A place for newbies to introduce themselves.

[Jeannine]

Hi, to all newbies, I have started this  this spot here so you can,  if you choose, come and  say Hi and introduce yourself and  tell us a bit about your garden etc. Often newbies get overlooked when saying hi in the other threads and I for one feel bad if I don't get chance to welcome them.  I will bump up the thread periodically and we can see how it goes.

XX Jeannine

[Le-y]

Hi linda, welcome to a4a 

[Mortality]

Welcome Linda and to anyone else I may have missed 

[SamLouise]

Hi Irnhed and Linda, welcome to A4A 

[Jayb]

Hello Spudbash, glad you are liking A4A, yep its great.

Hi Linda, Oooh someone else from Wales, what part of South Wales are you living in?

Wilder, I think I've already said hello in another thread, but doesn't hurt to say Hi again 

[fi]

hi all, feel  a bit rude that i haven,t introduced myself on the site. i've posted a few things over the last few weeks and i've found all your advice useful. this whole forum thing is new to me and in the past i've been weary about them.
i have an allotment now in its 7th year and i also grow food in the garden (which is a small garden). i am an organic gardener and am interested in HSL. i have been studying horticulture for the last 3 years and hope to have a big career change, i also do some voluntary work in a national trust kitchen garden, which is like a holiday because it is so beautiful.
      Here's to a productive 2010 for us all.

                       

[SamLouise]

Hi Fi, welcome to A4A

[Jayb]

Hello again from me too.

Well done you for putting in all that hard work, are you in your final year? There are a few on here studying and a thread which you may already have found http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/board,32.0.html

Do tell more if you are able about your big career change? That and your work with the National trust sounds very exciting and rewarding.

[1066]

Hi fi  Nice to meet you 

And best of luck with your studies and career change!

[Mrs Gumboot]

Only just found this. Have been on other forums in the past and have found the only way to do it is to butt in and interrupt! Funnily, I'm quite withdrawn in real life 

Anyway, I'm otherwise known as Tanya, just turned 30, living in Leeds (have just this morning discovered the map, so am officially pinned). Decided to make the switch into full time gardening about 5 years ago and have been working for nearly 3 in a local stately home. We have lots of volunteers like Fi who think it's lovely, which it is, but it's also blooming hard work five days a week! Would never ever go back into an office though!!

Have never been able to get an allotment close to our house and until last year were living in a terrace with a very small back yard, so haven't grown much in the way of veg. The rented house we're in at the mo has a bit more space so managed toms and a few other small crops last year. We're currently waiting (nearly six months and counting  ) for the keys to our new house which will have room for a veggie patch once I've moved the york stone patio! On account of being nearly three months pregnant and the house itself needing some work, I'm planning to stick to tubs and buckets this year & aim for a proper raised bed system next year. Am desperately hoping for keys soon as don't want to have to lump lots of buckets of soil round as well as all the furniture! Already have more out in the garden than I'd like.

Enough of the waffling, anyway, better go & get the OH moving or we'll be late for church. Blast this stupid clock change thing! 

[Mortality]

Welcome to A4A and goodluck with the move

[fi]

thanks Jayb i'm not on a degree at the moment but have been studying different courses C&G, RHS level 2 and any other short ones that come up. i could't over qualify as that closes some doors eg the NT careership (which isn't running this year) so now i shall put myself in for more in depth study eg advanced RHS, diploma or BTEC.
    Looking for a career change i do appreciate that any job that you do may become hard graft or monotonous. but in comparison to what i do now the physical work and being outside in all elements is bliss. i currently work 12 hour shifts in the NHS and regularly work from 7 am till 4 pm before i have a break(and i am on the go all shift which finishes at 8pm). And i think life is too short to think, what if and if only I'd have done this! most of my closest friends are gardeners so i do know what is involved. Sorry, raw nerve was hit!

[SamLouise]

Hi Tanya, welcome to A4A

[galina]

Jayb suggested I introduce myself here and tell people what sort of gardening I do:

Squash64 mentioned this forum a while ago and I started reading casually, then my interest really pricked up when the seed sharing circle started up and I joined.  I have tried to establish a seed sharing circle within another group a few years ago, but found that after initial interest nobody actually saved any seed.  A tomato seed swap within another group worked much better.  However, there are many seed savers on this forum.  Clearly, this is where it is all happening!

One reason I hesitated joining is because, after several allotments. we have moved to a house with a biggish garden.  Hope that is still ok with everybody.

I have been growing and seed saving for a number of years, decades if you will, although that makes me sound ancient  .  Very interesed in diversity, unusual and heritage fruit and vegetables.  Also interested in food history, season extending/growing over winter, saving seed, sharing seed and a little bit of amateur veg breeding.

Location here is East Northamptonshire and the soil is heavy, slightly alkaline clay.

Everybody has been so friendly, thank you for letting me join, I am looking forward to getting to know you all. 

[Mortality]

Welcome galina and Fi

[starting out]

I tend to use the recent posts view so have just seen this and dont think ive ever introduced myself before.

Im 34 years old, married with a 5 yr old who is very keen on growing his dinner.
We began with an allotment last year but having very recently relocated to Cumbria we had to give it all up but thankfully we have a large garden with room to grow. We have set about transforming an unused part of the garden that was until recently given over to the local sheep. We now have 4 beds that have onions and shallots in them. We have also erected a greenhouse this weekend. We are still very much beginners and trying to absorb as much information as possible. Im finding I have a little more time these days so trying to be more active on here. I would love to save seeds this year but havnt bothered joining in any seed circles or swaps as I dont think I grow anything out of the ordinary so cant offer anything to people. I am going to attempt to save seeds this year though for my own use next year. I figure its good practice for me 

Anyway thats me. I would love to see if there are any other members here in Cumbria, there arent many pins on the map.

[Le-y]

Hello and welcome tanya, fi, galina and starting out

[Mrs Gumboot]

i could't over qualify as that closes some doors eg the NT careership (which isn't running this year) so now i shall put myself in for more in depth study eg advanced RHS, diploma or BTEC.

Not sure what stage of the change you're at, but from my experience it might be worth looking at some of the traineeships. I know our place participates in the Historic and Botanic Bursary Scheme (HBGB). It gives you a year's paid (although not well!) work with an academic aspect. I did a two year full time foundation degree and came out of the end of it with almost no practical skills!Had an interview with the local council and just came out laughing as I had no answers for any of their questions! Quite embarrassing really. I was very lucky that I'd done a year's work experience one day a week in the place where I now work. On the basis of that they were happy to give me a job which came free as I was finishing my course. Have now spent three years training me to do the job 

Obviously I have no idea of your personal circs so if this isn't an option, then please forgive!! I have found that probably three quarters of the people on my course have now just jumped from course to course without actually finding a job. Partly this may be to do with the lack of anything practical in our course which doesn't help employability, and partly due to their expectations of what they want from the job. Winter we pick up leaves, summer we weed and cut grass. And no, I wouldn't change it for the world. We've been shifting turf in constant rain today and I still wouldn't go back into an office.

I too came from the NHS (although I was on the clerical side and I suspect from your hours you're probably clinical) and my only regret is that I didn't make the change sooner. It's well worth keeping at it, whichever route you decide to go down. Best of luck   

[cornykev]

Welcome to all you newbies and some not so new, whether you have a lottie, garden or a pot on a balcony your all welcome . 

[tonybloke]

welcome to the forum all of you gardeners. 

[Digeroo]

found that after initial interest nobody actually saved any seed

Welcome Galina.  I think you will find there are some very keen seed savers on here. We are currently becoming even keener.

And a big welcome to all the other gardeners and allotmenteers.