south yorkshire

[North Country Boy]

That would be great. Excuse my ignorance but what is NCB? Do the guys breed the pigs for their own use or they into a bit of small scale producing? I wish now i'd have used this site before i signed up for Woodlands, knew about the site in Scawthorpe but couldn't find it and would have liked to rear a few pigs for myself and family.

[North Country Boy]

[North Country Boy]

Feel a bit of a div now, just realised NCB is me  :-[

[Carol]

I was reading it as National Coal Board, so not so daft really.

;D ;D ;D

[johcharly]

North Country Boy, yeah the guys raise them mainly for themselves, with a few going for selling around the area, I think the price of pigs has improved a bit so it makes it worthwhile, havent bumped into the chicken bloke yet, will post again when I have directions. BTW are you on the top gardens or the highfields side

[North Country Boy]

johcharly, im in the allotments on the main road, opposite the highfields estate just before the roundabout, if your coming out of town. Would like to meet up or perhaps email as i am very interested in your lottie, especially the pig part. Would love to raise a few weaners each year, unfortunately the allotments where i am do not allow any live stock other than the feathered variety, although i am working on it. My email address is shane.pyle1@virgin.net

[moonbells]

I'm going to chip in this thread too - cos I'm not really a southerner even though I live in Bucks: I come from near Chesterfield originally, my grandad was the family allotmenteer till he was 82, had one at the end of College Avenue in Staveley. I used to beg him to take me up there when I was a kid, used to love standing on the wooden gate when he opened it... he used to give me marrow plants and I was hooked on growing veggies by about age 10... so I guess it was inevitable I would get one someday.
My godfather has a lottie in Wingerworth still, and it looks so nice compared with mine!

moonbells

[moonbells]

Hi Wardy

I know what you mean.  The sense of community and living history as well as the physical presence of allotments is something to hang on to, and also the knowledge of working with the land that people got by listening to their predecessors and then doing. I'm trying to record all the hints and tips that I find, as then they are there for the reading.
 
I do wish now that I could have known my grandparents better. I was born of older parents and so my grands were in their 70s by the time I was old enough to talk.  There are so many things I wish I could have known to ask, not just about Grandad's allotment.  But at least by carrying on the tradition, we remember.

Best wishes (and for the back - I've been there too!)

moonbells

[Shoyu]

My Grandad used to have an allotment in Doncaster, I have moved away from the area now.

I bought some point of lay pullets from Wards who at that time (about 20 years ago!) were between Warmsworth and Sprotbrough. I also "rescued" some ex factory hens from a farm in Marr. They feathered up and settled in beautifully. Clarice the last one to pass away lived to be about 12 and she was still laying eggs up to being 8 or 9. She used to chase my dad around the garden pinching worms when he was digging. We always had to save her a piece of cream cake and she would dive into the cream part head first.

[silverback1948]

north country boy.
                 
  wish i could help !

[mc55]

any one out there got a allotment near south yorkshire.my plot is in Sheffield.love to hear from you.

Hey Greenfingers ... my new allotment is in Sheffield - Meersbrook site.  Its fab, only had it for a couple of months and am LURVING IT - where are you ?

Just had my first bonfire today, sorry guys, but everything is exciting when you're new!
mc

[sueparkin]

Hi mc55

I've got a lottie at Meersbrook too - if the gate is open on number 73, feel free to pop in for a cuppa - but don't expect mine to look as good as yours - been away from home a lot this year and my lottie is a terrible mess.

Have you met Harry and Shirley in the hut yet? -It's well worth dropping in on Sunday mornings to buy everything you need.

Sue

[mc55]

Hi Sue -  great to meet you !  Will certainly pop in for a cuppa, have only met a couple of my neighbours so far, think its the wrong time of year.   

where will I find Harry, Shirley and the hut ???  Can't wait to see what goodies they have.
Michelle

[northener]

Hello fellow southyorkys I'm in Wombwell near Barnsley.

[mc55]

hey there Northener, how's Wombwell ?

[Travman]

I'm in the general region i suppose.
Castleford, West Yorks

[Bagpuss74]

Another one chipin in...  I'm in Chesterfield and fairly new to all this veg lark.  Hi Sue and MC - I drive through Meersbrook every day - where's the allotments there then?

[northener]

Wombwells great MC, back on its feet again after miners strike

[mc55]

Wombwell ... what a great name -  I wonder who came up with such fantastical place names. 

Bagpuss, the lotties at Meersbrook are pretty big (400 plots), but they're well hidden between the woods and houses.  There are a few entrances, mine is near to Carfield Place - I've put a Google Earth link in the Website Suggestions section which will show you where the allotments are.

Seem to be quite a few unworked allotments unfortunately.

[sueparkin]

Hi Sue -  great to meet you !  Will certainly pop in for a cuppa, have only met a couple of my neighbours so far, think its the wrong time of year.   I'm at 303 (from your plot its up to the left and then across three paths (very close to the small car park)

where will I find Harry, Shirley and the hut ???  Can't wait to see what goodies they have.
Michelle

Hi Michelle - the hut is by the bottom entrance and you'll find Harry and Shirley there between 10 and 11 on Sunday mornings and on one afternoon - possibly Tuesday but I am always at work in the week so I tend to go on Sunday. The hut is a great source of advice, banter, cheap seeds and everything else you could possibly need - well worth a visit.

Sue

[samndoo]

Hi all,

I'm also in sunny Sheffield - Gleadless Allotments.  Big problem with vandalism, but the big bonus is that the lotty is just over the road - very overgrown tho' & much work to be done:(

Big hopes for this year - ever the optomist ::)