After carefully checking the forecast for today, I decided it would be a good use of a day off to spend it at the allotment. It’s been ages since I have been able to spend a full day on site, partly due to the weather (first too hot, then too wet!) and partly due to life being busy. The forecast was for rain in the morning – what’s new? But the afternoon and evening were dry. Shockingly, the sun might even put in an appearance! I suspect most Brits upon seeing the sun will think it’s a new form of rain considering just how much rain we have had over the past few weeks!
This morning Gertie didn’t seem her usual self. She didn’t really want breakfast or much to drink. On the other hand, she is working her way around the kitchen as shown by a trail of deposits. I was quite concerned with her poo as it was very runny and I was worried that she was egg bound with a broken egg. This can be fatal to a chicken. Before I left, I put her in the pet carrier and she settled down to sleep. Wondering what I would come back to, I headed out.
An expected surprise greeted me as I walked up the path to the shed – the door was open! I immediately checked inside and nothing had been taken or moved but I couldn’t work out why the door was open. As I pondered, I realised I was being shouted at. Turning, I saw an impatient Mavis jumping up and down, demanding to be fed. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed some handfuls of weeds and threw them in before heading down to the main coop to top up their food. The big girls were keen for their treats too and began stuffing their beaks as if they were starving and hadn’t been fed in weeks. Considering the amount of effort and time I put into the girls, I feel this reaction is melodramatic and rather ungrateful. I had difficulty in getting the full food bowl into the retirement coop without letting Maude and Mavis out, so keen were they to eat.
With two of the three coops sorted, it seemed sensible to check on the new coop. It’s strange going in without Gertie and as I did my usual count I found myself coming up short. There should be five chickens without Gertie. Why was there only four? Connie is a big personality in the coop and has rather a nasty habit of pecking at my feet. So where was she? It turned out, she was hiding in the nest box, attempting to be broody. I decided not to bother her today but muttered to myself about idiotic birds and an obsession with being broody.
With the chickens all sorted, it was time to crack on. The rain, although desperately needed after the June heatwave, has encouraged weeds to thrive. I began with the weeds on the path outside the shed and along the side of the compost bin. Pleased with the improvement, I carried onto the patio, clearing way as many weeds as possible. It wasn’t long before the compost heap resembled a mountain and I began to worry that there would be so many weeds that there wouldn’t be room for them all!
Armed with my trusty weed bucket, I moved onto the weeds along the edge of the plot. I confess to getting bored of pulling weeds partway down so to change things up, I grabbed the secateurs and began the usual hacking at the willow. Knowing how quickly it grows back, I had no hesitation in cutting the willow arch and screen back significantly. This meant the paths were clear allowing you to walk past without feeling like you needed a machete to get through. As I worked, the wind increased so I left the top of the willow for another day.
Back to weeding and I cleared all along the sides of the main coop. The back of the main coop is difficult to weed due to the weeds getting caught up in the green bird flu netting. Three weed buckets full later, and I decided to tackle the weeds in the Community Garden. Over the past few months, the garden has become increasingly overgrown. It’s such a lovely place to sit that I wanted to make sure it didn’t disappear under a mountain of bindweed. I began with the right side of the garden, carefully avoiding getting too close to the hive on the bench. It’s strange, weeding is a massive chore at the allotment, but if you keep at it long enough, it becomes quite relaxing. I usually listen to an audio book as I work at the allotment. Sometimes, I can get so lost in the story that when the chapter ends, time has disappeared and a whole section has been weeded.
As I approached the pond, the bindweed took over. It’s a nightmare weed and one that is incredibly difficult to get rid of. The white roots snap so easily and even the smallest root left in the soil will grow. The small child in me quite likes tackling bindweed as it’s the garden version of spaghetti. Once you have some in your arms, you can twist it and pull it. The tension helps rip it out and clears the area more quickly. I plodded onwards until my arms and back ached. Looking at my watch, I was astonished to see it was nearly seven o’clock! Stopping only to take a few photos of my work, I headed home to check on Gertie.
When I arrived home, I found her up and about. She clucked at me as I topped up her bowl. Typically, she managed to overturn the water bowl the second I had finished refilling it with fresh water, flooding the floor. However, I forgave her as she tucked in hungrily to her food. What I was less impressed with was where I found her roosting an hour later. Our outdoor shoes are stacked to one side of the back door. On top of these, snoring away, was the marauding Gertie! The cheek of that animal! Needless to say, I removed her from my outdoor shoes and put her onto her perch.
So the plan over the weekend is to tackle the weeds at the front of the main coop and under the fruit trees. This area has long needed some attention and assuming the weather stays dry, clearing it will make the plot look much more respectable!
The Good Life Crewe 
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