VANDALISM at the Allotment Plot | Allotment Vlog Ep. 39

[@DanSmithing]

We’ve had several incidents with people breaking in and causing damage at our site. It is very sad that people feel the need to damage other people’s property. Sorry to hear this happened to you all. I am howling at the Mark and Chesney skit. Absolutely genius! You lot are a national treasure!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

We’re so sorry to hear you’ve suffered the same. Glad you liked the gobbo and zombie! Maybe they will be back in the future! Ty for watching ☺️

[@mitchelrobs]

you bunch are a hoot ! i had to play the goblin bit back 3 times . hilarious ! sorry to see the vandals got in. . i have had green house smashed twice in last fifteen years. decided not to have one at my plot in the end. . lovely blog as always

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

So sorry to hear that. Feel bad that it’s only a few busted poles on our plot. Glass is so expensive to replace, as you know. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@__Shellspace__]

the goblin bit!! hahah was hilarious too funny , need more goblin on the plot !! sorry about the shite that happens lets hope the pros always are better then the cons !! keep up the fun!!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

The pros always outweigh the cons. Allotments for life! Will see if Mark the Goblin is up for more shenanigans at the plot 😉 TYSM for watching ☺️

[@Orchardfieldsgarden]

I’m in stitches about the goblin and zombie! So happy I found your channel. Thank you for your content. On a more serious note, I am sorry to hear about the damage. You are lovely people and you don’t deserve that.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

So happy you are enjoying our content. We’re just real people having fun and growing food for our family. That’s a lovely comment and we appreciate it ☺️

[@Garden-of-weeden]

Great video 😊 some great plans there and look forward to following your progress 😊

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm for watching ☺️

[@josephinetimm560]

I love you guys so enjoy watching you😊

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Aww tysm, so happy you’re enjoying our vloggies! ☺️

[@emibunny8029]

ive found myself really loving these videos and i find it super interesting and inspirational you never fail to make me smile and calm my nerves keep doing what your doing maybe ill also get a plot one day lol much love, Faeryn

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm, Faeryn. Glad you are enjoying the channel. We should catch up at some point! You’re more than welcome to pop to our plot and hang out if you like?

[@BumblebeeAdventure]

🐝 Thanks for the great video 🌻

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Thnx for watching ☺️

[@gillslater]

Ah, that was a great video 😅 So sorry about the vandals. Thank goodness the chickens were okay though.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Yes, poor girlies must have been terrified! Ty for watching ☺️

[@karenclarke366]

Great video 🤩

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it ☺️

[@magdavanzyl6141]

Such a healthy good vibes channel. Thx.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm! We like to keep it real, and have some fun along the way ☺️

[@lindajones3015]

I'm just glad it didn't happen the night you spent on your allotment Tom! Tilly must have been so worried about her chickens. Not nice for you all. On the upside, your plot looks amazing. You all work so hard 😊

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Oh damn, yeah, that wouldn’t have been fun to deal with that during the night! Tilly is okay, but we have the trail cams up again, and signs on the plot so hopefully this will help. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@yvetteskeen]

Love the goblin and zombie!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm! They might be back if we insult the pumpkins enough 😆

[@anotherswan]

Our allotments were broken into last night, and a lot of equipment has been taken, including some expensive items... no cctv or anything up there.... some people !!!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Makes you so made doesn’t it?! I wish people would just leaving things alone and let others peaceful lives and enjoy their hobbies. Our thoughts are with you 🙏

[@nettie8376]

Last month 3 youths got into my shed 4ish in the am but the got a bit of a fright. My other half likes doing a bit of astronomy and was there, heard the noise, thought it was too early for me. Turned his head lamp on and shouted *&@!!**, they jumped out of their skins and ran, not sure who was most rattled, we laugh now but at the time huby was a bit shaken. We put our trail cam (like to watch the hedgehogs) up higher and found that what he thought was a very fat cat is actually a badger 🤣

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Fantastic story, but do stay safe at your plot! Just happy you managed to stop a mischief from occurring! Tysm for watching ☺️

[@janesteel946]

So sorry to hear about the damage. My allotment site has been broken into 4 times this past year. I’ve had my drill and hand tools stolen had to replace them all. The last time they got in was only 4 weeks ago and it’s always my plot being destroyed because my plot is the first one when you enter our site gate 😢

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

So sorry to hear that. We’ve had several plots targeted for veg theft due to being close to access paths. It’s really awful and we do feel your pain. We hope things improve for you and it’s an awful thing to have to deal with.

