Coup d'ètat

Phhhhhh! Well, talk about a bloodless coup. Last night's allotment AGM, attended by 99% of the membership turned out to be textbook regime change - something which the people of Libya would do well to take notes from.
The Chairman resigned, the Treasurer resigned, the Vice-President resigned, and one of the good guys on the committee resigned. This left a power vacuum that was, in a pre-orchestrated and carefully planned pincer movement, eagerly filled by members of the 'Dark Side' of the allotment lunatic asylum inmates.
In the blink of an eye, whilst the 'good guys' reeled with the lightning speed of this blitzkrieg occupation, the future of the allotments now looks very grim indeed.

The 'Dark Side' plan their attack!

I managed to stay on the committee (for what use that's going to be) but as even as I type this, I'll bet what community spirit there was left on the allotments is blowing away like dry soil over the hedgerows.

As I drove down the track after cleaning out my chook houses this morning, I looked in the rear-view mirror. Scurrying back up the track after my departure was one of the resident two-legged rats, already on the lookout for the next opportunity to steal something. I'll keep posting developments.

Trouble At Mill...

I went to another allotment committee meeting last night and caused another argument... Honestly I don't think I'm cut out for politics. Maybe my people skills could do with polishing up. I tend to blurt out what's on my mind especially if I'm particularly annoyed or wound up about something.

Last year I had the dubious honour of being elected onto the committee perhaps in the naive hope that my contribution as the youngest member might help to effect some improvements to the site.

Those of you who are or have been on a waiting list for an allotment for literally years, look away now...

Believe it or not this is a 'live' plot and has been allowed to stay like this for years whilst people wait for a chance to grow there own veg. O.k., it's winter but some of the plots look like this in the height of summer too!

Piles of rat infested rubbish litter some of the plots...

And poultry is kept in the most appauling conditions, even in greenhouses where they bake in summer and freeze in winter.

Why is this allowed to happen? Because the committee really does not want to know, like an aquarium full of toothless sharks - they have no bite. Saying that some of the members are threatened with eviction if they break the rules but not everyone is required to adhere to them. Some can do what they please whilst others seem to be picked on, usually the decent sorts who don't make much of a fuss. Selective rules. Very unfair.

There's also been another spate of thefts, tools and equipment mainly, but sometimes produce too (how bad is that, actually stealing someone else's food?). It is largely recognised (though not proved) that the culprits are other members. I've set some tempting traps to see if I can catch them myself (not mantraps or pits with pungy sticks I hasten to add, tempting though that may be)...

I wonder how many of you have these problems on your site, whether you are a disenchanted part of a mock committee or just a gardener wanting to grow some veg for your dinner.