January Snow

These photos are a few weeks late,and were taken by a fellow plot-holder for me, but here is 54 in this January's snow.

Bean Trench Completed

Another very busy few hours has seen another large area cleared, the bean trench dug, filled with leaves, home made compost and soil, and then the poles put up. Note the arch in the middle...

Two by Two

Two of us working over two days for a total of 13 (wo)man hours has had a big impact on 54a. It is starting to look like one plot at long last.

Looking from the shed you can see that most beds are clear and ready for the new season, even if the path needs tidy up. What used to be the end of the plot is now only half way!

At half way are piles of roots and nasty weeds that need disposing of. The piles are pretty high! We will make a seating area here.

 Two thirds of 54a are now clear, with potato trenches now ready, and the bean trench started.

Looking from the road. Just a few hours work to finish clearing, then the hard work starts!

Mean whilst at home sowing has started in the propogator and the greenhouse. 

Bertie

I cannot believe it has been so long since the last post.

What a contrast to last year when we had a very cold winter then a hot dry spring. This year we had a few very warm days in early March, then almost non stop rain, with cool temperatures. Everything is much later than expected, but at least the water butts are full and the ground is damp.

Here's a brief round up: most of the news is missing because I've forgotten it!

Say "hello" to Bertie. He is championing plot 54b in the allotment Jubilympics. 

Mind you, he has some stiff competition:

They are very much needed: over a few days the peskie pigeons flattened the mesh and ate all the over wintered cauliflowers:

Meanwhile, after two winters we were able to sample our first asparagus yesterday.

Yum Yum.

Harvest Festival Sunday 18th September

Here are a few photos of last week's harvest festival (courtesy of John Kirk). £220 was raised in the auction, which was donated to the DEC East Africa Appeal.

This is me in auction mode (or Henry V as someone else suggested!)

Keith (secretary) thanks the two Johns for their long service as Chair and Secretary.

A small section of the crowd. We had over 50 turn up.

The Blitz

Today Captain Custard and myself spent 5 hours (10 man hours) on plot 53b, next door to our main plot 54b.

Having cut down a lot of the top growth on Sunday, we got stuck into the roots today, prepared the ground, and planted out beds for:

• Celery
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Beetroot and Chard
• Peas
• Sweetcorn

Hard work, but amazing progress.

Sunny March lunchtime on the allotment.

A very busy few hours, but time for a sit down as well.

I was trying to capture all the birdsong, and the children playing at school in the distance... then a train came past.

All the potato trenches are ready now.