Contributions to our Website
We welcome contributions from plotholders, whether it is about allotment gardening or your favourite recipe. We especially welcome news items. You can submit contributions by email using the link right. Our hard working website editors will include them as soon as time allows.
We have been discussing and exploring options which will allow plot holders to share ideas and experiences. There are many types of social networking sites and it is hard to decide what would suit our members. Whilst the classic image of an allotment gardener is not readily associated with modern computer technology, over half of our members elect to receive Newsletters by email and this website is now entirely maintained by our plot holders. Options we have experimented with include Chat, Instant Messaging, Forum, and Blog. If any plot holder has experience of contributing to any social networking sites, or is interested in helping set up facilities suited to the needs of our members please let us know using the link on the right.
The following options are available on an experimental basis. Please try them and send us your views. We will monitor the use of these facilities and take members' responses into account in deciding which should be further developed or abandoned.
Chat Group
The chat option allows the broadcast of messages as an email to all members of the Chat Group. Would you like to ask if someone has a strimmer you can borrow? Do you have some spare seedlings you’d be happy to give to someone? Would you like to check when is the best time on our sites to plant your broad beans? Why not join our chat group?
This chat group is for current members of the Henley-on-Thames Allotments Association. Its purpose is to enable communication between members of the two allotment sites in Henley. It can be used within reason to chat about anything to do with our allotments - things that if you were actually on your plot, rather than typing at your computer, you may chat to someone else about. The following is a list of examples and suggestions to get you started – not a list of restrictions! You could it to share knowledge; exchange ideas; ask for advice; offer surpluses of materials, seeds, cuttings, plants and produce; to request equipment or advice; to organise meetings and events or for general information messages.
Instant messaging
This option allows real-time direct text-based communication between two or more people. Once you have joined, you can become aware of members who are currently online and send an instant text message. The message is broadcast to all online members of the group. In this way it is easy to make arrangements to meet at the allotment, organise a shared picnic or whatever.
Forum
The forum option differs from chat in that messages are not broadcast, but posted on an electronic message board. Each post ia assigned to a topic and can be replied to. The posts can be searched by topic, so if there is a topic about surplus seeds it is easy to find what seeds are available or wanted. If a suitable topic is not found a new one can be created. In order to post a message you must supply a valid email address. Over time the posts build into a source of information of particular relevance to plot holders. If you create a new topic, please choose a meaningful topic heading.
Blog
The blog option is flexible. Sometimes it is used as a personal diary: Twitter is described as a mini blog because the posts are restricted to 140 characters only, but many blogs are topic oriented as in a forum. Some blogs are personal, but many have several co-authors. A blog allows posts to be categorised and tagged with keywords making it easy to find blogs that are relevant to your interests and within those blogs, posts that are are of particular interest. Comments on posts are encouraged, often leading to long discussions. Some blogs have become world famous and top blog charts are available. One that might be of interest to allotment gardeners is bean-sprouts.blogspot/ which is currently at No 34 on a world list.
We have set up a WordPress blog where members can make contributions directly and read, respond to, or comment on, the contributions of others. Thus the Chairman could post his tips and Peter Anderson could add to his almanac for all to view and comment upon. For those not familiar with blogging, the following is a brief guide.
Contributions, usually called posts, can be viewed by anyone. The easy way is to add an RSS feed to your browser. You will then be able to find recent posts with a single click. Alternatively you may use the view link right. In order to participate you must first register. All it requires is to submit your name and email address. Once registration is complete you will be able to comment on, or respond to, the posts of others after logging in. It is not possible to create a new post without further authorisation. This should stop our own blog being hijacked by outsiders. Once authorisation has been obtained, any nunber of posts on any topic can be made, but please take care to categorize and tag posts. Please use the links right.
Contributions have initially been divided into the following categories:
- Allotment News and Views: General items of interest to plot holders
- Greencroft: Specific to Greencroft
- Watermans: Specific to Watermans
- Advice: General advice for plotholders.
- Anderson's Almanac: Tips from Peter Anderson.
- Articles: Articles about specific crops or gardening techniques.
- Chairman's Tips: The chairman's own seasonal tips.
- Offers: Offers of surplus seeds, plants etc.
- Seeds
- Plants
- Produce
- Recipes: To make good use of seasonal vegetables
- Allotment Gardening
- Gardening in general: Absolutely any topic related to gardening, not covered by other categories. Other specific categories will be added as required.