For years allotments were out of favour. No-one wanted them, and patches of mud with a shed at one end and weeds everywhere else went to waste. Then suddenly gardening became the new rock and roll, and everyone who didn't want to dig up their lawn wanted their own council-run patch of mud. The waiting lists grew faster than the cabbages. Now, after more than three years on a waiting list, Neil Shaw has been given his own patch of green and pleasant land.

Sunday, 18 January 2009

Smoke gets in your eyes

Back on the patch yesterday after the winter (ie, its too darn cold) break, and managed to make a huge dent in the clean-up.
There was a community spring clean organised by the allotment association, so we helped trim back all the overgrowth around the borders and burn the waste, while also burning our own waste and shifting some of the junk dumped at the bottom of our plot.
The others chipped in to help us burn our pile of waste and the whole day had a great community feel.
We all sat down for a lunch of jacket potatoes, chilli and biscuits before tackling the rest of the site in the afternoon.
The bad news is someone seems to have taken our fruitcage - very annoying after we spent so long freeing it up and preparing it for planting.
Others on the plot say they have also had things stolen in the last few days and weeks - including a set of table and chairs.
After years of the site being free from theft they blame the credit crunch for the recent attacks - and they warn it'll get worse when the crops start to come through.
The good news is that the association has been awarded more than £1,000 which will allow them to build a composting toilet on the site - if they can decide where to put it.

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