Have I mentioned before how I love my allotment? I'm sure I have! Not only does it provide nutrients for our bodies, along with exercise. It also nourishes my soul. It's like walking into a magical wonderland. We get to it through a hole in a hedge, wander past the chickens (not mine!)...
...wander down the grassy paths lined with plum trees and blackberry bushes...
...and then we reach our plot. Not the prettiest, but I'm working on it!
And, as ever, I have my little helper! This time last year I really wondered how I could keep going with the allotment, as Sophie used to think it was just a time to breastfeed. However, she is getting much better now. She is getting over her fear of tiny creatures, and is enjoying getting stuck in, and just a little bit mucky too!
Most of the potatoes are in and beginning to show through the mounds, so I'd better go earth them up again next time.
We have promise of another bountiful harvest of strawberries. One of Sophie's favourite! Not sure I'll get to make quite so much jam this year if Sophie has her way!
Redcurrants already beginning to start to blush red. I love how these look when ripe, little red jewels. Still don't know what to do with them though!!
The last of the purple sprouting. Some of the plants are still producing a bit, and I'm loath to pull them up, but we need the space for the root crop, so I think their time is numbered.
The allotments are the prettiest allotments I have ever come across (apart from mine, which lets the side down a bit!), I always thought that allotments were a bit... utilitarian! But these, they combine practicality with beauty. Little compounds which have a few plots in. Our compound is mainly women plot holders, some who have many, many years experience, which is a delight to draw upon.
I hear news that the government is banding about the idea of councils being able to sell off allotments. I really do hope my little piece of magic is safe. I have missed the consultation deadline, but will fight tooth and nail to protect my source of food and sanity.
Lovely post, I feel exactly the same when we go to our garden (it's separate to the house), yes pure magic.
ReplyDeleteYour fruit and veg are looking good too.
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My first memory of gardening is eating the strawberries in my Grandfather's garden. it certainly looks like a magical place. xx
ReplyDeleteWe've put our two-penneth in for the consultation, but they do what they want to through the "backdoor". We can only try and fight it. We went through some changes earlier in the year which resulted in the council reducing their "maintenance" of the sites but we won on them not putting prices up ridiculously.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see your plot, and all that's to come. I love redcurrants, and freeze many for serving simply with ice cream. They do also make a fabulous jelly (jam style for keeping) and a chutney too. Of course they make there way into muffins too ... yum.
We love our little space at the allotment too, a lovely place to reflect upon at times.