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Can you dig it?

If you are feeling impotent and frustrated in the face of spiralling food costs then it might be time to consider changing the way you live. Growing your own food can save you cash and improve your health.

Allotments in pictures >

Growing vegetables sounds like a great idea. No food miles to feel guilty about, independence from large supermarket chains not to mention being able to treat your family and friends to the freshest food imaginable. It does however involve one very valuable commodity- land.

Because of this, running an allotment has recently become the domain of the rich and trendy. More and more people are abandoning their stilettos for plastic gardening shoes and getting soil under their manicured nails.

But this could all be about to change.

Mill and Amanda

The Isle of Man Permaculture Association is hoping that allotments will soon be available to all local rate payers, not just the ones with enough available acres outside the front door.

Mill Millichap and Amanda Griffin from the association both run allotments in Jurby and have been growing their own food for years.

"The Isle of Man is still about 80% agricultural." says Amanda. "This makes it one of the best places for people to think about having an allotment. We are just looking into all the possibilities at the moment."

"I would like to see the day when everyone has the opportunity to grow their own food. This means the Isle of Man needs to find the land for those who want to get started."

The land which Mill and Amanda work on is shared by a group of people, all of whom live near by and tend to their allotments regularly.

Amanda loves the fact that there is a good mix of people working the land.

"On some allotments there are three generations involved. It really brings people together and that can only be a good thing. Some people have never had allotments before and within 4 months they are completely self-sufficient. It's a simple equation; you get out as much as you put in."

Mill is proud of the kingdom he has created.

"There is no where I would rather be than in my garden. I love it and I spend around 20 hours a week here. I am almost completely self-sufficient; in fact I am now growing more food than I need so I have started making a profit from selling on. That's a good feeling."

"There are so many advantages to this way of life. Nutritionally, you are eating fresh, iron rich food and you know there are no chemicals to worry about. You are out in the countryside getting good exercise, enjoying fresh air and re-connecting with nature.

Sunflowers attract birds to your garden

"There is also the cost issue to consider. My partner and I only need to spend around £30 a week on food now. When you are eating good food you don't need to eat as much because it is packed with all the trace elements your body needs."

And if that's not enough to persuade you there are other reasons to consider growing your own. In his work in the realm of permaculture, Mill has done a lot of research into how our way of life impacts the global community.

Fresh vegetables

"We have been depleting the world of natural resources with life styles which are heavily dependant on oil and gas. Those resources are about to run out and our current life styles will have to change. You can ignore all the signs but at the end of the day the energy that goes into denying the problem depletes the energy that should go in to dealing with it."

"If we all make simple changes we can begin to mitigate the effects of climate chaos. Global warming, draught, flooding, and other natural disasters are a direct result of the way we are living in the West."

"Having an allotment is one way of making a positive change."

If you are inspired to add your voice to the call for more allotment space on the Isle of Man you can log onto www.permacultureiom.org or contact Mill on 07624 480882.

last updated: 11/08/2008 at 08:21
created: 07/08/2008

Have Your Say

Would you like to run your own allotment?

Annette Heath
Hi I live in Douglas and am very keen to run my own allotment. I heard that some new allotments were established for Douglas residents but cannot find any information about it and I don't know who to contact. I have written to my local authority and heard nothing back except a note to say they are looking into it. That was weeks ago. Are you able to point me in the right direction. Many thanks

Gina
If you live in Douglas - write to Douglas Corporation. If 6 requests are received in writing, they have to do something.

Trevor Nelson
I used to run an allotment with my brother in cheshire when i was 12. we loved it we used to grow veg and reared hens and sold the eggs to our neighbours.it kept us occupied, off the streets and out of mischief. they were happy times. i'd love an allotment in douglas.

H
Theres a register for allotments in Port st Mary, may be available as early as next month ! Contact Port St Mary Commisioners and you dont have to live in PSM

Chris Stott
Get digging - if we fed 90,000 people during WWII we can do it again now with 83,000 and help the environment and cut costs. My Granddad had an allottment and loved it.

Peelite!
Fellow citizens - get together and DEMAND allotment space in your town - especially Peel in my case...

natalie p
I have been trying to get an allotment in douglas for ages.There is obviously a great demand for them and something needs to be done about this.

Debbie
I would love to have an allotment in onchan please.

Robin Blackford
I have for some years had a desire to grow my own fruit and vegetables, unaware of the possible opportunity to obtain an allotment. I would be obliged if you could add my name to any list that might be available. (HI ROBIN - THANKS FOR SUPPLYING YOUR PHONE NUMBER. WE'LL CALL YOU WITH DETAILS, BBC IOM TEAM.)

Trevor
Look at all those green fields around the Island where it just seems to be grass growing, people could put that land to use.Dandara & Heritage Homes will probably vacate the Island soon when the financial crisis hits here. Land will become cheaper then and available to use for growing food.

