Allotments are hard work and fickle, but joyous too | Letters

Lalage Snow, Laurie Nettle and Stephen Pound respond to an article on the struggles of keeping an allotment

Allotments were originally “allotted” to the landless poor of the 18th century to give them dignity, a means of eating and reprieve from the daily grind of land or industrial work (The one change that worked: I gave up my allotment – and accepted who I really am, 18 August). They were a necessity during the two world wars, after which Britain had never been leaner, fitter or taller.

Today, we are not as hungry as our ancestors were and life is convenient. However, we are in the throes of obesity, diabetes and mental health crises, we stand on the edge of food supply catastrophe (for example, the tomato crisis of early 2023) and climate change is heavily affecting farmers. I had three children under three and I took on an allotment in my village when war in Ukraine broke out because I wanted to learn, and I wanted to be less reliant on a fragile food system that supplies tasteless fruit and vegetables. I knew little about growing, but quickly came to see that vegetable growing is hard work.