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Gertie

The Allotment

Have spent this morning clearing more of the allotment - it certainly doesn't look as wild as it was. Have been helped by Guy, one of our allotment neighbours, no, he's a friend now. He has been retired some time and is very keen to help us as he wants to make sure we don't overdo it and get scared off - bless him. June and Paul have given us some of their brussels sprouts this morning and have told us to help ourselves. Paul was the gent who measured our plot out for us and put some stakes in the ground to mark it out.

People who we have met have been really lovely. I have to say Lundy and I are by far the youngest (in our 40's). They are all so fit, compared to us!!!!!!

Taking some piccies this week, keeping a diary of how we do.
sean

Brilliant, you can turn it into an article in the end too. Very Happy Very Happy Hah, eat my dust Tahir and Bugs Wink
jema

Re: The Allotment

Gertie wrote:


People who we have met have been really lovely. I have to say Lundy and I are by far the youngest (in our 40's). They are all so fit, compared to us!!!!!!
.


Amazing the power of exercise, until recently my old dad could put me to shame mixing concrete of whatever. Driving a keyboard all day really is not good for you, compared to gardening Sad

jema
Gertie

Keeping your brain and body active are what it is all about - we reckon Guy who has been helping us must be in early 70's and he talks about the 'old boy' with one of the other allotments!!!

These people are putting us to shame - Guy has already taught me how to use a pitchfork properly to carry a huge pile of brambles.

Life is a learning curve - and I AM learning (Great!!!!!)
tahir

Good to see you're enjoying it.
tahir

sean wrote:
Brilliant, you can turn it into an article in the end too. Very Happy Very Happy Hah, eat my dust Tahir and Bugs Wink


You trying to upset me?
Mrs Fiddlesticks

good for you Gertie and Lundy, glad its going well. Fellow allotment folk are a great bunch and the best for advice on what will grow on your plot, as they know the soil and conditions.

We have a lovely old bloke on our site who is 84 and still manages 2 hours a day most days and says him and his wife are self-sufficient in veggies. Its brilliant for exercise and just getting out of the house. Thats one of the reasons I go, now the kids are at school I needed something to get me out of the house else I'd spend all week cleaning! Rolling Eyes

We're probably some of the youngest there and we're in our early forties. One of the old guys did have a moan to someone else when I started that he didn't like seeing all these women on the plots!! Rolling Eyes Laughing makes me more determined to work at it!!

Brill idea about taking photos -we did that and that's how the website started. It does help on those days when you don't seem to be getting anywhere to look back and see what it started out like!
sean

tahir wrote:
sean wrote:
Brilliant, you can turn it into an article in the end too. Very Happy Very Happy Hah, eat my dust Tahir and Bugs Wink


You trying to upset me?


Just excited at getting in first. Except I probably didn't anyway.
tahir

Well you beat me...
Lloyd

Looking forward to the article
Lloyd

I thinkit is very interesting to look at what agegroups are in. Why can't we include a new line on the joining form, "what age are you?"....This would not only provide more stats but be a fascinating resource, and also help members "bond" with each other online.

Lloyd
Gertie

Thanks for your comments, folks.

I know where you are coming from Julie - one old guy I met when I first went to have a look at the allotment looked at me as if to say she'll not last long - think he'll be ok now that Lundy's there with me most of the time.

Lloyd, I think that's a good idea. It's nice to build up a picture about us - only thing is I know you're lovely but I can't get this picture of an axe-wielding cyclops out of my head Shocked when I think of you (oh, better not tell Lundy!!!!!!!).

We were due to get a petrol strimmer last weekend, but Lundy's gran is in hospital so it wasn't worth hiring one just to take it back in a couple of hours (er, due to hospital visit that is). So getting one this weekend. Week after we're having the whole plot ploughed (can't believe it 21ft by about 120 ft and we are getting it ploughed!!!!). Apparently the local farmers have a good rapport with the allotmenters and help out with hedge trimming, etc., our fellow allotmenters think given the condition of our plot it's probably the easiest thing to do and then we can get in and get it sorted through.
Lloyd

Laughing Axe wielding cyclops! Laughing hahahahahahaha
Mrs Fiddlesticks

gertie - getting it ploughed is a brilliant idea. They used to do that on all the disused plots here to keep weeds down but I gather it hasn't been done in recent years. Our rotavator does the same job! Wink
Gertie

Well, yesterday we hired a petrol strimmer - Lundy is taking it back Monday morning (before he heads off to Cardiff for the week). We've hired it for £25 and that includes all of the safety gear. Lundy has cleared most of our plot, and we are going to get rid of the brambles on a couple of other plots, to help our neighbours out.

Lundy loved using the strimmer - the hens 3 plots down were up on their toes watching the action. Bless 'em.