[@PatrickKazmierczak-j6i]

A lot of the more old school growers recommended leaving your manured beds open to the elements as frost will help crack it apart. When I’ve covered manured beds in the past, you can end up with fungi and sometimes racidness

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Yes! Our vets say this too, but wanted to see what the online community had to say. I think we’ll keep it open for the frost to do its thing. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@Plotonthehill]

Our site was closed for many months a few years ago due to vandalism. Sheds were smashed and some were set on fire, plots were dug up and it was teenagers on the rampage😕... Luckily we recovered and moved on but it's horrible.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Damn, that's horrible. Did they manage to catch the culprits? So happy to hear you've recovered from that. Our hearts go out to you. Tysm for watching :)

[@suzilouden5964]

Great video....very entertaining 😅. A note on your pumpkin plans. Pumpkins & squashes send down roots to supplement the main plant. Putting down a membrane would reduce the health of your plants & your harvest.....xx

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

This is a VERY good point and something we are going to consider. Tysm for watching and for raising this. We shall have a think as I remember how our last pumpkins spread roots through vines ☺️

[@myrustygarden]

It’s a sad day when people scare chickens 🐓 and for what ever reason 🤦‍♀️. We have cameras everywhere on our home property. On a good note the beets look great Han ♥️💛🧡. Are those pumpkins 🎃 edible. Love the goblin skit 😂😂 but did they have to give you a thumbs down 👎, how rude 🤭🤭. Have a super day guys stay safe, Ali ☔️☔️🇨🇦

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Such tasty beets! Yes, the pumpkins can be eaten and are apparently really nice roasted! I’ll be having words with Mark the Goblin if I ever meet him lol. Ty for watching ☺️

[@kpenrose04]

Went up to the allotment today to build a compost bin, using the spare wood left on the plot. It's not pretty, very rustic, but it holds all the horse poop I could lug up the hill :)

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Make do and mend is the best kind of craft! I hope the bins serve you well and ty for watching (Tom) ☺️

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

@@kpenrose04 well done. It’s hard work pulling barrows of poop around! Thankyou for sharing your comments. Tilly ❤️

[@SophiaWinters]

Sorry about the vandals, Tilly must feel very worried for her chickens. We are lucky that our site is quite small, has a tall fence with locked tall gate and one boundary is against a fenced railway line/station platform with good cctv coverage. The other boundaries are backing onto houses, some of who are allotment tenants so they overlook the site and can keep an eye on any activity. Maybe some “smile you’re on cctv” signs may serve as a deterrent? I grew the 3 sisters years ago at our previous allotment, it worked well for us.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

We have signs up, although I guess this wasn’t much of a deterrent, but thank you suggesting it. You are very lucky to have such coverage. Sadly our site is not monitored so much as it is quite big. Tilly is okay, and happier now the cams are back up. It’s really good to hear the three sisters worked for you as we’re now currently debating it. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@helenstewart2085]

Have to comment on the glass jars ontop of the canes. In my garden the wind would break them!!!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

We are lucky that this section of the plot is quite sheltered under the tree, plus the netting holds the jars in place quite snugly. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@Grantsallotment]

We have put up a solar camera on our plot that runs on a sim card data, I get notifications and live view from home. Camera was only £40 temu and 6 quid each month to run the data on sim... only have it running once growing season starts again in spring throughout the summer!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

That sounds like something we need, although I’d never sleep with the notifications (likely from wildlife)! We have battery motion sensor cams, although took them down after the main crops got harvested. Just goes to show surveillance is needed all year around in our site, I guess. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@Grantsallotment]

@AllotmentFamilyDiary is actually fascinating watching at night... all those eyes reflecting back from the darkness. We set it up at head height, pointing along the walkway ...catches the pesky humans up to no good! we just turn off notifications... still records everything. Shame we have to do it.... but what else can you do..

