Adventures in the life of an English allotment
This afternoon I ambled down to the allotment ready to get stuck into the jungle that used to be our plot. With rain forecast, I started at the top of the plot, clearing the strawberry bed which had disappeared under several hundred bindweed and mare's tail plants. Clearing the bed took over an hour and... Continue Reading →
Today was hot. Really hot. Too hot. I went down to the allotment this morning to get ahead of the weeds. I started with the weeds in the greenhouse which insist on growing in our tomato bed. The mix of bindweed and mares tail is lethal to any plants attempting to grow within several feet... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, I finally made it down to the plot. We've had some rain this week and I was dreading what I would find. I imagined the weeds would be several feet taller and the greenhouse would resemble an overgrown jungle. Much to my surprise, the plot wasn't as dreadful as I thought it would... Continue Reading →
Despite the humidity, I forced myself down to the allotment this morning. The heat was oppressive even though the sky was beginning to cloud over. My first job was to open up the shed and put up the sunshade. I checked on Maude and Mavis who were clucking loudly, demanding some treats. I headed across... Continue Reading →
After finishing work, I headed down to the allotment. It's something I keep meaning to do after work - a couple of hours here and there during the week would lessen how much weeding needs to be done over the weekend! Somehow though, despite my best intentions, it doesn't happen. But today it did! I... Continue Reading →
What should you do when drowning in strawberries? Make jam. Lots and lots of jam. Despite my husband's heroic efforts to work his way through the kilos of strawberries I have harvested, there were tons leftover. Whilst giving strawberries to the chickens would undoubtedly result in their undying love for me, it wouldn't be good... Continue Reading →
Just before lunchtime, I headed out to the allotment. The weeds have been taking over and the Nest House needed cleaning out. Stopping for a quick chat with Liz and Sarah, I quickly checked on Gertie, Winnie and Coco in the New Coop. Gertie was in the corner and the other two were finally off... Continue Reading →
Sad news from the plot this morning. I ambled down before work to find one our little bantams had passed away in the New Coop. Initially, I thought it was Foxy, but closer inspection of the comb revealed it wasn't. It's such a shame as she was growing into a lovely bird (albeit a very... Continue Reading →
This afternoon, we dashed down to the allotment to drop off supplies for the chickens and compost bags for the greenhouse. My husband dumped the food outside the main coop and got busy digging over the beds. Periodically, he threw some weeds into the Omlet for the Little Weed Destroyers. The lack of Trixie caught... Continue Reading →
What a day! I can't remember the last time I spent a full day at the allotment, work has been so busy! I arrived down on site at about half nine, determined to finish hoeing the plot. A mere fifteen minutes later and the job was done! I love my WolfGarten tiller, it makes life... Continue Reading →
Apart from feeding the chickens and checking that the new girls are coping in the main coop, we spent half an hour harvesting the first of our crops. As my husband got busy picking our white strawberries, I ran around making sure that all the chickens had a full water bowl. Chickens can't lower their... Continue Reading →
This afternoon I ambled down to the allotment to clean out the greenhouse. Phil and Steve were down and stopped to say hello. It turns out that the new people on Plot 1 were down. I walked across to say welcome to the site. John, his wife and all three children were all busy digging... Continue Reading →
We have had an old wooden pallet for years. It was actually the pallet the olive tree was delivered on several years ago! It has lived in the chicken run for most of that time and latterly, has been abandoned outside the main coop. I have been pondering what to do with it for months... Continue Reading →
Today I walked down to the allotment in fits of excitement. Tracy had sent me a couple of photos half an hour earlier of four black pallets stacked on our plot. I couldn't wait to get started! When I arrived, I immediately went to feed the chicks. They seem to be doubling in size every... Continue Reading →
Early this morning, I walked down to the allotment determined to get lots done before it got any hotter. The temperature over the next week is supposed to rocket up into the high 20's/low 30's.As I arrived, I opened up the greenhouse, fed three hungry chicks and a grumpy Emily before making a start on... Continue Reading →
This evening after work, I ambled down to the allotment to get Emily and her chicks in. Poor Geoff had tried to get them back into their run and they had led him a merry dance. Understandably, he gave up and left them too it. Upon our arrival, they were all happily chilling out in... Continue Reading →
Late this morning, I ambled down to the allotment, enjoying the bright autumn sunshine. Although the temperature has dropped, it is warm enough if you keep away from the shade. I love these cool and bright days on site - there are still a few remaining leaves on the trees, bright splashes of vivid yellow... Continue Reading →
I got down to the allotment this morning to find Squeak sitting quietly in the corner of the coop. It's rather unusual behaviour for her and even more so when she showed no interest in bread. She is always the first one to get the first piece as she elbows the others out of the... Continue Reading →
The Good Life Crewe 
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