I am shocked. Yesterday I merrily phoned the council to put my name down on the waiting list for allotments. I was expecting a waiting list. I was expecting to be told that I wouldn't get one this year, but I hoped I would be able to get the first crop of potatoes in the ground in March.
Now, I know we're in a recession, I know more people are trying to provide for themselves, I know veg growing/saving the planet is becoming more fashionable. But I did not know that I would have to wait around two and a half years for an allotment. I am stunned.
Surely if there is that much demand for allotment space, the council can find more ground? I should add, we do not live in the middle of London. We live in Chichester, a city surrounded by fields, waste ground and the odd supermarket (and Goodwood, but we won't ask them to give up the race track so we can grow tomatoes). Why can't some of the acres of land that is sitting there unused be put towards allotments?
The cynic in me is shooting evil looks at the supermarkets - not only do they take business out of town centres and add food miles to all of our shopping (Chilean apple, anyone?), but they take up acres and acres of sites that could otherwise be put towards food production. Over-simplistic, I know, but irritating nonetheless.
It's frustrating, because it means we are stuck with what we can produce in pots in the back patio for at least another year. If there's no move on the allotment front we may contemplate moving to a house with a garden so we can grow more, but that just adds another step (and expense - moving to another rented accommodation seems to incur almost as many fees as buying) to our drive to become self sufficient. I'll weigh up the costs in the winter and make a decision then.
Now, I know we're in a recession, I know more people are trying to provide for themselves, I know veg growing/saving the planet is becoming more fashionable. But I did not know that I would have to wait around two and a half years for an allotment. I am stunned.
Surely if there is that much demand for allotment space, the council can find more ground? I should add, we do not live in the middle of London. We live in Chichester, a city surrounded by fields, waste ground and the odd supermarket (and Goodwood, but we won't ask them to give up the race track so we can grow tomatoes). Why can't some of the acres of land that is sitting there unused be put towards allotments?
The cynic in me is shooting evil looks at the supermarkets - not only do they take business out of town centres and add food miles to all of our shopping (Chilean apple, anyone?), but they take up acres and acres of sites that could otherwise be put towards food production. Over-simplistic, I know, but irritating nonetheless.
It's frustrating, because it means we are stuck with what we can produce in pots in the back patio for at least another year. If there's no move on the allotment front we may contemplate moving to a house with a garden so we can grow more, but that just adds another step (and expense - moving to another rented accommodation seems to incur almost as many fees as buying) to our drive to become self sufficient. I'll weigh up the costs in the winter and make a decision then.
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