Tuesday 18 November 2014

The November allotment


It's been a long time since I visited the allotment.  The constant dampness has made it pointless to go.  Tramping around on sodden earth is no good, so I've been waiting for a dry spell.  This morning it wasn't exactly dry underfoot, but it was close enough.

It was misty early on, but by eleven o'clock the sun was shining.  Let's wander down to the plot.






Lots of the plots are neat and tidy, ready for winter.  But there are a few overgrown ones which is always sad to see, especially when there's probably still a waiting list.  Look at this one, just waiting for someone to love it.  It's got a nice shed too.


Down at my plot there were one or two surprises, not all of them good.  This was what the tops of all of the sprout plants looked like.  Pigeons I think.  It's the time of year when cabbagey things are looking good to them.  Underneath the sprouts still looked fine, although obviously the plants are struggling now.



The good surprise was this.


Artichokes!  I cut the plants down a while back.  To be more precise the two smaller boys had a blast cutting them down with the fruit saw.  They've completely grown back, and there were two delicious buds.  Not huge, but good enough.  They're in the fridge now, waiting to be eaten.

There were a few final straggling flowers, as well as asparagus with red berries that needs to be cut down, and the biggest boy's leeks.




I did some weeding, clearing a strip for garlic planting, and while I worked the sun burned through the mist.  I planted the garlic, it was so satisfying to actually get a job done today.  Planting garlic is one of my favourite allotment jobs.  As everything else is dwindling and dying, the garlic is starting to grow, the beginning of the growing season, a reminder in the depth of winter that spring will return, with its optimistic green shoots.



It was a pleasure to be back down there today.  I might go again tomorrow if it's dry.  There's a long list of things to do, so I'm needing a long dry spell really.  It probably won't happen that way, but I'll take what I can get.


This evening we went to see the town's Christmas lights turned on.  Some famous boy singers were there doing the honours and lots of girls were screaming.



So that's it, the lights are on, the countdown has begun.  I'm off to write a list.  Bring it on.

34 comments:

  1. I'm putting off list writing. Just can't face it. Got a child's birthday first. Up in always dead impressed at people's allotments, I am useless, no green on my fingers at all. Love the photo of the wheelbarrows!

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  2. Sounds like you had a good time at the allotment. The artichoke looks PERFECT!!!!

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  3. These photos are great... they look like they're from a whole different time period. I can't imagine seeing an allotment in person! Looks divine

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  4. Love love love your allotment! Tell me.. do they ever take away an allotment from someone who doesn't take care of it? Seems a shame that someone else can't give it a try if someone else doesn't care for it. Bravo for those who have their lights up, we bought 4 boxes at Costco today. Bring it on! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. I need to write a list too!!! And your photos in this post are just STUNNING CJ!! I loved seeing the allotment as it has this peaceful feeling about it in your shots today....maybe it is the stillness of the season but your photos really spoke to me! That green shed is so fantastic! And how awesome that you had some lovely surprises!!! Have a great week you! Nicole xoxo

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  6. Beautiful allotment photos - the leek and artichoke look yummy, I also love the row of upended wheelbarrows, like some sort of modern art installation! Hope it keeps dry for you today. x

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  7. I love your second picture especially. That stone wall wouldn't look out of place here in Derbyshire. Around here they have got the waiting list from 15 years down to 2 for an allotment which is brilliant. The artichoke and the leek look good. Yay for Christmas lights, I am feeling a little christmassy myself. Just a tiny bit! xx

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  8. Oh yes, bring it on! I'm half way there. You can't beat a home grown leek & grown by your children, even better.

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  9. Some of the allotments are so neat and it's such a shame to see some that are neglected when there are waiting lists. The wood for our raised beds is coming today.. can't wait to get them up and running..bring on Spring :o) x

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  10. That overgrown allotment would be worth taking on just for that beautiful shed alone!!! There is no way that I could have left that there when I finished allotmenting. Sounds like a good day! xx

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  11. Love the photo of all the wheelbarrows. It really is a shame about letting an allotment become overgrown. They are so useful and someone should be able to get in there and make is productive. You've reminded me about our Brussels sprouts - I want to pick the ones that are ready, blanche and freeze them.

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  12. Gorgeous photos CJ, I too love the one of all the wheelbarrows lined up. Hope you get some more dry weather today! xx

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  13. I enjoy and love Autumn very much. I like following your allotment posts as it remind me which fruits/veggies are in season.

