Community Allotment

11th July

Produce ready to harvest, or almost so, include courgettes, cucumber, salad onions, lettuce, small beetroot, spinach, peas, new potatoes, black nero kale.

 
Does anyone want any of this - or know of anyone who does?  Please let me know asap by emailing celiaofglenrosa@gmail.com  First come first served.
 
If anyone is able to help with weeding it would be greatly appreciated.  Neither Mal nor I are able to kneel for long periods and the rain has stimulated weed growth.  If they are not dealt with soon they will take over the plot and undo all our hard work.
 
The hens are continuing to lay well - lovely large eggs.

25th June

I urgently need blackcurrant pickers -  it would be such a shame to lose the crop.  Can anybody help please?

20th June

Mal harvested the first seven cucumbers yesterday and these have been shared amongst neighbours, with the first offerings going to those who have helped on the allotment.

 

However, Mal says cucumbers will come thick and fast from now on, so if anyone can welcome a cucumber into their hearts, please let me know and I'll put them on the list for the next batch. The cucumbers are smaller than those sold in shops but lovely and fresh - really good to eat.

 

On Monday I have requests for spinach, rhubarb, lettuce and curly green plants.

 

Thanks are due to Claire who persevered in the rain to gather the red currants so that I could turn them into redcurrant jelly.

17th June

With some of our crops nearing harvest it is time to think about distribution.

 

At the outset, Mal and I said we would give away the stuff we grew to anyone who could use them and that still stands (we found it sufficiently rewarding to be occupied during the worst of the lockdown).

 

However, some people have told us that they will only accept vegetables on condition they pay something for them. So, to keep everyone happy, I am suggesting an optional token payment of 20p per item. It would be a chore to price everything individually. The money collected can, at a later date, be used for some good purpose.

 

A few neighbours have already received plants, lettuce, etc and the procedure is that I leave whatever it is they require on my front wall for collection. That will continue to be the main mode of distribution for those who are able to pick them up. I'll put an 'honesty box' alongside. If for any reason, such as distance, that is not an option I'm sure there will be a way of getting the veggies delivered and the money can be picked up at the same time.

 

As items become available I will list them on the website, so watch this space!

 

At present we have Spinach and bags of Mixed Salad Leaves. The cucumbers will be ready in a few days (Mal says there are at least 9 almost ready to harvest with plenty more to follow).

 

There are also spare horseradish, curly green (kale) and pepper plants in need of TLC.

 

It will be a case of first come, first served - and we already have orders for some of the cucumbers.

 

As for the hens - they must be the most pampered birds in North Devon. I was nervous that by taking on old hens there might be some fatalities. Happily, we have not only kept every bird alive but they are looking much better. 'Oven Ready' no longer lives up to her name! They receive all manner of treats from their 'fans', such as grapes, sweetcorn, stale crumpets, etc. in addition to plenty of layers' mash. They have become the village hens!

 

Despite the weather, this morning the field was a hive of activity. Mal was up a ladder picking the few cherries shunned by the birds, Claire was under a bush picking red currants and I was planting yet more curly green and doing a spot of weeding. And talking of weeds - can anyone offer an hour or so to help keep them in check, please?

 

Celia

 

14th June

 

 

Earlier pictures and words for the Community Allotment can be found here.