There has been a lot of activity around the allotment area in recent weeks:
Last week the Poly Tunnel arrived and was erected in less than three days and looks very impressive. Now we will soil-up inside (ready for growing crops next year) and sort the surrounding area by completing the pathways.
The cob-shelter has been slowly progressing; the cob walls have to be built in a series of ‘lifts’ or layers, each one must dry sufficiently before the next is applied. The walls are now finished and last week the roof timbers started to appear-so it is starting to look more like a building now.
The Cob Building is coming along
In the actual allotment beds, we planted potatoes; these grew well until potato blight arrived three weeks ago, so we removed all of the top growth to prevent the blight entering the tubers. The potatoes are safe in the soil, and we have been lifting them as required; the restaurant is making some very good roast potatoes with this variety – ‘Home Guard’.
Lifting the Potatoes
Potato 'Home Guard'
And finally, we started work on what will be a seating area next to the plots. Here we will have four picnic benches set in grass, so we are just getting ready by defining the four squares, removing the soil and adding stone ready for laying the slabs.
Preparing the site for the picnic benches
Peter Earl