I've had my allotment since March 2011, and growing some of my own food has honestly been one of the most rewarding things I've done in the last 7 years. Here's a summary of some of the things I like about allotments....
Some of this is taken from this podcast on Radical Gardening where Laurie Taylor is joined by George McKay and Tim Jordan to discuss the protest, politics and plots of the garden - the podcast touches on the history of radical gardening more generally - looking at peace gardens and organic gardening - allotments can be read as being radical - of course this doesn't mean this is the only interpretation of them - but here's Six reasons why I think allotments are great!
NB - all the pics below are from my allotment, sometime over the past couple of years...Here's one from a couple of weeks ago, still largely bedded down from the winter given the shitty weather so far this year
Allotments are based on the principle of people before profit
The rents for allotments are a complete rejection of capitalist values - anyone can rent a plot for a nominal fee (mine is still a mere £50 pounds a year) in order to meet some of their basic food needs. This anti-capitalist ethos is further emphasised by the rule that you are not allow to sell anything you grow which means that when certain crops glut (seriously, when August hits it's runner been mania) then the tendency is to give at least some of them away.
Allotments foster self-reliance
A second positive is that allotments foster self reliance - and growing at least some of your own food reduces dependency on volatile food markets - obviously one plot is not enough to subsist entirely, and I am not suggesting that we go back to a rural, locally based agricultural economy, but this kind of localism can be just one part of an ecotopian future.
Allotments strengthen local community bonds
Especially through the sharing of seeds and cuttings and community allotment stores where goods are sold for a minimal price, rather than your globally linked home and garden store which tends to have much more expensive stuff. I've been to some great seed-swaps over the years, and got lots of odd varieties for next to nothing (only travel costs) - NB there is talk of making these meetings illegal as the Corporate net tightens its grip over seeds through GMO patenting, but more on that another time.
Of course I simply haven't got time to mention all the wonderful and varied people I've met through allotmenting, just so many fantastic characters. The odd lunatic as well, of course, but typically in a good way!
Broad beans in late May last year
Allotments help keep urban areas green
Fourthly, allotments help to make urban areas a more green and pleasant place to live - they resist the tendency to speculative accumulation of land for housing development - this does of course depend on the commitment of local councils to protecting allotments!
Allotments are places where meaningful work takes place
Yet another positive is that allotments help to provide meaningful and unalienating work - this advantage is straight from Marx's economic and philosophical days btw - one of the ways that man asserts his humanity is by transforming the world around him, but central to this process is that he controls the conditions under which he works - unlike many jobs under Capitalism - an allotment provides this kind of worker - centred work - (obviously within the constraints of nature - and yes I am aware that Marx was more of an industrialist than an ecocentric and that he wasn't romantic at all about traditional subsistence food production - I'm merely extracting his alienating thang and applying it out of the Marxist-must-dominate-nature context) - and on this note, I've honestly felt levels of enthusiasm about this that I haven't about anything since I was child!
Allotments help combat global warming
Finally the localism of the allotment means a reduction in food miles and thus allotmenteering if exapanded could form the basis of a more sustainable food system than one dominated by industrial scale production and comparative advantage - obviously we'll always need some kind of international food infrastructure in place - but the expansion of food-localism is an obvious way of reducing our global footprint. This is a very [interesting post]http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=123() about how the 'global food superhighway' on which most of us who buy food from supermarkets depends is not ethically neutral
Wrapping up...
So I'm not saying that growing your own is the solution to all of our social and environmental problems - but it's one medium sized step in the right direction.....
If you want to read more - on radical gardening in general then try Radical Gardening: Politics, Rebellion and Idealism in the Garden - by George Mckay
If you like this sort of thing then look out for some of my future posts on the wider alternative food network and why I like that (permaculture, transition towns etc), and one on the problems of the global food system that the allotment movement helps to counter.
Postscript.... on giving up my allotment
Sadly, I'm having to give up my plot now I'm moving on to pastures new, so this is something of a lamentation. HOWEVER, it's not all sad, because I'll be buying a house with a garden, or maybe even an acre of land with a wreck, so I'll be cultivating a larger space within the next few months....
I guess it's the law to wrap up with yer obligatory sunflower pick, so here you go: farewell sweet allotment, thanks for the people, the memories, the food, the good honest work, and for keeping me sane since 2011!
Love the post. I always had an allotment growing up and last year I moved to a place with a bigger garden and small growing area. I’ve fertilised. Nd dug it in over the winter and hope to start planting in the next few weeks, now that the snow storms have finally gone (what was that all about)!
Your pumpkin looks amazing. Any tips? My daughter and I have planted some indoors from seeds (last years Halloween seeds saved and dried) and they have shot up to 10 inches or so in a week. Any tip tips for growing 4 stone pumpkins?
NB - they were mammoth variety! Will reply in more depth later.