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

@ Yeah, I hear you. Trail cams should be for wildlife only, not wild humans! That’s good to know you can turn off notifications at night. Still love seeing what the foxes etc. get up to when the sun has set ☺️

[@Papapatch]

H @ grantsallotments do you have Info on camera etc.mate.sounds superb

[@kittyandmommalurrve1901]

Haha😂 love the goblins and zombie if this were a childrens show you would be behind a million childrens smiles i think your content should always have odd characters such as the zombies and the goblin have them do small hilarious things on the plot parents would appreciate it and kids would learn more about growing there own food since a majority of schools dont add agriculture to there regimes. I think you should cover it so the manure can break down over a few months

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Yes that is a great idea. I worked in Finance in a school for 32 years and ran a Roman Group where we grew things to due to make tunics and also herbs to eat alongside homemade Roman Bread. The kids loved it! I don’t think Tom has finished his chicken manure bed yet so I’m sure he will dig it over and cover it soon. Thankyou for your suggestions we really appreciate it them . Hope you continue to follow us and comment. Have a brilliant New Year. Love Tilly ❤️

[@debbiebrooks6487]

I would just spread the horse manure compost on top and leave to the elements. The rain will make it very attractive to lovely worms and during the winter months the worms dig it in for you. 😊😊

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

That's a great idea! I've actually dug it all in now, however, I'll likely do another spreading at some point, but will leave it on top the soil to let nature do the hard work for us next time! Ty for watching :)

[@vesiletekas5927]

One of my 100 litres water tank was stolen, l just bought it and left it in the plot to fix it to the shed’s gutter and next day it was gone 😢

[@PatrickKazmierczak-j6i]

I’ve had a few things go missing but there’s a bloke on our site who just walks onto other people’s plots and helps himself to wood chip, water, materials etc. he got kicked off his last plot for this kind of thing. Really frustrating

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

That’s awful, really sorry to hear that. We had a spate of thefts during the summer, but they’ve calmed down now. Our local water authority gives free water butts to a household. I wonder if yours does the same and you could apply and get a free one? Ty for watching ☺️

[@HopeFCharity]

Sorry to know this. It might be a great idea to put the cameras up. Perhaps in the chicken enclosure ?

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Yes indeed. Fantastic suggestion. The cams are now back in action! Ty for watching :)

[@vesiletekas5927]

Perhaps you can cover the bed for pumpkin with cardboard rather than membrane, worms like to feed on cardboard 😊

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Great idea! Although the way it’s going I think we may leave it for the elements over the winter and perhaps not use any coverage except for the natural shade form the leafy pumpkins. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@RichardTaylorgardening]

Someone from the houses came onto my plot to cut the hedge without permission lucky I was in the shed and told them to bugger off disturbing my chickens the council wrote to all the houses nothing since happy gardening Richardx

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

So sorry to hear that, Richard. That’s completely out of order. It’s a shame the councils are so happy to take our rent money and listen to our complaints but do absolutely nothing to deal with the concerns and requests of good tenants. Hope you’re well and tysm for watching ☺️

[@Tamsins_Potager]

Hmmm...I wouldn't feed the garlic too much before winter sets in. Ideally you don't want too much growth above ground until spring. Leaves it vulnerable to disease if you have too much green growth. Really you just want them to establish root growth before winter.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

That’s very interesting to know, ty! Makes us feel better that the upper half of the garlic plot hasn’t shown such dramatic growth as the lower. Will lay off the feeding now thanks to your suggestion ☺️

[@Tamsins_Potager]

@AllotmentFamilyDiary hope it's a bumper crop 🧄🧄🧄

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

@@Tamsins_Potager Tysm!

