Page 52 - ALG Issue 3 2023

Eastern
Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire
REPRESENTATIVE
Ray How
5 Dalys Road, Rochford, Essex SS4 1RA
07720 719224 ray.how@btopenworld.com
DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE
Mark Vincent
mvincent.nas@gmail.com
The Man on the Allotment
There is a man I much admire, For when the waters froze,
I saw him standing near his shed, Dressed in his gardening clothes.
He stands there still when winter ends, Come Spring, the March wind blows, He doesn’t dodge the April showers, Lets rain fall off his nose.
I greet him every morning,
He keeps me on my toes,
How can this man have such resolve, Through nature’s highs and lows?
The allotment is his kingdom, This is the realm he chose,
He toils through all the seasons, In charge of all that grows.
No doubt he will retire one day. When that will be, who knows. Until that day, it’s down to him, To scare away the crows.
John Barnett, Oakington and Westwick Allotment Society
Eastern report
Hopefully a warm summer is with us and crops are growing well.
I have been busy thinking about the future of allotments and the growing of vegetables and fruit for the table. With the increase in the cost of living, how are the younger generation going to deal with this without the knowledge that many of us have learnt from our parents and friends over many years?
We should, as a national organisation, be supporting young people and help them learn about growing crops to eat and the benefits
of allotments. Too many spend a lot of time on computers and gain theoretical knowledge, but do not know how to put it into practice.
I think that all allotment associations and plotholders should share their knowledge expertise with the younger generation so that they become the gardeners of the future.
This initiative will also help to preserve allotment sites. It will also help to promote allotments as being a health benefit and help the mental health and wellbeing of everyone.
I have set myself a target that this year I
will be totally organic on my allotment, and pesticide free. It is very easy to use chemicals to remove weeds and unwanted insects, but all these chemicals are making the soil sour and affecting the growing of crops. I ask everyone to try and do their bit to improve this wonderful country that we live in.
Gardeners’ World Live –
Autumn Fair
The above event is being held again at Audley End House and Gardens from Friday 1st September to Sunday 3rd September. After last year’s success, Eastern Region have been invited back with a bigger and better area. There will be the usual marquee and stand. This year, however, we will be having a show garden exhibit of what can be grown in a small area.
Obviously, there is a lot of preparation before the event. When it is open to the public, we need volunteer helpers on the stand over the three days. If you have time to help, whether it is for a half day, all weekend or just a few hours, your help will be very much appreciated. Please email me with any offers of help. Thanks in advance.
I have had the pleasure of visiting various allotments and local authorities to give advice on improving the facilities on site and to increase the number of plots available. It is certainly a positive step.
Please support your councils and associations to help improve facilities. Please support our region and help it grow stronger.
Ray How
Regional Rep Eastern Region
52 Allotment and Leisure Gardener
Welcome to our new members...
Clay Farm Allotments Society Lyng Allotment Association Town Field Allotments
13 Individuals
1 Landowner
Sandy Town Council
The Ivers Parish Council Cambrian Bletchley Park School Commonswood School