Adventures in the life of an English allotment
At lunchtime, I headed down to the allotment with a vague plan of watering seedlings and feeding chickens. Several hours later, covered in dirt I realised I had not only lost track of time, but had been rather productive! I always check on the chickens first and I was greeted enthusiastically at the run door... Continue Reading →
Today I headed down to the plot early with a long list of jobs to do. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It's been weeks since we had such beautiful weather! My first job was the most important, catching up on all the site news with Cliff and Geoff.... Continue Reading →
Finally, after weeks of delays, we finally managed to get down to the allotment for a decent amount of time. As usual, we are behind everyone else but after a decade, I have resigned myself to this, ignoring my annual resolution to be more organised next year. My first job was to clear out the... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, wrapped up warm against the cold, I headed out to the allotment to start the huge task of digging out the main coop. It's a long and difficult job which takes ages - and I have a tendency to leave it for as long as possible which doesn't help! First, I checked on... Continue Reading →
Well, here we are at the end of 2024! It's been a very challenging year at the allotment with a spectacularly wet winter and spring which meant we couldn't get onto the plot before May. By which time half the growing season was over so there wasn't too much we could do! and upon returning... Continue Reading →
It's that time of year when the plot and life on the site slows. Although there are still lots of people on site, the cold and rain have more than a touch of autumn which will drive everyone else away over the winter except for us chicken keepers. But due to being away quite a... Continue Reading →
Over the past two days, we have made huge inroads into the jungle of weeds which used to be our plot. On Saturday afternoon, I headed down and focused on clearing the nettles, doc plants and other weeds from the back of Geoff's plot. The nettles are lethal and it was challenging to cut them... Continue Reading →
Finally, we have had a couple of dry days - the weather went so far as to show a hint of blue sky and sunshine in between the clouds. With yet more rain forecast overnight, I headed down to the plot to see if it was dry enough to do some prepping for the new... Continue Reading →
When I walked down to the plot this afternoon, I knew what I would find. Storm Katherine came through yesterday evening and overnight, bringing with it a torrent of rain and high winds. I knew the plot was going to be awful when I let the Topknot Gang out in the garden this morning to... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, we both strolled down to the plot to get going on some jobs before the forecast washout for the rest of the week. It's frustrating as the plot is only just beginning to drain after the last deluge. Our first job was to check on the new girls in the Main Coop. There... Continue Reading →
With the rain of yesterday over, I went down to the allotment this morning to see how the plot had faired after yet more rain. I'm not hopeful that we'll be able to start off any of our crops for another two to three weeks as it will take at least that long for the... Continue Reading →
Before work, I headed down to the allotment, blissfully unaware of what awaited me in the Omlet. I always begin with Maude and Mavis when checking the chickens as their coop is right by the shed. When I arrived, I spotted Maude on the floor. I rushed over thinking she might have injured herself only... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I ambled down the plot to catch up with everyone and feed the chickens. The sun was out, the sky was blue and there was more than a hint of spring in the air. It was lovely to see the site busy, with people appearing after their winter hibernation. Despite wind, rain and snow,... Continue Reading →
With a couple of dry days (finally!), I managed to get down to the plot and finally start sorting out the growing beds. Grabbing my trusty Wolfgarten tiller, I began on the top bed by the pond. I decided due to the heaviness of the soil, which was still holding a lot of moisture, I... Continue Reading →
With the next storm rolling in, I went down to the allotment this afternoon to check on the chickens and to make sure everything was tied down ready for the very high winds which were coming. Maude and Mavis were tucked away in their nest box avoiding the wind and rain. As I checked over... Continue Reading →
It's always worth pausing at the end of the year to think about what has happened and to plan for the next year. Looking back on the allotment year, it's been eventful with the arrival of new chickens and quail as well as a new roof on the Main Coop. We have welcomed Qwerty, Quinta... Continue Reading →
Yesterday we lost Elsie. Despite seeming to perk up once she was at home, she passed away in the night. Elsie was one of Trixie's chicks from the same clutch as Gordon, Little Miss, Flame and Smoke. Elsie was initially very timid and spent much of her time sitting on the perch in the new... Continue Reading →
With the weather forecast dry for today, I headed down to the allotment hopeful of a productive day. Upon arrival, I dashed around the coops to feed the girls. I noticed that Elsie, who has been a little quiet the last few days, was having a dust bath by the ramp. Pleased that she seemed... Continue Reading →
Over the past week, the nights have been noticeably drawing in, with the chickens taking themselves to bed much earlier. The temperature has dropped and the autumnal drizzle is making a determined appearance from battleship grey clouds that cover the sky. The chickens have been snuggling together at night, keeping each other warm. It's the... Continue Reading →
Today was a brilliant day on the plot. At lunchtime, I was joined by the Lea family. It has been a couple of years since I last saw the children and it was lovely to spend time with them all on the allotment. The children all love the outdoors and were very keen to help... Continue Reading →
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