Are our allotments safe?

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jdwmk

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Are our allotments safe?
« on: March 18, 2020, 09:39 »
There is a post in grow your own mentioning getting to the plots in these uncertain times.

My concern is over security and the safety of our produce over the coming season.

Obviously we are all now planning on putting in our potatoes, onions and so on, but will they be safe from looters in a few months? Should we worry about it and carry on regardless?

How is everyone planning on mitigating theft or protecting their crops?
I hope society today can still replicate the "wartime spirit" and "dig for victory" so to speak, but seeing the reactions in shops with all the panic buying and the threat to our normal supply chains, I unfortunately have lessening faith in people than ever. I do hope I am wrong but I have my doubts.

With our just in time supply chain and restricted international travel, the constant rain over the last months and failure of farmers to get underway as normal, we have a perfect storm brewing.

I will be using my garden more this year, my lawn needs redoing anyway, so I may use it to grow food instead as well as the allotment, so I have at least spread the risk.

Sorry for the negative outlook, but I would be interested in everyone's thoughts.
Stay safe and look after those around you.

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WeavingGryphon

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2020, 10:21 »
People were draining each other's water butts and stealing fruit and vegetables before this started, we expect people to be up and stripping plots worse than before. We're planting beans, onions and potatoes at the plot because we can't leave it fallow or we'll get into bother. But we'll grow more at the house-lettuce squash, tomatoes and chillies.

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New shoot

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2020, 11:40 »
I am lucky where I am that we have never really had problems with theft. 

I don't personally think it will come to looting for food.  The empty shelves are due to people buying too much.  If we calm down (and this is going to get enforced if we don't), the supply chain will cope.  Where I work, we have huge deliveries coming in, but the stock is not holding.

If your fellow plot holders were stealing from you anyway, it is doubtful that they see the current situation as reason to stop.  Growing a bit more at home would make sense in that situation.

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Plot 1 Problems

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2020, 11:53 »
Same here New Shoot, we're in a fairly posho area of the city. Although I did have my garlic stolen last year for some bizzare reason!

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TonyB.

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2020, 18:28 »
I would not worry - the pidiots doing the panic buying etc probably would not know what to do with food that does not come in a tin or from the frozen food isle. Remember a program from a couple of years ago where most children didn't know chips came from potatoes and that potatoes grew in the ground!

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jaydig

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2020, 19:15 »
It's a sad fact that most of the people who steal from allotment plots don't have a clue what a lot of the vegetables are, and even less of a clue as to how to cook them.  They do it simply because they can.

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Mr Dog

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2020, 20:32 »
The old timers on my site are expecting there to be a lot of 'unauthorised harvesting' over the coming growing season. Many of them remember it happening during the miners' strike in the 80s and some as far back as the strikes of the early 70s! As well as the annoyance of the theft they said a lot of things were taken long before they were ready to harvest eg potatoes dug up far too early, cabbages before they'd headed up, and plants were trashed that would have provided food over a prolonged period eg beans and toms.

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rowlandwells

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2020, 09:00 »
i have to agree with TonyB. comments and its always the same there are some people that could't care less about others so long as they get larders full and then there's other folks that think about those less fortunate that can't  get out to the shops  for one reason or another

and yes it would't surprise me if people started helping themselves of the allotments i only hope I don't catch um on my plot that goes for other plot holders or not because it will be a sorry day for them if i do catch um  >:(

so there you go jdwmk you'v got my thoughts i take no prisoners when i take the time and effort to sow and grow allotment theft is not acceptable in my book because we  always give some veg to those who don't grow who are less well of than us when we harvest so veg thieves be warned remember those words it take no prisoners  :mad:

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paul sadler

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2020, 17:59 »
in re-ply to your message the answer is possibly NO I have had my allotment for the last 7 year's and in 2019 up until the present day I have had produce stolen and have had 8 break -ins its a wonder what these people get from it it's so stressful. >:(

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Elaine G

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Re: Are our allotments safe?
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2020, 23:19 »
We have had thefts of produce and tools from our site over the years, so I expect they will continue.
The other thing to consider is effectively a 5 month school holiday! We have had break-ins, deliberate vandalism, tomato fights etc, all in the school holidays, all purely for 'entertainment'.   
Really looking forward to it  :ohmy:
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet - James Oppenheim



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