Me vs The Grass

So I didn't go up the allotment for 2 weeks as I was away with work and it's turned into Day of the Triffids, there's grass everywhere and my comfrey is spreading wide but hey the bees love it so it's staying while in bloom :)



As I'm due for a top up injection on Monday I wasn't feeling like Mr Motivator so I done what I could and got through 1/4 of it, I felt really good until I turned around and saw what I have got to get through over the next couple of days....

Before..

After...

What did make me feel better though was the fact I had my first proper harvest, apart from the rhubarb I harvested earlier in the year to make wine. Enough potatoes and veg for tea tonight and raspberries and strawberries for after yummy!!





Right of to eat it all....

3 Legged Toad

Just had a horrible experience up the allotment!! I was cutting the grass with a shear (I think that's what they're called) and I noticed something moving so I stopped and noticed a toad. I went to pick it up to move it and realised it was missing a leg and had it's mouth open!!!! my first thought was I cut it off and it's sceaming, I felt sick, in fact I was almost sick.

I placed the toad on some rocks by the pond and went off to find his missing leg, I wasn't sure what I would do with it if I found it at this point. I couldn't find it, so I went back to the toad and it was dead still so I thought that's it I've killed it, I was devastated. Only then did I realise there was no blood and when I looked at the toad, where there should be a leg there was just a shrivelled end but at this point there was no rational thought all I could think was "TOAD MURDERER!!!" I thought I was supposed to be a vegan :( so off I went to dig a grave, I even made a gravestone from a bit of slate and put a letter T on it.

I went back to bury the toad but noticed the toad was gone!!! and when I inspected further I realised he was crawling away looking quite happy. Then a retraced the instance and started to think rational, there was no blood, there was no leg, the toad was shrivelled where there should be a leg, it would be very difficult to make a clean cut of the leg by a quick movement of a shear. So my conclusion is this I am 90% sure the toad had three legs before I came along but it did make me think that we should always consider nature and check before changing it, even cutting the grass!! If you know me you know how much this experience would of traumatised me hopefully the 3 legged toad will live a good long life and not encounter me again. You can guarantee I will have toad nightmares tonight!!

Allotment Catch Up

Ok haven't blogged for ages as I've been busy doing rather than talking about it, so here's a quick catch up and I will try and keep you all updated from now on. So what have I been doing well....

I've made a new bed for my strawberries, haven't got around to putting any squirrel proofing on it yet if there's such thing!!

I've built a border around two beds one for my beans and one for my potatoes. As you can see the new beds are made from bricks. We had a community day up the allotment as one of the walls had fallen over and I rescued the bricks :) I love the look of old bricks, so they now have a new destiny in life to protect my plants from harm.

I've planted out peas, beans, swede, turnip, parsnip, radish, carrot, onion, carrot, lettuce, potatoes..... My windowsills in the house are been abducted by lots of baby seedlings pushing their way through to this life ahhhhh!!

Going up in the world

Went to the allotment meeting this week and I got voted in Vice Chair of the allotments!!! Also been up the allotments today to see what damage the Wintersmith has done and it's not too bad, so the plan is as follows:

• Tidy up all beds and prep for new season.
• Build another raised bed
• Build a cadged strawberry bed, to keep out those damn squirrels.
• Put a border around this years potato and bean bed.
• Build an asparagus bed.

Not sure how much we will get done in time for this years growing season but hey we have a plan, lets just hope my health and strength keeps growing!!!

1st Anniversary

Well can you believe it through all the ups and downs it is one year since I took over the small plot of land up the allotments. When I look back I can't believe what I have done and what I have learnt. And now it's potato and seed ordering time again...

I have spent the long winter nights making a plan for new beds and making sure I can fit more in this year. I have used growveg , it's an amazing planning tool that allows you to find out about what you want to grow, how much room it will take and when to plant it. It's free to use for 30 days but the subscription is worth it as you can still play with your allotment when it's too dark, windy, cold and wet to risk the outdoors.

Wintersmith

Well Christmas has been and gone and I've been waiting for the ground to thaw out so I can dig and make my new beds. Everything looks very cold at the moment and the lands survival looks likes its struggling through the harsh Winter and taking everything that the Wintersmith throws at her in her stride.

The Turn Towards Autumn

I'm starting to notice the plants changing with the seasons, although the plot still seems productive so hopefully the frost will hold off and the fresh vegetables will keep coming. I'm very excited as my chillies are starting to redden up and I have my first flower on my aubergine plant. It probably won't get time to fruit so I will try it earlier next year but still it's very pretty to look at.