Wind was in the right direction, so we had a fire and burnt all of the rubbish, just have a bit of plastic to bring home and put in our bin.

Monday morning the farmer is coming to plough it over and then the fun really starts!
Mrs Fiddlesticks

sounds brill Lundy. Hope you took some pictures.

Himself rotavated this morning ( I kept the kids out of the way) and it looks much better. I've got to go up there and rake the rubbish out but it rained last night and I need to let it all dry out somewhat. It is a great feeling when you turn an overgrown swathe of old grass in to black earth!
Julie Murphy

Hello, I'm new to this site. Are you all allotment holders?

I found a great site to get allotment advice on DVD The DVD is all about the delights of having an allotment: Finding a plot, food for free, making compost, growing giant veg, cooking on the plot, fascinating food facts, trapping slugs, dealing with seasonal glut, keeping fit, healthy eating, permaculture, getting away from it all in the middle of town, developing healthy soil, skip raiding, recycling, knowing where your food comes from, learning from your plot-neighbours, and insights into what's really in those sheds!

But I could do with some advice about building a shed out of reclaimed bits. I have enough shed sides I think but I am not sure what I should do to create a sturdy base and floor. Our plot is on clay and terraced. We hope to place the shed at the top of the slope. Any advice? Warnings? Previous experience?

The DVD site is www.allotment.info

Best wishes to all fellow plotters and hope to hear from builders of sheds from scrap.

Kind Regards Julie Murphy
Lloyd

Shocked Am I bugger! Smile
Gertie

Hi Julie Murphy -

You will see from the forums that there is a wide range of downsizer users. In the relatively short period of time that I have been a member I have learnt (and am continuing to learn) an awful lot from my fellow members.

I'm sure someone will be able to come back to you about building a shed.

I hope you enjoy the site as much as I do. Even my hubby, Lundy, loves the site and recently became a member.
Lloyd

Julie, what are you and your partner like at DIY, measuring, cutting, drilling, screwing (!) bits of wood?

I could offer in principle advice, but why not invest in the B&Q book, "You Can Do it"?...It makes everything easy. If not, PM me and I'll try not to offer imbicile advice!

Lloyd
Gertie

Lloyd - is that a new piccie of Kaizer?
Lloyd

Yes but not a very good one. I may revert to the old one.
Gertie

Lloyd - another new avatar (showoff!!!). So it's Kaizer, you and ? Laughing
Lloyd

Laughing In left hand it's Billy. Laughing
surfnutt

nemcomer

Hi to all i have just applied for my 1st allotment and found this forum and i didnt realise how many people are into this!
I am hoping to get all forms and rent out the way and start on my half plot soon.I found my council (harrow) helpful and sent me a list of vacant plots and a key to view the plots and have chosen one which is 30 yards from my bedroom window so i can watch over it and see my produce growing! I havent ever grown anything before so this is all new to me and have been trying to decide what to grow and where to grow it on my plot.
I am looking forward to the coming year on the plot (apart from the digging) and will be on here from time to time for advice as i think i am going to need it. Smile
tahir

Well there's plenty of us here to stick our oar in. Glad you found it easy to get your allotment, are there plenty of empty plots at your site?
surfnutt

hi tahir yes there was 11 vacant but in reality i think there are more as some of the more overgrown plots are not marked as vacant and have been that way for some time by the looks of it each night i watch as my window overlooks the allotments as the local foxes come out to play out of the overgrown sheds on the site where they live,At least they keep the rabbits away
Ian
tahir

Shame, there's so many vacant suburban plots in the Greater London area Sad
Gertie

There are lots of vacant allotments in our village - funny thing since Lundy and I took on our allotment about 3 or 4 of our neighbours have said that they would love one - but are put off by the state of the vacant plots (if someone came in, landscaped them, planted seeds and weeded they would be there like a shot!!!!!!).

Last weekend as well as getting rid of all of the brambles and rubbish off our plot, we cleared the vacant plots on either side of ours - well we had a petrol strimmer for the whole weekend and thought why not. Anyway, we are wanting to keep the brambles on either side from encroaching on our plot.

We've burnt all the waste and are patiently waiting for the farmer to come and plough it (still waiting!) Crying or Very sad

This weekend we are going to be looking at starting on the hen enclosure and moving the greenhouse (it's actually from the plot next door and we have been told we can have it!).
Mrs Fiddlesticks

Gertie wrote:
since Lundy and I took on our allotment about 3 or 4 of our neighbours have said that they would love one - but are put off by the state of the vacant plots (if someone came in, landscaped them, planted seeds and weeded they would be there like a shot!!!!!!).


but where's the challenge in that? One of the great things about an allotment is turning waist high couch in to neat rows of veg! We could have had a smaller plot to be honest but we thought we'd have it sorted too quickly and the challenge would be over. So ours is huge to give us a real fight on our hands and something to work to over the years - no quick fixes. Who wants things easy?- how boring!
surfnutt

vacant plots

I Think more and more people will become plotholders and realise the benefits of growing your own veg as i did and from then on it changes your outlook on so many things recycling and waste just being one of them,Slowly reversing the trend of this disposable throw it away way of living that we have become accustomed to.
tahir

If there's an allotment society there we'd be happy to put an ad up for them.

