Topic: Cooking on site - any tips?

[hopalong]

Slightly off topic I know, but toilets have been mentioned. We've just had new composting toilets installed with some spare cash generated by charging subs that turned out to be too high. They look like little swiss cottages with chimneys.  I'll take a pic when I'm down there next week.  The allotment secretary has been challenged by the local paper to have his picture taken with his trousers down "christening" one of the new toilets, with champagne glass in hand. He has declined!

[THE MASTER]

Slightly off topic I know, but toilets have been mentioned. We've just had new composting toilets installed with some spare cash generated by charging subs that turned out to be too high. They look like little swiss cottages with chimneys.  I'll take a pic when I'm down there next week.  The allotment secretary has been challenged by the local paper to have his picture taken with his trousers down "christening" one of the new toilets, with champagne glass in hand. He has declined!

just read all of this thread and it has given me a brill idea
we at ashford ave are geting the first of a new type of composting toilets . they have dug out the pit to put the toilets on (the pit is over 4" deep+)
now your wondering wot my thoughts are
well our soil is clay and suprise suprise when they dug the pit for the toilet they pulled up some top quality london brick clay its good stuff as in the 1900,s the whole area used to be a clay pit
so with the clay thats been dug out to put the toilets on our site im gonna make a http://www.cherrywoodproject.co.uk/earthoven.html

[Squash63]

so with the clay thats been dug out to put the toilets on our site im gonna make a http://www.cherrywoodproject.co.uk/earthoven.html

Someone on our site suggested making an oven so I'm going to send her this link.  I'd love to have a brick pizza oven but that might be a bit too ambitious.

[PurpleHeather]

We have a chap who has built a large cabin and has a settee and a gas fire in it. Every one is looking for gas cookers and he is after a fridge he can use to keep his tins of beer cold.

He has also put a caravan style toilet in another tiny shed (we have some woodland behind our plots, on a slope so these temporary buildings do not show up like they might on other sites).

Years ago, people did not have flushing toilets and any one with a shed can make arrangements to relieve a number one on site. Urine does compost safely. It is a number two which could have unsafe content and this is best left at home.

As for cooking on site, barbies are common if  the weather allows in the summer. We encourage it because if the ever present vandals appear from the newly built social housing nearby then they can be shouted at and will scarper. We also get people going out and getting take away food.

I think it is difficult to wash veg properly on site and prefer to prep it and eat it at home. Thankfully too have a garden. Not too far then to stagger off to bed later.

[Jeanbean]

So pleased to read that there are others cooking on site. We are quite new to allotmenteering but decided early on that we needed a few home comforts. Every time we go over, which is almost every day, we empty the two storage sheds of some of their contents. Out comes the table and 2 chairs, the camping tilley and stand, tea, coffe etc and at weekends the sausages and onions with baps. We ususally have brunch about 11.30. This week our neighbour asked us to be quick with the cooking as it was making him feel hungry, so we invited him to join us. Then my daughter came over with something she called a reject. A beautiful lemon cake, iced as well. That we had for afternoon tea. We find this helps us to break the digging and gives us time to decide our tasks for the rest of the day. It has been said that whenever anyone comes over to see our progress we are brewing up. They just choose to come at the wrong time. In 2 months we have completely transformed the weeded plot into dug out, manured and partially planted beds so we think we deserve the refreshments. We are no spring chickens, I am retired and Mary is only a couple of years behind, plus we are amply proportioned so things take us a bit of time. On the toilet front, we have been using a bucket on the odd occasion we have needed it but have no acquired a porta potti from an old caravan that OH has. Needs a good clean but that will be wending it's way over soon.

[1066]

In 2 months we have completely transformed the weeded plot into dug out, manured and partially planted beds so we think we deserve the refreshments.

You deserve all the lemon cake and tea in the world for achieving so much in such a short space of time. Well done! Besides there is nothing like a slice of cake and a slurp of tea to give you a break and revive you!

[bridgehouse]

Loved all the cooking stories.I have three camping gas stoves and I have promised to cook b/fast for my two daughters if they will put in a little work for mom on the plot,bribery or what.
 Lol June.

[tonybloke]

Years ago, people did not have flushing toilets and any one with a shed can make arrangements to relieve a number one on site. Urine does compost safely. It is a number two which could have unsafe content and this is best left at home.

the only time your humanure could have unsafe content is if you are taking LOADS of drugs
( prescription)
folk happily put all sorts of animal manure on their land!!
http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.html
 for a bit of enlightenment!!  ;)

[hopalong]

Slightly off topic I know, but toilets have been mentioned. We've just had new composting toilets installed with some spare cash generated by charging subs that turned out to be too high. They look like little swiss cottages with chimneys.  I'll take a pic when I'm down there next week.  The allotment secretary has been challenged by the local paper to have his picture taken with his trousers down "christening" one of the new toilets, with champagne glass in hand. He has declined!

Here's a link to some information about our new allotment loos.  We have two of the Kazubaloo 1 toilets (hope that will be enough for a site with 180 plots!). The units don't need water supply, mains drainage or a soakaway.

http://kazuba.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=71

[artichoke]

http://www.lifeisland.org/?p=262

You just have to look at this. I've got the book, and it is crammed with brilliant ideas for cooking on plots and lovely photographs of people doing it. Such a shame that the area was bulldozed and concreted over last year.

One of my reasons for getting a second plot on a different site (lots of open space and trees) is so that grandsons can run about, make competitive bonfires, cook their own lunch etc. So far basic sausages and marshmallows, but I have plans.

[hopalong]

http://www.lifeisland.org/?p=262

You just have to look at this. I've got the book, and it is crammed with brilliant ideas for cooking on plots and lovely photographs of people doing it. Such a shame that the area was bulldozed and concreted over last year.

One of my reasons for getting a second plot on a different site (lots of open space and trees) is so that grandsons can run about, make competitive bonfires, cook their own lunch etc. So far basic sausages and marshmallows, but I have plans.

Thanks.  That's a great site. What a tragedy that the area has been bulldozed.  Why?!!

[artichoke]

To make a pathway for The Olympics

There was a campaign to preserve the allotment site as a little slice of England amid all the stadiums and athletics grounds - but it was ignored

[lewic]

What an amazing site, how awful they bulldozed it. I'll defo be buying the book!

[artichoke]

There's more about it here:

http://www.lifeisland.org/?p=372