They're shooting up because of too little light, you really want them in a greenhouse.
On how to grow 4 stone pumpkins - you need the correct 'mammoth variety' then basically a good barrow load of manure at least per pumpkin and I'd say at least 2 sq foot of space around each one, and just shed loads of water when it gets hot...and you need something for them to rest on above the soil.
It's actually quite easy, just don't expect them to taste nice, keep them for carving.
I spoke to someone I know who also recommended the mammoth varieties. The ground I have is well fertilised but with compost not manure. I assume you are recommending horse manure?
I think I’ll give this a go this year, not to eat but a 4ft pumpkin come Halloween would be awesome and give me major brownie points with my daughter!
Yup - delivered to the allotment - horse manure...its then in place for the next thing in the rotation (think thats greens/ brassicas?).
Also feed - I just used tomatoe feed.
Kids go mad for them! Your daughter ll love it.
Another bonus is that 4 stone pumpkins are very hard to nik!
I’ll have to get it by the bag as I can’t get it delivered direct but I’ll take your advice and find a local stables!
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Great list! I've always liked community gardens ( that's what we call them). Never have been involved in one but I see them from time to time. Actually drove by one yesterday.
All the new developmentments have tiny yards and even if there is room for a small garden it usually gets shaded out so allotments are really the only way for most families to have a decent garden.
Hey thanks - btw any ideas why 'rolltwodice' commented on my latest post (not this one)... does it have something to do with the fact that I linked to your post (in said last post)? Any ideas? I'm just hoping I'm not gonna now see them in every post I write am I?!
I have no idea. I've never had it do anything like that. Apparently you have a bot stalker! 😱
You can always ask @aussieninja he is the one who made the dice.
OK thanks - I was just wondering if anyone else had had the same thing!
My wife is always talking about allotments. Gardening is one of the main reasons I want to move somewhere green instead of the desert.
It would be easier, or you could just look at the desert as a gardening challenge.
I guess it also depends on how much you like aloe vera juice.
I'm not scared of a challenge if it results in enough of a positive. While I would like to garden, the effort involved here is large. Compared to the fact that we are the first stop for fresh produce coming up from Mexico that results in very cheap fruit and vegetables.
I have purchased 50 lbs of veggies for $10 often enough that it makes no financial sense.
True - I often find myself lurking on Paul Wheaton's Permies.com site - if I was in the States Id head over to Montana and join that merry brigand!
It can rub the whole finance thing - brocoli is the worst. One year I ended up one head surving after every hassle under the sun (netting/ slug removal at midnight) then you walk into Sainsburies and it's 30 cents for a head.
The fresh stuff.aint that much nicer!
Too bad you had to move. That land has given so much for so a long time of course it is due to your effort. I'm sure wherever you will go fruits and vegetables will follow.
We have been growing some vegetables since we were kids through the encouragement of my mom. As we got older we got lazier so we only have a few veggies here and there. I believe it's about time to go back to full gardening again.
No time like the present! Tis the season after all.
Yes, I believe so. Good luck with everything! It's interesting to see what your next garden will bring.
Great post. I was thrown off my allotment because I refused to paint the shed the obligatory black or brown. During my sojourn, I was adopted by the old fellers who left me little gifts (cuttings, compost, seed potatoes) and always called me to the big shed for a cup of tea (they had a whistling kettle so everyone knew when it was time) if I was down there in the morning.
Oh dear - I've heard about allotment politics - on mine it's two old guys (one of whom is 90) who 'hate' each other because one of them keeps leaving the gate wide open. The other insists that it's always shut.
Generally though its been a great place to be. Some people have been there 30 years +
Yes. I've just noticed that you've tagged your post with philosophy. I like that. Look forward to seeing your new garden plans.
A friend of mine had an allotment for a year. She gave it up because it was difficult to get to at the outskirts of town, and it was constantly infested with beasties. She was very proud, though, of the few plants she managed to grow.
I'm fortunate that mine's 3 minutes walk down the road, the slugs are a problem, which is why I want a garden so I can make some solid raised beds with hard barriers to keep them out! It is so very satisfying.
Three kilo's of soft fruit per day during summer! Wow! That's really worth the efforts :)
Soft fruit, 'posh' mixed salad greens, spring onions, radishes straight out of the soil (just wipe the dirt off with your shirt), the first broad beans in late May, now they're the simple things that allotments are all about.... in terms of money strawberries, blueberries, and especially raspberries are all almost zero effort for so much return. It's so gratifying to walk into the supermarket in June and see that you've got £10 of soft fruit sitting in your fridge.
Wow. I'm getting jealous! ;) Have a lot of fun with it this season, good luck!
Your post brings back great memories of my thime spend in UK. Yeah those allotments are something very special in the Motherland of Capitalism. Apart from fresh air, workout and fruits I liked very much the community spirit of it, open space, friendly people, abundance!
All the best for you and your new project!