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  14. Our cosmos and dahlias have now been terminated.

    Your sprouts tops have answered the question "Do we still need nets over the brassicas?" Yes we do.

    I wonder whether sleeping beauty is in that shed waiting for her prince to come.

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  15. You've done more on your plot than I've done on mine, it seems ages since I was last there. It doesn't help that there's not much to harvest, I really need to do better next year and plan for winter. I've never tried artichokes, they always seem really fiddly to me, I should really give them a go.

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  16. A most enjoyable post, and terrific pictures. Well done on doing some plotting.
    The picture of the wheelbarrows made me smile, they look like they're lined up ready for a race! Lovely cosmos.
    Flighty xx

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  17. The constant rain has put paid to any remedial strimming we were going to do this weekend. Plot no10 is sodden. This rain can't go on forever can it?
    Leanne xx

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  18. I would absolutely love an allotment. They're just great, productive, friendly places to go and I do like the way each plot's different (often you get one or two eccentrics in the mix, too). A big patchwork of fruit, veg and flower-growing.
    That poor overgrown plot looks quite romantic in a way. Shame it's been left to go to seed.
    Artichokes are such beautiful things to look at (and eat). I hope your garlic does well and that the pigeons move on to pastures, or brassicas, new :)
    Sarah x

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  19. Your allotment photos are so gorgeous, they could be included in a big beautiful photo book about the love of allotments.
    Hugs to you,
    Merediht

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  20. I think a story could be written about that abandoned allotment. :-)

    I love planting garlic in the fall, too. Well done on the surprise artichokes!

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  21. Love that your plot is next to a dry stone wall. Are the wheel barrows available to borrow or do they belong to plot owners?
    Miss Tulip x
    The Thrifty Magpies Nest

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    1. The wheel barrows are for anyone to use. My plot is at the bottom of the slope, so if I load one up I literally fly down the path!

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  22. Thank you for the allotment tour :) I love the stone wall and all the wheelbarrows lined up and how lovely to find some artichokes. I managed to get down to our plot the other day and planted over wintering onions.

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  23. Really enjoyed your photos of the allotments, especially the misty ones! The sprouts look fantastic - ooo, imagine eating them on Christmas Day!
    Caz xx

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  24. Hey CJ, I love seeing your allotment. Thank you for sharing it again. Sorry to see the cabbage damage (poetry!); I didn't know birds would eat them. The artichoke is beautiful! Wow, it must be wonderful to grow you own. I think I may try that someday. I can never get enough artichokes, they're one of my favorite foods. I hope you're having a good week.

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  25. I am rather drawn to the plot with the two sun loungers in it. Someone's got the right idea.

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  26. Thanks for letting us potter around the allotment with you, we just got a few geraniums anmones and polyanthus out at the moment out in the garden
    Clare x

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  27. It's wonderful to see all the little surprises there! It's amazing the resilience some plants have even in the harshest conditions. I'm looking forward to some lights in our area soon, too. We have Thanksgiving here next week and then it will finally be time to bring out all the holiday decorations! Hope you're having a wonderful week, CJ!

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  28. I love it, Bring it on, indeed! I'm right there with you on the listing. I'm not so secretly driving everyone in the house nuts trying to get them to contribute either to the items or as resource to the items.

    Homegrown brussels and artichokes and garlic. You're a lucky family! It looks great.

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  29. Beautiful photos of the allotment today CJ. The faded colors of fall, the fog, really gave me a good moody feeling.

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  30. i love your allotment pictures, they are such an 'english' thing to me so i love seeing what they look like - the good and bad.
    sigh, garlic...

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  31. Really enjoyed this wander round the plot, and now those lights have put me in a festive mood!

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  32. I always refuse to start counting down to Christmas until December, of course this will be why it's always a mad rush to be ready here. Although the way life's been in these parts lately I'm thinking a flask of coffee with a dash of something alcoholic added, a turkey sandwich, and a slice of Christmas cake, all in a back pack, and then a long walk up into the Welsh hills before eating it while looking at the view, might be the way to go come December 25th. Of course knowing my luck it will rain ;)

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  33. The allotment looks lovely despite the time of year. The artichoke must have been such a surprise! Thank you for reminding me about getting some garlic in the ground. Sarah x

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