[GreenOwl]

Hi all, I'm a bit stuck here so I thought I'd see what you guys thought.

I now have a choice of allotment sites.  Both are brand new sites.

Option 1)
The local site I have been waiting for for 2 years now.

8 mins walk from my house
No parking and no vehicle access
ex-pasture land (gonna be a pig to get into growing state)
12mx10m plots
£35 pounds per year
Available at some point hopefully soon ..... it has been dragging for a while

Option 2)
Another new site I found out about today.

4 miles-ish away from my house
Has car parking
ex-cultivated field (sweetcorn and potatoes)
15ftx30ft
£50 per year
Available next month

Option 2 would be a clear winner (even though being able to walk to the plot appeals) but the plots are half the size.  I double-checked the size of the plots with the guy.  So I'd be paying more for less land - but it has car-parking and access and has previously been cultivated.

AAAGH!  I don't know what to do.

[Lardman]

IMHO.

As long as "some time soon" is soon rather than years away Id wait for the proper sized plot closer to home - that is if you don't plan on moving in the near future.

It may take a season to get into condition but 15x30ft is really stretching thing space wise, and by the time you've added a shed its going to feel like a postage stamp. Its about the size I have allocated in the garden here and I find myself having to cut out  things I really want to plant as there just isnt room.

No vehicle access could be a problem, getting manure, tools in would be no fun at all - neither would a ten minute walk with a tray of seedlings.  Is there no parking at all - not even road parking close to site?

Whats the quality of the soil like at both sites ?

There are lots of little problems that you can find a way round but you're never going to be able to make more land...

[Rangerkris]

Over time your going to save a lot on fuel if you take the closer plot, 4 miles is some way just to go and water unless its passed by on the way to and from work. 

[DD.]

Firstly I'd re-examine the math. Option one is 120 sq m - option 2 is only 41 sq m - a third the size, for as you say, more money.

One of my plots is wider than option 2 is long. Believe me when I say 30' x 15' is not very big, once you get planting!

Option one costs 23.3p a sq metre, option 2 a whopping £1.22 - 5 times the amount and about 10 times the amount our local council charge.

I'd be prepared to do some graft!

[DD.]

Interesting.

3 People have said to take the local plot.

Why, therefore is the vote 2:1??

[Jamie Butterworth]

I would definetley go to the loacal one, this is because on hot days etc where you only wan to bob down and water your plants youll apreciate not having to drive an 8 mile round trip.

[savbo]

you'll get on top of the local plot - lots of us have tackled worse and succeeded!

[Loubs]

I'd take the local plot.

The ex-cultivated land (presuming it was for commercial use) may have had goodness knows what pesticides & chemial fertilisers thrown at it only very recently.

Also, do you have any clues as to why someone has stopped farming it? is the land "exhausted" and not as productive as it might be? It could mean that you have just as much work to do on improving the soil as you would have clearing the smaller plot...

But mainly, I'd take the local one as it's about the size of a half-plot - the other one, as Lardman says, means you are going to have to be very selective about what you choose to grow.

[GreenOwl]

No vehicle access could be a problem, getting manure, tools in would be no fun at all - neither would a ten minute walk with a tray of seedlings.  Is there no parking at all - not even road parking close to site?

Whats the quality of the soil like at both sites ?

Thank you all for your comments so far. 

The nearest proper parking is halfway between the site and my house.  It would be possible to drop stuff off and move the car - and then cart stuff along a footpath and over 2 kissing gates...... I'm not kidding.  It was 3 kissing gates.  Either way a wheelbarrow is not as useful as you'd think!

I don't know about the quality of the soil.

But yes, you can't make more land.  15ft by 30ft is only 3 times the size of my garden plot so I want more.

The further site is not on my way to work (far from it.)

"Some time soon", well we've been in this position for ages and the discussions go on.  I am not on the committee but I have friends who are and one attraction of Option 2 is that it is ready to go, whereas the rules and regs still aren't sorted for the closer site.

[Joolz]

I'd go for the local one. Granted the distance is a pain and not being able to park is far from ideal but - as everyone says - more growing space is a big bonus and you can clear it as you plant it if time is pressing.

Once you've got all your stuff in the shed the walking might not be too bad. I'm in a similar situation and you can work round it to a degree. My lottie is a 20 minute walk and I can't drive, so I do feel your pain on that. But, perhaps like me you could consider using a bicycle on days when you don't have a lot to carry? And to be honest I need the exercise!

When I desperately need a car to carry a load of stuff up. I ask a pal or relative to drop me up there at some point. Could you do the same? Then no worries about parking they can drop you and your kit off and bob's yer uncle...

[MoreWhisky]

option 2 is to small , wait for option 1.

or

If option 1 not ready for a yr pay for a yr on option 2 and plant some low'ish' maintence simple stuff just to get you started. Its not as if u will have room for shed,compost bins etc on it anyway.

[Salmo]

I would opt for site 1. Site 1 is a close enough for casual 10 minute visits or just to pop in for a look, which is what makes for successful crops. Site 2 is a bit of a rip off, good money for the farmer.

If the kissing gates are on a public footpath they should be square inside rather than triangular to allow for disabled/pushchair access. Not many comply to this but it may be worth talking to the Council's footpath person.

Take a good look all round the site, there may be other access such as farm tracks. An OS map is a good place to start.

[madcat]

You will be surprised how often you want to 'pop' to the plot.  Even on our village site, the convenience factor of being able to walk there makes such a difference.

Having said which - I can think of a couple of the 'old' boys who are glad that 'the missus' can't just pop down with the kids to see what they are up to!  

Forgot to say - mine is ex pasture and yes, the first year was spent swearing at wireworms and larvae, but we still got a good crop off it.  Its really not that bad.

[noshed]

Nearer is better - also mine is 15m x 11m and I find that limiting.
I take seed trays etc down to the plot in big Tesco green bags - you'd be able to negotiate the kissing gates with them. Manure - there must be tractor access surely?

[harry]

My plot is 17m x 9m but is nearly 4 miles away. There is car parking but i often think what if i have to stop driving. but it is the nearest one, so i'd go for the one you can walk to.