I have a love hate relationship with technology and social media, it is so intrusive to our lives, causes rifts and no matter what technology is your particular, it becomes an addictive behaviour before you even realise.
But you can’t not love the opportunities it brings and without it I wouldn’t have my job or be sat here on this gloomy day writing this piece of passion.
There is also something to me about gardening and technology that mentally shouldn’t go together, they are the opposite ends of the spectrum. Gardening is about nature, it’s cost friendly, patient, it’s relaxing and nature will carry on doing it’s thing without you.
Technology is man made, obtrusive, expensive and needs constant updates. You will certainly find more people screaming at a piece of technology than you do at their garden.
Unless you are screaming at plants to grow, which by the way will never work, you have to talk and sing to them like the Prince of Wales would do. 
His comments were ridiculed two decades ago when he revealed his method, which is still ridiculed by some and believed by others today. I can’t help but believe, my nan has told me it works for as long as I remember.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) back in 2009 even conducted a study into how plants are affected by the human voice. Holding auditions in Wisley and making recordings of Shakespeare’s verse and John Wyndham’s The Day of the Triffids. The recordings were then played to ten plants around the clock, through the headphones of an MP3 player attached to their pots at root level.Even for this study they couldn’t resist technology.
Following the study, a professor of acoustics said “It appears that low-frequency sound might vibrate the plant and so affect it’s growth”
Whilst I continue, I will let you ponder your thoughts on this and if you think Prince Charles’ method is madness, genius or just pure passion for gardening and the love of plants.
When I put myself on the list for an allotment, I never even thought of the technology aspects. I just thought it’s a space of ground, an area of tranquillity and a break away from work and university for me to develop myself, the land and learn to grow my own vegetables.
I pondered the idea of a blog at the beginning so I could share my journey and hopefully inspire others, but never did I think that it would become it’s own mini brand, it’s own blog, Twitter and Instagram account, both @Lifeatno27.
Now this is only the beginning, I am contemplating YouTube after a few requests/suggestions and this week I was very lucky to be given the amazing opportunity of my own monthly radio slot on Drystone radio to share my passion for allotments and give advice on the jobs to be doing each month.
Drystone Radio is a local charity based radio station based near Skipton, Yorkshire, which can he heard on 103.5fm locally, online or on the TuneIn app.
I will be live on the 1st Thursday of every month at 9:40pm on the View from The Clock Tower show with Dave and Anna.
For me, it is about creating the right balance. If the RHS used technology to conduct studies 8 years ago, I guess even the most stubborn have to learn to embrace technology now. As I say at work, if we don’t embrace it and understand the pace it is growing, we will be left behind.
Without digital, I would not be able to share my journey globally and meet so many wonderful and supportive people around the world who share the same passion of gardening and growing our own produce. Thank you to you all.
Interesting take on Allotments vs Technology.
I rarely take technology to the allotment apart from my phone, so that my wife can see if I ever intend to come home again 😊😆
looking forward already to your regular radio slot.
Thank you Dave. I always take at least my phone mainly so I can take photos and ensure that at some point I keep track of time.
I’m really looking forward it too 😊
Another great post Belle. I think we are all using one (the digital) to share, learn about and I hope, develop a new generation of people to embrace the other (gardening).
Like you my first passion is allotment gardening. Growing fruit and vegetable for our home kitchen. I love it so much I want to talk about it all the time. I want to learn about it all the time. I have realised now how wonderful combining the passion for growing your own with my blogging and social media has become. Like you say, without it I wouldn’t have come across so many other people who share this passion. Thanks for this post belle!
I also think it’s fantastic news about the radio slot. I will be tuning in.
😊
Thank you Richard. I completely agree! I guess social media is like the new and improved version of having a pen friend but a wider audience all at once.
I’m looking forward to the show and would be great if did manage to tune in 😊
Hello Belle. Interesting blog.
I believe that it is probably Digital that has gone Nature.
Yes it’s true that plants are influenced by many things but fundamentally their botanical classification is very precise. I’m sure that the development of the digital age is, in some way, based upon the structure of plants and nature. How precise is the make up of a flower and that of a circuit board. The messages sent through living cells and the similarities to those messages sent through digital connections?
Perhaps Professor Hawkins may have a view?
Hi, wow, now that’s a whole other blog post and a very valid point of view 😊
For me the non digital aspects of my plot and my garden are what it’s all about. Getting away and getting your hands mucky. Sometimes I may have music on, other times I watch and listen to the birds in between gardening jobs.
But the digital aspect, the sharing, the inspiration and ideas, the endless browsing of photos – now that is amazing and a wonderful side to this hobby/way of life! 😊
Glad to hear the show went well btw, hope it continues to be great 😀
I 100% agree with everything you have said 😀 I do love it up at the plot when it is complete silence other then the birds singing and the robin coming to say hello.
Thank you very much regarding the show, I hope so too! 😀
Just had a go with the radio and you are out of range for me (Wakefield), so I will see if I can get the app and ‘listen again’ as I will be at work.
Maybe you could open a page on the blog and link to streams if they are archived?
As to the media… Do you guys not google things as you find them? Digital media and the interwebs as a general thing is brilliant for people like me who constantly need to learn new things, tricks and tips to keep up with the questions I find presented to me when out and about.
And lets be honest. Talking to others doing the same thing as you is a great way to learn and help others.
That is a great idea linking the steams to the blog. All my individual slots of the shows will be uploaded to YouTube so will have to look into it 😀
I google everything and ask people lots of questions, alongside books. so many ways of learning available now
It’s the social bit of social media that is good. Gardening can be a bit solitary – especially if you don’t have an allotment – so what is so nice is being able to share with other like-minded people. My family don’t get quite as excited about the latest germination triumph as I do and it’s through blogging that I’ve found other people who do! I suppose we could write letters but that’s not how it is today so we have to make the most of it
Hi, completely agree with everything you have said, it is certainly the social aspect I love and meeting similar people who share the same passion or as you say find simple things like germinating very exciting. It is like the new modern pen friend but too the world 😊
An interesting post. I was already blogging when I took on my plot and started a new one which has since become my main, and currently only active, one. I don’t talk much to my plants but do to the wildlife, especially the robins.
I certainly agree with your last two paragraphs. xx
Thank you Mike, you can’t not talk to robins, that would just be rude haha, I always say hello 😊
What a great opportunity for you. I hope the show goes well.
Thank you Matt, it is a great also slightly scary opportunity. Looking forward to the next show 😊