We've just had a new intake for our Starter Plots.
This was started two years ago. We'd realised for some time that a full-size or even a half-size plot was just too daunting for newcomers with little or no experience, especially one completely overgrown, which most were. So we developed the idea of Starter Plots: just a pair of raised beds, each about 12 feet by 4 feet, plus a share in a communal area which included compost heaps and cold frames. They had the plot for a season - October to October - at the end of which time they had a choice of staying put for a further season or moving on to a "proper" plot. Three of the first group now have their own plots and four of last year's intake have just moved on. They are now happily hacking, burning and strimming their new plots!
And we've just signed up five new members to take over. Yesterday we had a session with them all, looking at what they hoped to grow, plus how and when to go about it; gave them some faact-sheets with basic info; then did a teach-in on the strimmers and left them cutting the grass round their beds. They all seemed very enthusiastic.; more importantly, they met each other and quite a few of the Committee. And two of them turned up to our working party this morning to help tidy the site for the winter!
Hopefully, this time next year they'll be tackling real plots as well!
