Potatoe gleaning

Bennifred

Well why did you ask "Is it theft?" in your original post, if you know that you have permission, and it isn't? What a waste of time! Enjoy your potatoes.

Ken68

In the old days, in this area, gleaning was encouraged/advertised by the farmers.
And no way would I dig back small potatoes, they would just grow through next year.

[Deleted User]

Not too sure,if you have permission then by all means go for it. Who owns the blackberries that we all go forageing for at this time of the year I wonder. One of the local farmers round here used to have about 2 dozen apple trees at the bottom of a field and he was always quite happy for locals to pick what they fancied . Sadly he has passed away and the whole field has been turned over the make a larger field for rape seed so the widnfalls have gone forever now

jackel

As smallholders we get very angry when people think they have the God given right to do as they please on and with our property.The potatoes were NOT yours anymore than the flowers in your garden are the farmers. You were on private land stealing someones property, just as the farmer would be if he was in your garden stealing your flowers. Ask next time. (please)jac.xx

suki1964

Potato gleaning or theft?

If you had the landowners permission then good for you

If you hadn't then that's theft, plain and simple

Farmer who's land I back onto is very strict. He allows us, with permission, to walk on his land and allows the grandson to use his cart around old outbuildings. However he wouldn't allow us to hep ourselves to any produce unless it's on the hedgerows along the public road. I can imagine his answer if I offered to clean his field after the harvest lol


It's always good manners to check with the landowner, even if you think what you are taking is just waste

elsien

all_is_well wrote: »

All of you would prefer to waste unrequired food rather than use it . . The issue is not about theft but about waste

My neighbour has a fridge full of unrequired food - she's always complaining how much she bins through lack of planning. How about wandering into her back door, helping yourself, then see if it's treated as theft or waste?

Sally_A

All the self righteous people on here obviously don't go blackberry, sloe picking or nutting.
The farmer had harvested his crop, if asked he would probably be fine with you taking any leftovers, as these would grow into spuds next year, and any serious farmer would not grow spuds in the same place 2 years running.
I believe it's only "not on/illegal" if you are depriving a farmer of a marketable crop - as he has finished, you should be fine, unless he planned to come back and get the stragglers.
Edit: best to ask then you know exactly where you stand.