Leftover spuds in farmers field...advice on etiquette sought please folks!

Lizbetty

Hi everyone!

Call me too honest for my own good...but we have a farmers field behind us which has had spuds in it which have been harvested. But they've left quite a few behind in the corners where the machine missed...

Would you think it's ok to use them? My dad said so but he also said that they spray the leftover ones with a chemical at some point after harvesting to stop them growing which could be poisonous. We have 2 kids and I obviously want to avoid poisoning them

We have a few people who we know who'd be grateful for them and so would spread the good karma...but would you leave be in case they come back for them? Does anyone know anything about the chemical my dad mentioned?

Ta for your advice!
Lucy

DrFluffy

Are they there because they've been missed or has the famer been using them as a trial for a different chemical etc.

Personally, I wouldn't as it's based on the assumption that they have simply been missed and are safe to eat.

AndysDad

I would ask the farmer if they are part of the normal crop and would he mind if you had them as he doesn't seem to want them.

Lizbetty

We did see the man harvesting them, he took the majority just left the corners where the equipment wouldn't go. He had quite a few fields full this year so I'm guessing he wasn't trialling anything but I'm only guessing, I never thought of that at all to be honest. Is that quite common?

Luce

Edinburghlass_2

Its been a while since we had tatties in the field behind us but the farmer gave permission for residents to pick up any that were left.

mags50_2

Hi

Speaking here in my capacity as a farmers wife whose hubby has just finished harvesting potatoes ....my hubby has no objection to anyone picking up left over potatoes if they ask first....it's the ones who sneak in the middle of the night and just nick em that really annoys us! We've had rows of them dug up which is just stealing as far as we're concerned... mind you, more fool them as nearly all of ours go straight to the factory to make crisps! So they're not the best for everyday eaters.

We also let people, if they ask first, go in after the pea-viners have harvested the peas...there's nothing nicer than fresh podded peas, and there's usually loads that the viners miss.

It's just common courtesy really....I wouldn't think of going into someones garden and nicking their veg willy-nilly in the dead of night. A friend has had loads of his cabbages and cauli's etc. nicked from his fields...and he's the sort who would give them away if he thought it would help someone. I think we're going to see more of this if things keep on going as they are with the 'Recession' etc.

HTH

OrkneyStar

I would ask first, otherwise its theft imho, and importantly you don't know if they have been sprayed with anything.
You could maybe offer something small to the farmer, either money or in kind, he may well refuse but it sets a nice tone to offer imho.
x

carolwat

Or make him a tub of soup or something with the veg

Miserlymale

I think that it is called Gleaning!
Probably best to ask first, but I live surrounded by fruit fields, (used to have ten acres of rhubarb in the field behind, how many crumbles is it possible to eat?), the farmer that surrounds my house doesn't object to locals picking up the excess. I guess that it makes up for being woken up by the harvesting! The potatoes have been left because there is no economical way of collecting them. The spraying that you have heard of is just the killing off of the foliage, the spuds will be fine! Personally, I would just go for it, taking what is left is just using the excess, digging up the crop is theft! Still struggling to find a use for the Sugar Beet that is shed on every corner around here!

Tightwadways

I'd definatly ask first.....not only is it polite, but there may be a reason they were left behind...and if you're thinking free food as well, it's always a possibility to ask on your local freecycle group I've had a huge bag of apples given to us in this way (through an offer on freecycle) but I think there are loads of folks out there that do waste food, veg, whatever...but if they knew of the freecycle outlet, then maybe there would be less waste...right down off my freecycle soapbox :rotfl::rotfl:

DrFluffy

mags50 wrote: »

Hi

Speaking here in my capacity as a farmers wife whose hubby has just finished harvesting potatoes ....my hubby has no objection to anyone picking up left over potatoes if they ask first....it's the ones who sneak in the middle of the night and just nick em that really annoys us! We've had rows of them dug up which is just stealing as far as we're concerned... mind you, more fool them as nearly all of ours go straight to the factory to make crisps! So they're not the best for everyday eaters.

We also let people, if they ask first, go in after the pea-viners have harvested the peas...there's nothing nicer than fresh podded peas, and there's usually loads that the viners miss.

It's just common courtesy really....I wouldn't think of going into someones garden and nicking their veg willy-nilly in the dead of night. A friend has had loads of his cabbages and cauli's etc. nicked from his fields...and he's the sort who would give them away if he thought it would help someone. I think we're going to see more of this if things keep on going as they are with the 'Recession' etc.

HTH

Would you like to come and open a farm next door to me? I'd LOVE you be your neighbout