This applies to any sites with vacant plots, please let us know and we'll advertise them.
wellington womble

Fiddlesticks Julie wrote:

but where's the challenge in that? One of the great things about an allotment is turning waist high couch in to neat rows of veg!


Think you might have just found yourself a lifetimes vocation, Julie.

When can you come and clear my veg patch?! Wink
Behemoth

And every two weeks at mine will be fine!

One thing about keeping plots clear is that it does encourage people to take on plots, time and effort is a big consideration for most people at the start, especially those who've never had a plot before. It also keeps the site full and well maintained. Sites with derelict plots around here attract vandals and developers.
judith

I'll take couch grass over creeping buttercup any day!
Mrs Fiddlesticks

sits down having taken boots off and changed out of work trousers, stretches back and loosens shoulders, stiff from raking.

Well I've just come back from t'plot having done 2 hours hard(ish) graft. I've hoed and dug the fruit bed, trying to avoid the emerging tulips, hoed the garlic and round the leeks and then started raking off the couch roots and other rubbish the rotavator had thrown up at the weekend. Feels good!!

And there was no one up there but me and the wildlife, sometimes there is a kestrel that sits on the wires, other times I've seen a sparrowhawk dive bombing the magpies. If you want to know one of the other reasons for going up there.. my avatar is a picture taken from the edge of the site on a warm September day, with a view like that its good to straighten your back to gaze at it!

Have enough of my own to dig, ta!!
Gertie

Hoorah, our allotment has been ploughed over today.

Another thing, we are going to get the hens in 4 weeks - so need to shake our tail feathers and get the enclosure and hen house built.

As you may recall I did say we would start with 4, Lundy says we should get 5, in case one dies of shock on the way home - have spoken to Amanda who says this is unlikely, have not told Lundy this bit - that means one more girl on her way to us!

Thanks to advice from Treacodactyl, bought a couplel of Katie Thear books which are really good, very enlightening - have skipped the page with the bit about legs in one hand, head in the other and er, ................ well! Confused
alison

Hope he doesn't read this then Gertie. Very Happy
Blacksmith

Laughing I'm an Allotmentist.........allotmentiser............er Ive just got a half allotment ! makes me a demi-allotmentist or a.............. anyway.
Paid me subs and me key deposit,got me very overgrown patch to get to grips with.
Another half plot went this morning leaving 3 full plots vacant.

http://www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk/main/council_information/allotments/allotments.html

Going to be a busy time !
Cheers all, Dave.
Gertie

Alison - too late now if he does!!! Shocked

That's it though, the numbers aren't increasing - just yet Laughing
Blacksmith

Well, just done my first 3 hours on my allotment. Divided it into quarters, built a compost heap surround from 3 old pallets, disturbed a vole from its sleep under an old carpet, dug about 8' X 8', filled the wheel barrow 3 times with weeds and had a chat with "my neighbour".
All in all, a lot more fun than watching the "haunted fishtank."
Dave.
Gertie

As we've just had our allotment ploughed over - well most of it apart from the bit we're putting the hens on. I went this afternoon to have a look. There is a bit of twitch in it that wants digging out, so we are going to have a few hours there tomorrow, just trying to be realistic and dig a bit over at a time.

Met one of the neighbours with hens, he was just leaving as I passed by and after introductions invited me to have a look at his hens. He has some Warrens, Welsummers, White Leghorns (couple of girls and a couple of cockerels), Old Pheasant Bantam Cockerel (I think that was what it was called), Light Sussex, oops sorry have forgotten the other breed. He has a well planned plot, his hens are in 4 good sized enclosures. Has offered help when we get our hens - everyone has been so helpful.

Unfortunately, Lundy had to go and help his dad with some coving today - we are both off work until next Tuesday - there are plenty of jobs to do.
Lloyd

We've really struggled with our new allotment this year. It's been dug, weeded, rotavated, redug, reweeded....and it's still waist high in weeds. As winter draws near we will attack it again and then use weed suppressant covers, then start again in Spring. It doesn't help that it was derelict for four years before I got it. Confused
frewen

We got a second "half" allotment this year - so now we have some decent growing space Cool

I am fortunate insofar as Chrispystix loves clearing and digging over plots love5
Lloyd

The attack commences next Saturday morning. No chemicals this time as weeds will be dormant anyway now, so just forks and shovels.
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