Goodbye allotment, hello garden!

[antipodes]

Happy new year to all, somewhat belatedly!
As the gods have smiled on me, this year I will be moving to share a home with my wonderful new partner. He has a good chunk of land so we have been gardening our veg for over a year. As a result, this year I gave up my allotment. We painstakingly moved my rhubarb, artichokes (what a job!), grapevine, small fruit, flowers and herbs, then he kindly rotovated the whole plot. A trip to the dump to clear out all the junk accumulated! and a sweep of the shed.  And that was the end of a 10 year adventure for me.
Now starts a new one! We have about 200m2 devoted to our fruit and veg (plus fruit trees elsewhere) and this year I want to start doing a complete No Dig garden, as I have been so inspired by Charles Dowding! We have chooks and access to horse and cow manure so we have already started composting for the beds. I also want to build a hotbed, or coldframe where I can start the seedlings off to get a head start.  Our ducks have been weeding and delousing the garden for us for a week now, they love the slugs and snails and really don't seem to eat the crops! I have been overwintering garlic and broad beans and have nursed along salad crops (including the best Mizuna I have ever grown), kale, celeriac and black radish.
I am so excited about our shared love of nature and growing things. We are able to eat our own eggs, our own poultry hand raised, and we are still eating our summer veg, in jars or from the freezer.  I am truly blessed to have found this wonderful man and the beautiful garden we are able to share. I wish all of you the same blessings for 2018 and a delicious and bountiful harvest!

[antipodes]

[Obelixx]

That's great news Antipodes.  I wish you all the best for this new adventure.   Since I'm only an hour south of you maybe we can compare notes on what does well when we get our potager set up this spring.   We've been waiting for rain which has, at last, arrived.   45cm since mid December and more expected.   Great stuff!

[Pescador]

What a marvellous post Antipodes. Wishing you and OH a great 2018.
I too will be moving allotment this year, after almost 9 years in the east Midlands, we're moving to South Wales. I hope to have the allotment sorted out by Sunday 21st Jan, then, I suppose, we'll need a house!

[Obelixx]

Got your priorities right then!   Good luck with all of that.

[InfraDig]

A very happy new year to you!

[caroline7758]

I sounds idyllic, Antipodes, though I'm sure it's a lot of hard work! I'm another giving up the allotment this year due to moving house, hoping to get somewhere with a garden big enough for some veg.

[pumkinlover]

Hope it all goes well for all of you who are moving.
Pescador will you have to change any of your recipes to take account of regional preferences?
Antipodes we look forward to photos.

[Pescador]

Pumpinlover, I'll be trying to speak to Merlin at the earliest opportunity for his advice, but I would imagine extra Dragon's Breath will be needed.
It'll be a huge challenge to build up the brand again to a completely new set of customers!

[caroline7758]

We've seen a house this weekend which looks promising, but I'll say no more for fear of jinxing it!

[cambourne7]

yippie

[Digeroo]

Nice to hear things are going well and you are not missing all those lovelies back at your old plot.  Nice to find a kindred spirit.  Good luck with your growing.

[Paulines7]

I am pleased to read that you have settled down with your new partner, Antipodes, and that you have such a lovely garden.  May the new year bring forth a good harvest of fruit and veggies for you both. 

Pescador, good luck for your new venture in South Wales.  I hope it doesn't rain too much for you there.

Caroline, I hope all goes well for you and that you are successful in getting the house that you have seen. 

[Pescador]

Well, it's taken me a bit longer to sort out than I had anticipated. However, today I got a gentleman's agreement on a plot, plus a half or all of the neighbouring plot.
Just need the house now!!

[galina]

 Congratulations,  you've got your priorities right Pescador   

.
Just need the house now!!

[Obelixx]

Pescador - don't know what your usual range of preserves includes but I made that blood orange and chili marmalade recipe I mentioned and it is glorious.  Very fresh but spicy too.  Wonderful as a glaze with duck and chicken so far.    Less ketchupy than my usual chili jam with ginger, garlic and sometimes star anise.

Good luck with finding a kitchen to go with the allotment!

[Pescador]

Went back down today to check out allotment. Mine will be the one on the left, 7 x 19m approx. The one on the right, I should be able to have half or all. (All would be my choice)
Then at lunchtime I found a house and put an offer in! (Well I need somewhere to make the chutneys etc!)