[aelf]

I think if you want to attempt to work out potential production volumes from an allotment, then you must take into account ALL the variables that affect harvests (that would be a whole new thread  ) and, frankly, life is too short and there is too much weeding to do 

For myself, it's all about the sheer pleasure of being out in the fresh air, attempting to grow stuff. Some harvests are great, some are less so. When you consider the man-hours that I put into getting one aubergine to grow last year, that harvest was not financially viable but, hey, it was an aubergine that I grew and that is priceless to me .
It is the doing of it that is most important for me and if I get a bumper crop, then that is a bonus 

[diggerjoe]

I agree aelf its the pleasure and even when things dont work out or we lose stuff to blight or rain or pests we still carry on because we enjoy what we do and it make us appreciate things more when they do grow.

[tassie]

Hi All,
I am very new to this. Can anyone tell me what sort of volume of produce is likely to be obtained from a standard size allotment plot (which I believe is about 250sq. yds.). I can get figures for crop yields for individual foods, but this isn't really very helpful. Whilst I am aware that it is possible to grow more than one crop on the same piece of land within a single year, I know practically nothing at the moment about the growing process. I know nothing about what plants can reasonably be grown consecutively on the same bit of land during a single season but I want a target of what is reasonable to produce and I'd like it to be as a result of reasonably efficient methods. I guess the easiest measurement of the crop production is the retail price of whatever is grown. I guess I have clarified my own thinking! If anyone can tell me the crop volumes of the most efficent combinations of produce, or its retail cash value I'd be grateful.

I also think it is difficult (impossible?) give a quantitative measure of 'volume' from a standard size plot. As mentioned there are many variables such as weather. Also what an individual gardener chooses to grow will affect the 'volume' or yield. Peas for example take up a lot of space but produce a relatively low yield (if measured by weight). Also growing method affects yield. Intercropping, raised beds growing in rows all affect yield.

So to answer your question even if you worked out average volume from a standard sized plot in an average weather year the growing method will still affect yield. I guess I am aggreeing with a previous poster in saying there are too many variables to gain an accurate quantative measure.

Oh and I guess experience of gardener will also affect yield....another variable.