Sherley Smith
I have with my friend written to the peel commisionars asking if there are any allotments in our area hand how do we apply for one to this day we have not recieved an answer ...WE would love to and want grow our own vegs but our gardens are not big enought ....and they would taste better x

Phil
Wouldn't it be great if we got Dandara to sponsor allotments, after all they've got a bigger land bank than the govt haven't they?...and do we really need more & more 'luxury' appartments (built on potential allotment land) which are helping to fill the Island with more people who need MORE food to eat!?

mike linarez
I would be happy to run an allotment. Bizzarely they are freely available in cities with little space and at a low cost.

Amanda Griffin
One more comment - Bean have a go at growing cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket or window box with some basil and spring onions for instant homegrown pasta sauce. You'll have to wait for next spring to sow, for this seasons' Manx tomatoes try Ballanelson Nursery in Jurby or visit one of the Manx Farmers' Markets.

Amanda Griffin
Thanks for all of your comments - I am glad we are not alone! A few answers to your questions. Want to feed your views into one central place on the Isle of Man and we will pass them on to your local commissioners e-mail me amanda.griffin@manx.net. I am compilying a report on IOM allotment demand at the moment. Want to find more about permaculture on the island visit www.permacultureiom.org Want an organic allotment and you live in the North of the island talk via e-mail me, we might just be expanding our organic site in Jurby. Want a central island organic plot I know a farmer who is about to free up land for this, e-mail me. Want to lobby your local commissioner's yourself write to them and quote the Allotment Act (1928) - copy available from me or via the permaculture website soon.In the meantime do not let lack of allotments stop you having great locally or home grown food. Plant a couple of pots or a window box as well as buying from the Manx Farmers' Markets and local retailers who stock IOM food for local fresh produce.

Carol, Onchan
I would love an allotment either just for my family or shared so bring it on please. My earliest memory of gardening is helping dad on the allotment, my brother & i even had our own little patch too, so when we got our house i couldn't wait but our garden's so wee i put it off fro a year. With our girls 2 man tent, rabbit runs & 2 large hutches i thougt no chance. Till my dad asked what we were growing now we had a garden - 7 years later people we are amazed at just how much we're growing in tubs, troughs, baskets, in amongst our plants & flowers. All manner of fruit n veg way too many to list, you will be amazed at how much you can grow in a small space.

Greg
Those veggies look better than the ones in the shops!

Dave Preece
My wife and I have 5 kids and I would love to pass on to them what I learnt from my parents about the garden. The problem is we have no garden to speak of and there are no allotments free near to us in the West of the Island. Is there more land being considered?

Janine Lantry
It's such a great way to save money. I have been growing my own food now for 4 years and I no longer have to go to the supermarket. I have everything I need in the garden and for meat I pay my local butchers a visit and I have my milk delivered. It's a sweet life.

Dave Crick
Want to save money and want to eat something other than those shrivelled plants that are sold in the shops. Tell me how and where, I'll be there.

Ruth McDaid
Having an allotment is one thing but having an organic allotment is something else altogether. If you are working organically and your neighbour doesn't give a toss then your vegetables and fruit will be "infected" with their pesticide etc. I would like to join a group of gardeners who are working from the same principals as I would like to but it doesn't seem possible at the moment. Can anyone out there help?

Rebecca
I would love to have an allotment or share some land with some like minded gardeners. What's the situation if you are into organic gardening. Are there opportunities for this somewhere on the Isle of Man. Where can I find out?

Charlotte Brew
Would love an allotment. How do I go about it?

Petra Gorry
I am one of the lucky ones. I have enough land of my own to grow my own veggies. I'm not just being smug I actually wanted to say that I support the move to get more allotments. My children know where their food comes from but many of their contempories have no idea. It's time they knew.

Richard Rice
I do not live on the Isle of Man and I do not have an allotment but after reading I want to do both.

Mark Sayle
I totally agree with Mill and Amanada. I have been running an allotment in Douglas for about 2 years. I now only spend around a tenna every week on food. I have even started baking my own bread but then I have been retired for a bit so I've got the time. It does take alot of time to get you allotment up to a good standard but I would recommend it to anyone. I had never even looked after a potted plant before I took on the allotment but now I am growing courgettes, potatoes, carrots, marrows, onions, and my chilies are something to behold!

Bean
I don't want to change the world but I would like to have a go at growing my own tomatoes. Do I need an allotment to do this?

Derek Murray
Yes yes yes, bring it on. We need more allotments on the Island. The ones in Douglas are all taken up and I guess there are no others. Land, it seems, is at a premium and maybe the authorites would prefer to sell it to developers than rent it out at a pitance to people who have the nerve to want to improve their lives. Cynical moi?? Seriously though, I would love to see some people power take control on this issue. We need the land and so let's make a bit of a noise.

Elaine Ramsey
I can't imagine anything nicer than having an allotment. I work in an office all day so getting the chance to work outside in the evenings and weekends is quite literally a breath of fresh air. I have been told that in Douglas there are no allotments available and the waiting list runs into years so what's the answer?

Pete
Would I like to have an allotment. YES!! But my local authority informs me that the waiting list is 5 years long so I have effectively given up hope. My dad had an allotment and my grandparents before me and I know I could run a good patch but just haven't had the chance.

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