Allotments 4 All

General => News => Topic started by: Bubbles26 on March 14, 2012, 21:44:42

Title: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Bubbles26 on March 14, 2012, 21:44:42
Today we 'dug ourselves in to a corner' so to speak, after a month and a half of digging non-stop we finally finished all 120sm :) :)

Never in my life have I worked so hard for something and enjoyed it so much.

We marked out all our beds today also and trod down all the paths.

We removed over 100 black sacks of weed roots and bits of broken tress. It was all couch, bindweed and brambles so just took them all to the dump as we went along as there wasn't time or room to let them dry to be burned.

Very much looking forward to getting up there tomorrow to do some actual planting  :) :)

Chuffed.com
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: willsy on March 14, 2012, 21:48:26
Well done you Bubbles. Lots of hard work but it will be worth it when you start to eat all you have   planted.
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: manicscousers on March 14, 2012, 21:49:48
Now for the fun stuff, enjoy your planting  ;D
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Duke Ellington on March 14, 2012, 21:56:30
Another  well done from me Bubbles. I remember that feeling so well. When we took over our overgrown allotment we spent nearly every Saturday and  Sunday digging, clearing, bagging up weeds and rubble etc.  We used to take a packed lunch to the allotment and I use to set up the slow cooker so that we had a meal ready at home after a hard days work.
We were shattered when we got home but it was a "lovely shattered"  ;D

Good luck with your lottie  :)

Duke
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Bubbles26 on March 14, 2012, 22:00:23
Quote from: Duke Ellington on March 14, 2012, 21:56:30
We used to take a packed lunch to the allotment and I use to set up the slow cooker so that we had a meal ready at home after a hard days work.
We were shattered when we got home but it was a "lovely shattered"  ;D


That is just like us!  ;D We trundle up to out plot in the morning with two flasks of coffee, a packed lunch, and some chocolate (for the afternoon slump) and spend all day up there.

Wish we had a slow cooker though :( Not really the right investment as spring arrives though, will be treating myself to a steamer instead :)

Thanks Guys :)
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: gavinjconway on March 14, 2012, 22:01:55
Well done Bubbles...

FYI.. I have dug a quarter of my plot now and collected huge piles of weeds, Dogwood and Laurel hedge and burnt it all with old pallets - then removed the nails with a magnet and collected up the ash to use as potash. I will be soon using a drum with holes poked in the sides.. I will continue pick up pallets, planks and any wood I see and cut them up to suit the drum. No need to go to the tip.. rather use the ash as potash.
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: gaz2000 on March 14, 2012, 22:04:59
well done..

great feeling having it all cleared and planning it all out   ;D
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Duke Ellington on March 14, 2012, 22:32:49
Ohhh Bubbles I can't tell you the amount of times I put a chicken in the slow cooker to roast during the summer. We used to eat it with a salad And steamed new potatoes!

Duke
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: elvis2003 on March 15, 2012, 00:01:24
Quote from: Duke Ellington on March 14, 2012, 22:32:49
Ohhh Bubbles I can't tell you the amount of times I put a chicken in the slow cooker to roast during the summer. We used to eat it with a salad And steamed new potatoes!

Duke
our slow cooker is our best friend during the growing season (thanks dad) otherwise we are soooo tired getting in we end up getting a takeaway...sort of defeats the object!
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: shirlton on March 15, 2012, 07:18:37
Its a lovely feeling when you have dug over your plot. All the better if like me, you enjoy digging.
We bought a small slowcooker but realised we needed a large one to make enough for freezing some food for when we come back tired and hungry
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Lottiman on March 15, 2012, 07:46:01
Well done you , and it sounds like you have enjoyed every minute, so that's the really hard work done now comes the really enjoyable bit ;D I,ll second everyone with the slow cooker a great investment :)
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Hi_Hoe on March 15, 2012, 07:58:20
 ;D

Well done bubbles, The hard work is over (for now).. You can now sit back and relax and look forward to planting!!

I dug over 300 sq mtrs by hand ALONE and remember how i felt when it was over. I think i said something like "Thank F**k for that!" ;)

Yes, the best is yet to come, Bubbles. Best of luck!

x
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: gazza1960 on March 15, 2012, 08:01:54
Brilliant to read Bubbles,I know how pleased you must feel to have got the back breaking part behind you.

Have a great growing season...... ;)

Gazza
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: antipodes on March 15, 2012, 13:46:22
Blimey maybe I should get a slow cooker (Is that what we used to call a Crockpot in Australia)? When I have dug over the allotment by myself, I have to drag myself back and then cook lunch for everyone else who are moaning that I took too long  :'(   :'(
I never take down tea or anything as I don't have time to stop and drink it.
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Ellen K on March 15, 2012, 14:59:32
Congratulations and well done Bubbles26.

People often tell you that you don't have to do it all in the first year etc ... but I've seen plotholders with ground under cover 5 years later - better to hit it with all you've got in one go.

Live up to your name and buy a bottle of champers or what ever you do to celebrate - you've certainly earned it.
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 15, 2012, 18:04:18
I have a rice cooker-cum-slow cooker, Mostly it's used for rice, but a slow cooker is a godsend when you need one.
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Borlotti on March 15, 2012, 18:05:46
Good for you, but you haven't really finished, you have just started.  Allotments take over your life.  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Bubbles26 on March 15, 2012, 18:12:49
Quote from: gavinjconway on March 14, 2012, 22:01:55
Well done Bubbles...

FYI.. I have dug a quarter of my plot now and collected huge piles of weeds, Dogwood and Laurel hedge and burnt it all with old pallets - then removed the nails with a magnet and collected up the ash to use as potash. I will be soon using a drum with holes poked in the sides.. I will continue pick up pallets, planks and any wood I see and cut them up to suit the drum. No need to go to the tip.. rather use the ash as potash.


Would love to do that - we have an incinerator we just don't have any way to get the pallets - my car has a tiny boot and I'm not sure tying them to the roof in entirely legal lol  ???
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Bubbles26 on March 15, 2012, 18:23:35
Hmmm, perhaps I should get a slow cooker, all sounds pretty good  ???

I know the work has only just started really but it is so nice to be able to be proactive rather than just 'reacting' to the jumble of weeds.

Today we dug a load of compost in to the spud beds, planted the early spuds, I dug over and then sieved a part of a bed and planted a few early carrots - they may not come to anything but you never know

I know people say that you don't have to do it all in one go but I don't think I could stand looking at a large space that could be being used for veg just sitting there doing nothing.

My OH has now got his eye on the award for the best cultivated plot in its first season that our association organises, I just want to eat some of our own veg - that will be reward enough.

Thanks for all the lovely comments guys - its great to have people to share our good news with :)
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: Normylass on March 18, 2012, 17:55:03
Wow well done Bubbles, you should be really proud  ;D
Title: Re: We have finished!!!!
Post by: willsy on March 31, 2012, 23:17:12
Just had a little laugh at your name Bubbles 26 as that is our grand daughters nickname for the obvious reason.She was always passing little bubbles when she was tiny. Anyway well done on finishing your big dig. Now its the big planting time.Keep us posted of your progress.