[@RetroRobbie-jr8xb]

Hello, we're new tenants at the same site as you. Have just noticed our pallet fencing has been damaged by what looks like someone climbing over the fence judging by the mud prints left behind. Do you know if we're allowed to use cctv cameras or does it have to be trail cameras?

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

@@RetroRobbie-jr8xb Hi! From what we understand, you need to clearly display a sign that says cameras are in operation on your plot. This way, the council will be happy and footage can be used for potential convictions. Hope this helps, and feel free to drop by and say hello at some point ☺️

[@RetroRobbie-jr8xb]

@AllotmentFamilyDiary thanks for the reply, this does help. It's a shame a few have to ruin it for others. Will definitely say hello when we see you up there, my little lad is obsessed with the Dogman after your Halloween special lol

[@valeriepritchard677]

I would spread the manure on the surface and then cover no digging!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

I’m a glutton for punishment, and digging is my gym workout! However, Ty for suggesting this, and I’ll remember it for an allotment hack in the future (I’ve dug it all in today and now my back aches lol!) tysm fro watching ☺️

[@stutube3546]

Bad luck, mate. Sorry to see. Whilst you can't legislate for young kids having a few can of "be brave, stupid juice", I think education is key. We've all had a few cans on a weekend as kids, but we never, we'll at least I never vandalised anything , as I was too scared of my parents wrath, if I was caught! Kids are brought up differently today. Often, the parents are kids themselves!

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

I hear you. In my teens I wasn’t silly enough to go out and trash property that didn’t belong to me. I guess I was raised right - Or deep down knew right from wrong. Similarly we have made our 12 year old daughter aware of actions and consequences. I do totally agree it’s down to the way kids are raised these days, and a lot of this falls upon the parent’s shoulders. That said, social media does play a big part, and it’s very different now to when I was a kid (90’s era). But hey, that’s a whole different conversation for a whole different video - perhaps a member’s only vlog. Tysm for watching ☺️

[@mitchelrobs]

@@stutube3546 a bad upbringing is no excuse . nor are todays standards .

[@AnneHeyns]

Probably tried to steal the chickens perhaps?♦Luckily they didn't take all your veggies instead.♦

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Hoping it’s just chancers messing around. No veggies taken, although the thief in the summer took mostly fresh things. It hasn’t happened in a while so putting this down to kids coming into the site for a laugh. Will post any updates. Ty for watching ☺️

[@joycehennequin8469]

Yeh its kids.

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Such a shame, though! Ty for watching ☺️

[@susiespearing6165]

Sorry but the three sisters does not work in the UK .We do not have the heat and sun the Indians have .Corn and squash can work but adding the beans will shade out the Corn . I've known many people over the years try it but without success 😔

[@mitchelrobs]

am in SE and know of several here at plot that had luck when warm summer

[@susiespearing6165]

​@@mitchelrobsWorth a try then maybe 🙂

[@vesiletekas5927]

I tried 3 sisters method, it was a right mess, didn’t work for me at all 😢

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm, will re-think this as to be fair, it’s only Nick and Tilly that enjoy beans. We can always go with just squash and corn to be safe. Thanks for your input and comments, guys ☺️

[@lolo-grow]

Wildlife camera is a must - I’ve had two incidents and was asked for proof… needless to say one was up straight after that! No regrets 👍🏻

[@squinteastwood9107]

Sounds like you got a jealous plot holder on the allotment

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Really hope not! 😕

[@FoodThymeAndGarden]

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

TYSM for watching! :)

[@DadsPassedDownPlot]

Hope you get no more attempts to get to the chickens

[@AllotmentFamilyDiary]

Tysm. We have the cams on the coup now, but hope this was a one-off incident. ☺️