My personal reflection on the context of the site – Evie Davenport

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The residential area south of the allotments felt cold and bleak, there was nothing of much interest around. It felt uninviting and intimidating to walk through, due to the fact I did not know where I was going, I was out of my comfort zone. This was largely due to the fact there were no noticeable sign posts around to highlight the way towards the allotments.

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I feel the
allotments are situated out of the way from the busier areas of
Handsworth, and are not somewhere you might accidentally stumble upon. From this, I assume people who own a plot at the allotments, must travel purposefully to the site and may leave once their job is done, due to the lack of interest in the surrounding areas.

The situation of the allotments may be considered as a positive. Somewhere maybe that’s quiet and peaceful, away from the busyness and a place to relax. The clear
separation away from the home or work may allow for time to ponder unwind or simply forget about any troubles. Owners could consider it their sanctuary.

The surrounding area north of the allotments appeared to be acid grassland, with no clear use. It was separated from the allotments with a small fence and a light hedgerow of holly and birch trees.

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The site itself was very easy to access, it was clearly signposted as Uplands Allotments, the gates were wide open, and the security office was closed. This, for ourselves studying the allotments, was very good as we were able to carry out our research and analysis of the site, from having firsthand experience. It is also pleasing to see that as it is not an exclusive or private area for members only, it is open the public too. However a great sense of trust is required to avoid theft of food or tools from the site.

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The allotments were situated on a hill, at roughly 150m from sea level.
The site was very wide and open to the elements, the wind and rain. This made my time very uncomfortable and effected my experience
negatively. Once we walked around the site we also found that there was no one present to talk to and maybe the weather and experience of the allotments was the reason why. Nevertheless the open layout made it possible for me to appreciate the vast size of the allotments, despite only visiting 1/3 of the site. I imagine when the weather is warmer, the sites are busier and the open layout would allow the site to be a very sociable and friendly place.

Visiting Upland Allotment Gardens – Danos Mate

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The day we visited the allotment gardens, the weather conditions weren’t ‘ideal’, so not surprisingly, there weren’t many people working on their plots who we could have talked to. Although, after I spent several hours at the allotments taking pictures and exploring the area, by the end of my day there I bumped into the security guy, who was walking around with his dog and asked me who I was. After I assured him that i am not a thief, we started a conversation and he told me he has got lots of work to do, because there are thief’s regulary robbing food from the local plot holders..

On my way out, I have spotted a car that have just arrived and stopped in front of one of the gardens.
I approached the garden, and I saw a friendly face with his hand waving at me from his shed. I greeted him and asked him a few questions about his experiences at the allotments. He was very cooperative and even allowed me to take a picture of him and his garden and agreed on me posting him on the blog.

That’s him above.

I got to know a lot of new things from him. He told me he started renting his plot 3 years ago, and that he hasn’t bought anything from a store since he enjoyed the results of his first harvest of vegetables. He was very enthusiastic telling me about how joyful it is to provide for yourself and for your family and how different the food tastes when you grow it yourself.
I also got to know that he is paying 80£ a year for his plot and that there are restrictions on the size of the sheds and greenhouses. He wasn’t certain about the exact size, but he remembered it to be 10×8 foot. He also mentioned that there are plots available at Uplands Allotments.
I asked him what he is growing and whether he is using pesticides. He said, that as far as he knows there are only organic vegs and fruits around and no one uses pesticides, and that this winter was too mild and there was too much rain for having an optimal winter sowing. He would prefer cold winter because that way the pest and weeds die much easier. So he said theres not much he can do besides preparing his plot for spring sowing. Although he had garlic, potatoes, spinach, japanese onion, brussel sprouts and a few other vegetables growing.
The land in front of his plot is a communal orchard that was established 2 years back, and it’s free for anyone to pick the fruits.

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