mown grass.
7. A native hedge planted inside or outside the fence to provide natural barbed wire, blackberries, sloes, rose hips and wind shelter.
8. A site apiary for up to five hives.
9. A secure shipping container or site office thingy, either for the site agent, or with the addition of secure internal divisions making up optional rentable store cupboards.
10. Dump area in two parts, incoming for manure or compost, outgoing for non-compostable waste.