Allotment diary - annoying the ants

Starting to take more regular visits to the allotment recently. A huge amount of work needs doing but I'm more than happy just plodding along doing a bit at a time.

The 'bit' in question is mainly weeding. This also means disturbing ant nests, not much I can do about this really other than apologise for the inconvenience.

Funny how certain songs fixate in the mind while weeding. A few days ago it was 'Rat Up A Drainpipe' by The Members, on Sunday it was 'Love in a Void' by Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Anyhow, here's how the (part) of the plot looked before I got down to work:


And here's how it looked two hours later:

Ok, it doesn't look that much.

Les at the allotment advised me to use a hoe, much easier and faster.

Steps towards great self-sufficiency in food

As an absolute beginner, my approach to local food production (ok, my garden and allotment!) is somewhat here and there...but that's fine.

Like most things of any value the basic idea of growing food is simplicity itself but it can get very complicated if you're that way inclined.

As far as I can see there are four areas that need consideration:

1. Planning, observing, note-taking, learning
2. Sowing, tending and harvesting
3. Storing and preserving
4. Experimentation to produce higher yields

I'll post more on each of these shortly.

I'm slowly making my way through 'Permaculture - principles and pathways beyond sustainability' by David Holmgren.

It's an fascinating read and easy to see how Permaculture has become such a big influence on the Transition Towns movement.

Holmgren defines Permaculture as:

A design system (that) leads by progressive steps to regaining control over our own sustenance and a realistic rather than romantic understanding of what it means to live within and from nature.

More, also, on this later. Right now I have to get off to work.

Alllotment news for November!

Spent a drizzily Sunday morning on the allotment digging, weeding and put down 20 bulbs of garlic.

This adds to the 10 bulbs already planted at home which means 30 bulbs of garlic for the Spring, hurrah! One can not have too much garlic I say.

I really enjoyed the hour and a half of getting muddy and wet, really, I did, honestly. On my arrival home I spread muck through out the house and had a delicious cup of coffee, ah that's the life.

Oh, I also found an online course on food preservation (the next logical step from growing one's own food), run by the 'National Center for Home Food Preservation' , it's free and looks fun. I'll keep you updated, I know you want to know.

To celebrate Monday morning, here's a classic clip by old-time Aussie punks, The Saints:

A fenland allotment in July

So, here it is, our allotment! Some work to do, as is obvious from the pics below.

Still, a lovely view of the Cathedral to the south and much potential for barrels of lovely veggies to feed our hungry stomachs.

Expect more posts on this soonest.