How funky are these girls!

One tries to be organic; yeah, yeah - I eat brown rice and lentils and wear sandals, so what!

Back to the point. Apart from pigeons (watch this space!) my chief problem is slugs and snails. I won't use chemicals so what to do?

Enter Bev and Neil's chickens - they love all the titbits I collect up whilst working the plot. Result for all parties (apart from the slugs and snails that is!). Bev tells me they are getting some Light Sussex's ( southerners, huh!). My question is - will they eat caterpillars? The current lot don't - Neil and I tried last year but they didn't go down well. Back to the drawing board on this one!

Mark (I'm on the train!) Plot 17

Thursday 1st April - Lawn Sowing Event 1pm

Honest! It's no fools joke. All are invited join the working party -

We are tackling that great big mud patch on plot 2 and turning it into a grassed area for Allotment Community Events. So please ... grab a shovel and meet us on plot 2 at 1pm on Thursday for some lawn edging and grass sowing.
xx
Ps if someone can take some photos and e-mail them to our address we can pop them on the Blog

Thanks to one and all!

A great big thanks to all who were able to come and help with the Pot Hole Stuffing event !!!
xxx

Just for Info

As required by the Council, the Committee will be carrying out plot inspections - the first one of the year is going to be on the week of the 12th April

Last call for rent or you could be out on your ear!

Just a gentle reminder to everyone ... Wednesday 31st March is the last day on which to pay your rent (rent amount payable is posted on notice boards) after this date you are liable to lose your plot. Rents can be paid to the Parish Council or if Sue (Polt 50-51) is in, she can take them.
Your Committee

What are you doing on Saturday morning ?? 10 am

Grab your 'barrow and shovel and get yourself down to help fill in our potholes!!! We need an minimum of 20 people (honest!)... so if you ever bring a vechicle down - no excuses we need your muscles !

We also need to put in the posts around plot 2.

See you 10 am
Your Committee

Yum, yum - first rhubarb of the year !

Isn't that a nice colour, elegantly presented on top of Alan's waterbutt!

I read recently that rhubarb doesn't like being moved. Well someone forgot to tell mine. This plant was moved from the top of the allotment last November and is flourishing, courtesy of the Wakefield Met compost bin covering it. Brian 3 (aka as our Hon Sec) gave me some other plants last autumn and they are coming along nicely. Good job my Chief Domestic Authority (the wife!) loves rhubarb! A good top dressing of manure is all they have had; makes a change from the usual custard!

Mark (I'm on the train!) Plot 17

No Vampires Need Apply !

Despite the cold temperatures over the last 3 months I am really pleased with this year's garlic.

Planted on 9th November. Varieties include Christo, Ilico, Purple and Solent Wight and Jolimont which apparently keeps well.

Winter onions not as impressive but have rooted this year's sets in sand (thanks for the tip Brian!) and they are looking good for planting at the end of the month.

Broad beans in cold frame at home finally starting to show shoots - more than 3 weeks late compared with last year - I am assured that they will catch up!

Anybody started sowing beetroot and turnips yet or is the soil still too cold?

Beware Kids, Foxes and Rabbits ....

Well, the 1st part of the new hawthorn hedge is in. A big thankyou to Sue for getting the plants, and to Tom and Cara (plot 63) for planting them in on Sunday. The pictures show what they look like at the moment - nothing too pretty ... just fancy twigs! But they will grow (bar eating by wild beasts or stray weedkiller from us) and give us our much needed security along the perimeter. At the moment they are just along the bottom hedge, but we will try and get more plants to cover the gaps on the other 3 sides so watch this space ...

Help needed to plant Hawthorn Hedge

Hi All
We've managed to get 200 hawthorn plants to fill in some of the gaps round the hedge. Hopefully this will (when they've grown!) give us better security and keep kids, foxes and rabbits (?) out.

Anyway ... Tom is planning on making a start in putting them in this weekend. Is anyone able to spare some time to help? Even an hour would be great. No experiance needed, but a spade would be handy!

He reckons that the top debris just needs scraping off and the plants just need spading in. He was looking to start on the gaps 1st and then work round the thin bits of the hedge. Later in the year (when the sap begins to flow) he's going to drill and poison the elderberry.

If you can help, either drop us a line on our e-mail address; get hold of one of the committee members; or give Tom a yell when you see him planting ...

Janice xx

On the Hunt for Spring ...

I've just been down the allotments with my camera. The sun was streaming down and it looked SO nice. I thought I might be able to get some spring shots of the allotments... to no avail!! All that has come up on my allotment is some daffs and rhubarb. Other's are having more luck with plenty of cabbage and leek on the menu.
Janice xx (zap any photos you manage to get to our e-mail address (ackworthallotments@yahoo.co.uk) and we can upload them)

Jerusalem Artichokes - up for grabs!

"Congratulations on this opportunity to communicate with other members of the association. If anyone would like to have some 'Jerusalem Artichokes' to plant it is about the right time and I can spare some. Plot 24."