Parish Allotment

3rd September 2023

This week's produce from the St Francis of Assisi Parish Allotment.  

Potatoes, beetroot, beans, cabbages, lettuce, courgettes, cucumber, gherkins, marrows, aubergines, tomatoes big and small, pears, cooking and eating apples, blackberries and raspberries. Something for everyone's palate. 

October 2022

Since May 2021 we have raised over £1,800.00 for Kaoma in Zambia.

This weekend we have for sale our autumn allotment bounty as well as lots of homemade pickles and jams made from our produce. Please continue to take plenty to enjoy with all the family, while supporting the Presentation Sisters' Nurseries in Africa.

Thank you from all the allotmenteers!



January 2021

‘A winter wonderland ?’

The parish allotmenteers have managed to keep the allotment going during lockdowns and tiers, without too many tears!

We keep strictly to a rota to ensure social distancing requirements are kept but with 600sq m of allotment it’s not too much of a problem, we have been preparing the allotment for the new season.

Getting out in the fresh air has been wonderful  when this virus has made life so difficult, the birds and wild life certainly help you forget about Covid for a while. And our Robin always welcomes you, singing his heart out from the top of the trees.

In the autumn and winter while the allotment is sleeping there is time to do maintenance and cleaning of the greenhouses, sheds, the polytunnel and renewing the badger defences.

Things don’t always go well, having kept the badgers off the sweetcorn this year and kept the pigeons off the greens; we now have mice eating the board beans faster than we can sow them!

We are turning part of the allotment over to ‘No Dig’ beds in order to cut down on the heavy digging required and as part of this trial we have been preparing are own compost. This requires regularly turning compost in the 8 compost bins. Better and cheaper exercise than any gym membership.

The new fruit trees are doing well now after lots of good work by Francis and the fruit bushes are also flourishing in their new location. Additional raspberry plants were obtained last year and new blackberry plants are due to be delivered in the next few weeks.

We have joined the LE & D Horticultural Society and have ordered all the seeds we need ready for spring. Hopefully we will be able to have produce available at the back of church once the Covid restrictions are over.  Until then, once we have produce available we will leave in the Church porch as we did last year. Look out for announcements in the parish bulletin. 

Thank you for all your support and generous donations to Kaoma, which made last season so successful in very difficult circumstances.

If anyone would like to join the team you would be very welcome, ring me, Wilf Rainford on 07836 509552.

  

                            

         

 New Raspberry Plants ready for pruning.                                                    Gooseberry Bushes ready for pruning

Bean area prepared for spring with greenhouse, polytunnel and raised bed in the background.

 

 

New Badger fence to protect next year’s sweetcorn.

 

 

New fruit Trees with sheds and greenhouses in the background.

June 2020

Calling all wine makers we might need you soon!

June 2020 Update

Despite social distancing measures we have managed to keep the allotment going and in good order. Normally we would have broad beans available now but the November sowing rotted in the ground due to the extremely wet winter and the second sowing struggled due to the driest spring on record and is now infected with black fly.

However it is not all bad news, new fruit trees are growing well and the soft fruit has also looking good.

Polytunnel and greenhouses are planted with tomatoes, cucumber, melons, sweet peppers and the vine is looking better now we know how to prune it!

Raised beds are also planted out with lettuce, radish, onions, garlic and leaks.

14 rows of Charlotte potatoes and 3 rows of main crop potatoes are growing well. And other areas are planted with sweetcorn (with badger defences still to be built!) pumpkin, courgettes, squash, peas, runner beans, French beans and dwarf beans.

Any suggestions regarding distribution of produce if we are still in lock down would be welcome.

Produce should be available in the next few weeks, hopefully we will be back in church soon but if not we may leave produce in the church porch for collection. Look out for information in the parish bulletin.