2009-03-08

Cracking on

Allotment (28th Feb 09)We've a lot of work to do on the allotment, but I don't think it will take us too long if we just keep chipping away at it. Daz and Jen managed to do some work over the days that they had off last week, most impressively constructing a compost bin in the top corner from some of the remnants of shed that were lying on the plot when we took it over. On Saturday I managed to get down by 08:30. I wasn't really sure where to start so I chilled out for 10 minutes, listening to the birds and contemplating the tasks ahead. In the absence of a structured plan I set about removing some of the obvious roots of things that had been strimmed down.

Compost bin (7th Mar 09)I was having a quick coffee break when Daz arrived. He finished off the door of the compost bin with a hinged door piece from the old shed, so we are able to drop the front down to fork the pile over. The previous occupant had employed the lots of carpet over the whole plot method of weed suppression, and it was doing my head in. Every time I tried to stick a fork or spade in the ground I'd hit carpet, so I decided the lot had to go and pretty much cleared the bulk I could get too, i.e. that wasn't under piles of wood and rubbish.


First bed constructed (7th March 09)Gemma turned up with lunch, followed by Jen. We managed to clear a spot at the top of the plot and used some of the larger bits of wood and some stones to edge our first bed. I think it was quite important for us to get this part done as it gave us a massive boost to think that we could be growing things in that area fairly soon. There's nothing really to stop us getting some seeds in now. I'd starting flagging a wee bit and my back was beginning to hurt, something I'm a bit prone to and will have to be careful of. We decided it was time to treat ourselves to a post work pint, so we nipped round to the Cobden. The first couple of pints went down far too well and suddenly, before we knew it, the barwoman was telling us we'd been in for five hours! We took that as a sign to leave and Gemma and I grabbed a curry on the way home.

Mummified Rat (8th March 09)Daz was up there already on Sunday morning when we arrived. We decided to start burning up some of the wood lying on the plot, so started a small fire in an old metal tub. We managed to move the pile of old wood and shift another pile of rubbish thereby consolidating two piles into one. We were starting to strip down the old compost bin, which is in the place we have earmarked for a shed. Rain stopped play unfortunately (we really need a shed to hide in), but before we abandoned our endeavours we found a mummified rat in the old compost heap. Pretty cool really.

Photos by Daz (& Jen). The allotment now has it's own flickr group.

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