Well, I admit I've been pretty shameless in scroungeing up free food at the allotment. My own plot has given me a modest harvest this year--but the weeds really are getting the better of me. I've not been visiting regularly over the past few weeks, but a few days ago I said to the son that we'd go and have a little look, and maybe take the insect mesh off the purple sprouting broccoli (which we did, and brought home the dried mange tout vines in order to collect their seed).
But my real reason for going was in hopes that someone would generously offload some of their excess vegetables, and I did not go home disappointed! We were given sacks by not one but two fellow allotmenters, one full of magnificent beets and the other with tomatoes and sweetcorn.
My tactics? I always greet people and ask them how they're doing. I compliment them on something I can see or that they've shown/given me in the past, or I ask questions. Sometimes just the greeting is enough: I've been asked if I want so and so just on the strength of a hello; the sack of beets was one such victory. However, a bit of conversation and praise will generally do the trick, I've found.
Actually, I've even come home with free food without actually seeing the giver: some people will leave extras just outside their plot, at the edge of the path, and I gratefully collect these whenever I see them.
I hope that next summer it will be me pressing an overabundance onto other people but for now, I'm very happy to accept anything I can get.
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