Adventures in the life of an English allotment
The weather was amazing today - bright, clear and with glorious winter sunshine. When I arrived on site, I found Cliff and Michael had moved their chairs to sit in the sunshine as they enjoyed a cuppa. We had arranged yesterday that we would do a tip run with Cliffs trailer to remove some rubbish... Continue Reading →
Today was a day of two halves. This morning, I ambled down with good intentions of cleaning out the Nest House. I stopped to say hello to Geoff and Cliff and ended up chatting to them for a while despite the cold. When Derek joined us, we all put our heads together to work out... Continue Reading →
With my husband and I planning a big Day out, I rushed down to the allotment at 8am this morning. As I arrived, I was greeted by a morning chorus of crows. Tommy's crow is instantly recognisable as it ends with a flourish. It's also longer than the other cockerels which I think must antagonise... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, I walked down to the allotment weighed down with some seed potatoes, onions and other odds and ends for the new growing season. It was increasingly misty, with the BT building behind the site a shadow rather than the looming landmark it usually is. As all the chickens had enough food and water... Continue Reading →
Typically, I overslept this morning resulting in a mad dash to get ready and to the allotment to feed the chickens before the inspection began. Cramming on my hat, I ran out the door, arriving on site with just enough time to clean out the nest boxes in the greenhouse and main coop. As I... Continue Reading →
Rain was forecast for today. Not just a bit of rain, but what the news was calling 'Washout Saturday'. When I got up this morning and looked out of the window, the sun was out and the ground slightly damp. And that was it. So much for 'Washout Saturday' I muttered to myself as I... Continue Reading →
So although it's not quite midnight, I thought I would do a quick review of the year. All over social media, everyone is sharing their highs and lows, so I think I will jump onto the bandwagon! It's been another busy year on the plot! Our feathery flock has expanded massively, welcoming in a small... Continue Reading →
The hardest decision at this time of year is choosing what to grow in the spring. Every year there are long debates on site about whether this variety of potato is tastier/better/stores longer (delete as appropriate!), which type of tomatoes have the best fruit and so on and so forth. Usually, I have a clear... Continue Reading →
I ambled down to the allotment this afternoon, intending to have a quick visit. I ended up staying for quite a bit longer. When I opened up the shed, I found a lovely surprise waiting for me! A beautiful calendar to go up in the shed with a thoughtful note attached. There really is something... Continue Reading →
In the drizzle, a particular type of rain which is a specialty of the British weather, I ambled down to the allotment. Upon my arrival, I discovered Geoff and Cliff and stopped to have a chat. With family up over Christmas, it's been a few days since I caught up with everyone. It seems that... Continue Reading →
Armed with a willing volunteer, I headed down to feed the chickens. Thankfully it wasn't foggy or raining as it has been the majority of the past week. All the chickens were getting ready for bed, with several of the not pleased at our intrusion. However, we were quickly forgiven when the sunflower seeds came... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, while there was still enough light, I finally managed to clean out Maude and Mavis's coop. Currently, their coop sits on the edge of the patio, sheltered from the wind and rain by the fence and the side of the house. Fortunately, when I bought their Omlet, it came with a 2m long... Continue Reading →
Down early today lugging several hundred weight of water and the new tree. As I checked on all the different chicken coops, I discovered that the Nest House needed a proper clean out. With the majority of the girls (and even Tommy) sleeping inside, it needs cleaning out more regularly. So I grabbed a bucket,... Continue Reading →
At the moment there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to fit everything in. Usual last minute preparations for Christmas today saw me dash down to the allotment at four o'clock, just as it began to get properly dark. Leia and Flora were already half asleep on the top of the... Continue Reading →
So we are being battered by another storm with high winds and rain causing flooding and damage all across the country. At home, aside from a fence panel, we have got off lightly. Both coops with the silkies and our veteran bantams have stood firm against the onslaught. But I always worry about the allotment... Continue Reading →
Late morning, I dragged my husband down to the allotment to help me try and make our main coop biosecure. DEFRA have introduced restrictions for poultry due to several cases of pathogenic avian flu across the UK. Unfortunately, this seems to be happening more regularly, with last year being a particularly bad year. To be... Continue Reading →
The temperature has significantly dropped over the past two days. Going out to the allotment now requires some serious thought about how many layers of clothing are needed to keep warm. As I was only popping out to feed the chickens, I opted for my fleece lined walking trousers a thick fleece top and walking... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, after chairing an EGM meeting, I went back down the allotment to sort out the chickens. With the drop in temperature over the past few days, the Warden has set a date for the water being turned off. So in preparation for it being off tomorrow, I had planned on cleaning out the... Continue Reading →
Mid-afternoon, my husband and I ambled down to the allotment armed with coop cleaning supplies and two empty food boxes. Upon our arrival, we chatted briefly to Cliff before we headed off to open up the shed. First job was to sort out cleaning the Omlet. The feathery weed destroyers were left to roam while... Continue Reading →
After pottering down to feed the chickens and collect half a dozen eggs this morning. We headed back home. A friend who runs his own gardening business had offered us some chippings. There are endless uses for chippings on an allotment from using it for paths, helping keep chickens off the mud and compost. Some... Continue Reading →
The Good Life Crewe 
Recent Comments