Welcome to my first post of 2017...Yes it's been a while folks!
As you might know I have three allotment plots and each year we have an AGM (Annual General Meeting) among the plotholders and commitee members. Well this year we needed a new allotment secretary/treasurer, as our previous one gave up, due to promotion in his job...plus could not manage his plot. So we turned up at the meeting...all 5 of us!
Which is pretty poor considering there are 23 plots!
So Including the Chairman "Tom" there was myself and three others.....two of which were on the commitee anyway. So after discussing various topics, it turned to the "Vote" for the new Secretary/Treasurer. It was a case of "Tom" asking all present in a clockwise matter, who wanted it!! I was last to be asked...after all those present refused it for various and selfish reasons...."Oh i'm no good at computers", or "Not got enough time" , "Oh i'm 76 and don't need commitment", "Ive been here 14 years and don't need responsibility now", "Not likely..I have enough to do"...were the responses heard! So after I made my excuses too...which seemed reasonable enough...like i've got two businesses to run and over 20 rescue pets to look after and I do not need the hassle......I was voted in!!!!!!! Proving you should not turn up at an AGM.
Anyway....since then four months have now passed and I'm still in the job, despite resigning two weeks ago over a dispute over using weedkiller! I was not happy that a plotholder soaked an unused plot in weedkiller without asking me first...knowing weedkillers are already banned from our plots. He was not happy....and he also put some next to my organic plots.
So feeling my authority was undermined, I quit!......only to be persuaded back by "Tom" the chairman. Mainly 'cos no-one else would take the job!!
This week I had to "evict" a plotholder due to him not doing anything on his plot for 12 months...it is smothered in weeds, totally a mess. So I felt it time to get someone else on there.
So gradually I'm hoping the plots will start to look tidier. Some guys need a "prod" now & then to get them motivated. Some do not turn up for ages, which means the weeds soon return.
Its far easier to keep regular visits, than neglect a plot too long and start to lose interest.
So it seems to be a thankless job in a lot of ways being a Secretary.....knowing you must be firm at times, probably upsetting a few folk along the way, but at least you have some say over things.
Ideally you would have 23 totally commited plot holders attending their allotments every week...but it never works like that....sadly. Even ones that sign up totally "excited" at the prospect of growing their own produce...start eagerly enough, going mad digging and planting out..soon start leaving it a week or two weeks....finding out they need to get there more often to weed their plots. If they are still there after 12 months, then you feel they might be staying afterall.
But it's very rare to get many to remain more than 12 months lately...younger folk seem less interested, which is a shame as you need young people to keep the allotments going.
In around 10 years I feel many allotment associations will vanish through a lack of interest.
This will end up seeing Allotment sites turned into housing estates, which would be a disaster.
So will future generations be keen gardeners? You would think so, if they cared about where their food comes from and a need for organic produce, unnafected by chemicals. But Iam yet to be convinced. All I see is a younger generation eyes glued to mobile phone screens and tablets.
It would be a travesty if gardening were to be a forgotten interest in years to come,
All new houses have tiny gardens as folk have little free time to spend at home due to busy lives.
I have had allotments on & off since the age of 18.......i'm now 55.
It's great exercise and a worthwhile hobby. But one younger people seem little interested in.
So will I remain as Secretary?
Well that is up to the other plotholders at next years AGM....at which I must turn up.
I cannot see anyone else wanting the job.....but if anyone did, they are very welcome to do it.
It's a poisoned chalice really, as you cannot please everyone, but try to keep plots tidy and the paperwork in order. I will add any future "episodes" on here too!
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