Tell me about Allotments!

[the.fee.fairy]

Right, if what we want to get comes off (i'm being a bit secretive because it might not..).

I need to know:

1. What is the average rent paid for an allotment?
2. how many allotments to an acre (on average)?
3. What is required to rent one? From both the 'tenant' and the 'landlord'?

[snapdragon]

havent got one - but when I enquired a year or two back

1. £7
2. was four to an acre , often eight now
3. signed agreement/tenancy, tenant must keep weeds down, grow veg for themselves and family, no loud music no trainers ( )

[Green Rosie]

1. What is the average rent paid for an allotment? - I paid £20
2. how many allotments to an acre (on average)? - All I know is my allotment was 4m x 30m or what I think was called 10 rods
3. What is required to rent one? From both the 'tenant' and the 'landlord'? - this varies greatly - some allow buildings/animals/bonfires/carpets as weed suppressants etc - other don't. Most expect the site to be kept well maintained and not overly messy. Some have a waiting list as long as your arm - others have spare plots. All the info about any site should be available in a tenants agreement which you have to sign.

[kiwirach]

i'm paying about £50 for the yr(i'm in london) and that includes the plot rent and payment of water fees...something like 60p/pole.
i have a 10pole plot.
not sure of all the regs yet...still waiting for the keys and rule book....altho the council guy did mention no raves

cant answer the how many plots question...i'm to new to it!!.

[Millymollymandy]

1/4 of an acre is slightly over 1000m2. That's pretty big for a veg patch!!!!!

My veg patch is approx 190m2 - although I could do with another 50m2.

If they are currently 1/8th of a acre that's still 500m2 plus. What on earth would the average person do with all that space?

[the.fee.fairy]

Cool!

I was asking because Dad saw a smallholding up for auction with aguide price within our reach.

It had a farmhouse, outbuildings and 12 acres!!

I have no idea what to do with 12 acres, so i suggested renting some out as allotments, there seems to be a great need for them, and what with the Green Twins fighting the cause, there may be even more demand.

However...Dad can't find where he found the auction advert now, but he is wanting something similar. We found out that this house is worth about 50-100k more than we first though, so Dad's looking at smalholdings now. 12 Acres was a bit big, but there are some with 5 or 6. I'd still never be able to use that land on my own (or even as a family), so it was something, and still is something that i'm looking into.

Thankyou for the info guys! I'll pass it all on to Mum and Dad!

[ina]

I'd still never be able to use that land on my own (or even as a family), so it was something, and still is something that i'm looking into.

Oh, I don't know... Once you get the bug - sheep and goats and the like, and a little pony, and a few llamas, and that donkey that you saw at the rare breeds sale and that looked so sad - 12 acres isn't all that much!

[red]

12 Acres was a bit big, but there are some with 5 or 6. I'd still never be able to use that land on my own (or even as a family), so it was something, and still is something that i'm looking into.

there is never enough land.. we had no idea what we would do with 2... now would not mind a bit more... is nt going to happen (lack of funds) but could always use more land.

5 - 6 acres. raise livestock.. plant an orchard, plant trees for wood. all used..

[Cheezy]

Right, if what we want to get comes off (i'm being a bit secretive because it might not..).

I need to know:

1. What is the average rent paid for an allotment?
2. how many allotments to an acre (on average)?
3. What is required to rent one? From both the 'tenant' and the 'landlord'?

1. ours is £22/ year (includes mains water access)
2. our plots are 10x 10m ish or half that
3. We are not allowed live stock our bee's on ours (due to insurance and litigations reasons ), we have to keep the weeds down, cultivate the plot and keep the paths clear. Failure to do so will result in a letter, three letter and your out!.
You are not allowed to build structures or plant trees with out the permission of "The Committee". We have to be very careful about bonfires (due to complaints from an old peoples home ...burn em i say!)

[the.fee.fairy]

Thanks guys!

I think i've managed to convice dad hat sheep are a good idea..and his favourite animals are goats, so they're looking good. Haven't quite managed to convince him about Llamas yet..

I think that if i could plan to become completely self sufficient, or as near as, then i'd use the land, but i still want to work, so i don't think i could make full use of it.

[red]

why llamas?

[the.fee.fairy]

Because they're cute...

And they look a bit like Camels, but easier to handle...and i like Camels.

[red]

go for aplacas then... and you can knit your dad a lovely soft jumper from the fibre

[MKG]

... or lamas, who will smile implacably at your Dad ...

[Amaranth]

The standard size allotment is 10 rods which is often laid out as 30 feet by 91 feet. If you lay them out in strips of two together, then people who want 2 or 4 can have 2 side by side or end to end or a block of 4 fenced together which saves on fencing. (Or you can fence the whole site and this is not so much of a problem.) Then you can have paths or roads between the strips of 2 plots. And periodically have cross paths or roads.

From what I have been able to find out, it sounds as though 4 standard allotments were considered enough to feed the average family. I have not been able to find out exactly what the recomendations were though for dividing it up, but some went to vegetables, some to orchard and soft fruits and some to food for keeping animals. I haven't been able to find out if historically much of it went to grains for people food.

In the Northern hemisphere it's a good idea to only allow sheds and greenhouses on the northern end of each set of 2 plots. That way the path/road on the north side gets shaded by the shed and not the next garden to the north.

If you do decide to do this there are many people from different allotment sites on the kitchengardens@yahoogroups.com who could help you with ideas for planning, rules, and agreements.