Allotments 4 All

by her pic in the Gallery ... but (most of) the effort today was mine own...

What a fab couple of hours allotmenting I had today!  My back is seizing up and the top of my right arm aches the mad - but what they hey!?  :D

Did I care that two of the blokes on the site turned round and said 'Blimey, what are you doing here - it isn't March yet!'.....I did not!

Unbelievably, the ground is digging like a dream (considering)....just turned over a little bit to get the garlic in and:
- harvested a couple each of leeks, swede and celeriac
- with the help of my neighbour moved a double compost bin
- tried to start a bonfire and failed as I was sadly underequipped with newspaper to start it and everything in the shed was too damp!
- started to clear and level the ground where the shed is being moved to on No 2 plot
- mucked under the apple tree, tayberry and boysenberry

With a bit of luck and a fair wind might get some more done tomorrow!

Muchos gracias for the inspiration!

AC    ;)

Happy  days  are  here  again!  Tra la la la la la la la la.....

hooray! i was hoping the weather was kind to you!

feels great doesn't it?

 ;D

I was inspired too, and what a mild day - spent all afternoon clearing the front garden of winter detritus - very satisfying - picking up a load of manure for the lottie tomorrow morning with nice neighbour with a trailer - hoorah

amazingly mild, i might have a bbq tonight!

Manure - now there's a thing.

The Plot Secretary tells me we aren't getting any more of our horse muck because the government doesn't allow the movement (if you'll pardon the pun) of animal waste.  Any of you guys heard about it?  All my research come up with was a ban during the foot and mouth crisis.  
AC???

Bizarre - can you find out where s/he got this information from?

reminds me of the librarian who recently wouldn't let me renew my library books over the phone "because of the data protection act"

God - the world's gone mad!  I did ask him for his source - it came third hand via the Secretary who heard it from a plotholder who had seen it on the ODPM of DeFRA website on the internet.

The trouble is that now, unless I can prove otherwise, the supply of manure will not be resumed!!
ARGH!!

AC

Ceri, as an ex-librarian, I think that's ridiculous!!!!!!

Unless you didn't know who you were and had to ask her for your own name/address details??
 ;D

Ten x

Cannot move animal waste??? I can just imagine all the horses at my yard being up to their elbows in their own pooh now. Unless we can train them to go to the muck heap and do it there. But then the muck heap'll be so huge it'll take over the whole of East London.

I haven't heard anything about this. Are you sure it wasn't just an F&M thing?

OK - just had a look at Defre site and it seems to suggest that it only applies to manure from farmed animals (horses not included) but then it seems to be F&M manure only. confused. I think it is against Defra's nature (not that they'd know about nature if it kicked them up the backside) to actually write something that makes sense. Have a look, if you dare: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/DraftGuidance/manureguidancev2.pdf

Hi All
I believe the intelligence  to be highly suspect!  I wouldn't be surprised if somebody has just put their own (and maybe incorrect) interpretation on things ....  trouble is, people on the Committee have translated this as 'no more poo allowed' and those with the power are unanimous in this!!

My powers of persuasion may prevail - in the meantime I'll have to look for a stable wanting rid of the muck heap and somebody with a trailer ....  

AC  8)

A good place to start in your search for stables is http://www.bhs.org.uk/Riding_Schools/bhs_approvals.htm

Unless I'm mistaken - you're in London, right? what part?

Ta Aqui - I'll check the link out!  I'm in West London, nearly in Bucks!  
AC

got my trailer load of muck today - unfortunately its not well rotted as I'd hoped - in fact it was literally steaming way - good start for my very small compost heap (the problem with  brand new lottie is not a lot of make compost with - as I didn't get winter green manure in this year - am tempted to try a 'hot bed' with some of it though.  Great to be finally doing something construction - this time of year I find extremely frustrating as I'm all geared up to get growing!

Lucky you - nothing like a pile of steaming manure, IMHO!  (that last sentence made me think that I need to get out more....)

If you can bear to pile it up and rot down for three to six months, you will have just the best soil conditioner!
If you have comfrey, it doesn't mind a mulch of fresh manure - or at least. mine doesn't!

AC

you're so right - a couple of years ago I would never have imagined coming home to husband and saying excitedly - you should see the stack of manure I just got - all steaming and lovely!!!  It used to be look at the shoes I found in the "sale" today, all glittery and lovely!

How life changes.

Big treat - got a heated propogator for the 1st time yesterday (another "look what I found in the "sale" darling..." conversation!), I'm so amused with myself I can't decide what to start off with!

But the thing is does hubby prefer manure conversations o the shoe conversations?

As an aside, I've decided I have Hobbit tendencies ... I'm short, like eating, lurve gardening and hate wearing shoes!

AC x

what on earth does what he actually prefers have to do with anything - I am a goddess, he should just be grateful I'm here!!!

(In reality, he'd rather talk about anything but gardening and does lots of raising his eyes to the ceiling)!!

Oh! I've got one of those too!  I can see him drifting off to his own special place when I start on the gardening thing....

But to be fair, I do exactly the same thing when he starts talking about model aeroplanes.....  we all have our cross to bear....   ;)

AC

some of us have bigger crosses than others - not for nothing did my husband neglect to tell me about his enthusiasm for American country music until AFTER we were married - I can't remember saying 'for better, for worse, for appalling titled country music songs'

brngs to mind the occasion when watching a gardening programme with Littl'un and her friend in the room. I was making the usual "o look at that,      ..... Isn't that a lovely colour" noises; as you do; when I heard Littl'un say to her friend.........
......." Dont worry, you dont have to look, just say mmmmmm and she'll be happy and we can carry on playing"

The youth of today!