Page 52 - ALG Issue 1 2020

North West
Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
soil and rough peat, and I liked the feel of the mixture; it’s open, friable and smells good and wholesome. The tomatoes were tremendous and tasty, the brassicas were brilliant, and the crops generally excelled. Mind you, it was a great summer as well. Then I ran out of Lakeland Gold – but that does not matter now, as I have found the motherlode. In 2019 they released a new tomato compost using wool, which is becoming very popular. They liked it at Chelsea and the reported results are excellent.
In this time of climate change and with coming of legislation against peat-based composts, a peat free, high potash compost made totally from bracken or with added sheep’s wool and giving a nutritious and water retaining slow release compost and feed system, which they reckon will still feed plants into a third year, must be a winner. I like it, but if you have read this article you might have guessed that!
East Midlands
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland
REPRESENTATIVE
Mr Paul Howgill
37 Meredith Road, Rowley Fields, Leicester LE3 2EP
07803 828 777 allotmentbaron@aol.com
MENTOR
Adam Murphy
East Midlands (North) 0845 4786 352 amurphy.nas@gmail.com
Allotment swap shop
Welcome to our new members...
Shirebrook Neighbourly Allotments Swanspool Allotment Association Ltd Pleydell Road Allotment Association Normanton Allotment Society Ltd
16 individual members
Plotholder’s prizewinning pumpkin
Wendy Gilbert
Len Saint of Wyberton West Road Allotment Association, Boston, Lincolnshire has won £250 for the heaviest pumpkin at a competition at Bells Garden Nursery. Weighing in at a whopping 281kg (44 stone) a local building firm helped Len move the pumpkin from his plot using a forklift. Everyone on the allotment site is proud of Len and his achievement. Len is looking forward to next year and the challenge of seeing if he can beat this year’s weight.
Len with his granddaughter Evelyn and the prizewinning pumpkin
52 Allotment and Leisure Gardener
Katy Brown, Allotment Box
Growing up in the Warsop area, I was very fortunate to have freshly grown produce delivered to my door from my grandad. They were full of flavour, although sometimes unusual shapes and sizes, but still amazing.
After his sudden loss, I decided to set up my very own vegetable delivery service ‘Allotment Box’ in which I sourced local seasonal produce, which I delivered
to people’s doors. The response was amazing, and I soon got my regular deliveries, but when I got asked: “Can they come and pick their own?” I was unable to offer this facility. So, this is when I decided to take Allotment Box to the high street and was lucky enough to secure my new shop in Church Street, Warsop (next to the town hall) and welcome all to come and look at the amazing produce.
In order to offer people affordable options to get local quality produce,
I launched my scheme ‘Allotment Swap’ which is something very close to my heart. It’s simple; local people who grow on allotments, gardens tubs
or windowsills can bring any surplus produce to me and exchange for other produce in the shop, whether that be something they can’t or haven’t grown, bread or dairy. This has had an amazing reception from all the locals. I have been so excited and overwhelmed with some amazing produce that I have already had the pleasure of exchanging and hope we can work together in the years to come. My produce is also in minimal plastic packaging – or none at all. This and the swap will hopefully help reduce waste, improve the lovely community in terms of produce on offer, and boost the local demand. It’s what we all need.
Thank you again to all who have supported me including family and friends, my lovely seasonal box customers, and a huge thank you to all those who have invested time and effort into my Allotment Swap.
Editor’s note: Although plotholders are not permitted to grow produce
to sell, any genuine surplus crop (i.e. that French bean glut!) can be sold or exchanged.