Try Try again!

I've ended up not really do my blog but the past month has taught me sometimes it's nice to get things out there even if no one reads or comments!!!!

Our Allotment is like a persistent thorn in my side. We have had some good produce from it but still the amount of work that needs to go into the digging over means only a third is in use. This means we constantly get complaints...about the weeds, about the condition, etc etc.

I'm not a mother so I won't blame children for my idleness. But I do have my reasons for being a super slacker!!

1) I am very very disorganised and I find it incredible hard to set up systems and processes to keep things ticking along.

2) I work stupid hours. If you want more of an idea of the kind of work I do see http://nyww2014.blogspot.co.uk/ or look at our new TYS-early help video

3) I am a carer. Without getting into too many details I have my own mental health and that of others to worry about. I have family members with ailments and disabilities and I'm a sucker for saying no!

4) I am Lazy!

What I want vs what I can be bothered to do are two completely different things and the benefits do not our weigh the costs! I love yoga but if I had to pick between it and chocolate cake... you get my point.

What I need to do right now for the next 6 days is come to a decision. Do I really want this?

Do I want to have a beautiful perfect allotment that I can be proud out? Do I care enough to slave away when I can find free time? Do I want to sit on my fat arse and watch TV and eat Aldi chocolate ganache? (it is amazing to be fair!) What do I want?

Week 1 Over

So our first week is over on the allotment and we have so far gathered up 4 buckets of broken glass, cleared only a tenth of the patch, transplanted over 40 strawberry plants to pots and ate our first 'produce' nettle pesto after only a week! 

We met our neighbours who have a lovely site alongside ours. They informed us to be wary of thieves, rats and pigeons, to not worry about using weed killer and how they hoped to see more of us down there.

With only 3 weeks til John goes to Iceland it's going to be tough getting the site ready but we can do it!!

Here are some photos of our progress so far...

Sugars bad um Kay!

So, the other week there was a new report on sugar basically saying that its the sugar in our diet that's making us fat/ill.

Now this is the umpteenth time that a report has come out saying that something different is the cause of all this obesity. 

This summer I chatted with someone who was of the opinion that being  a vegan is the best way to be and that humans aren't really designed to eat animal by products. 

This left me thinking about my own diet and my weight gain, I blame coca-cola, but what is the solution?

Can people live on a diet of foraged food? of home grown veg? 

I'm certainly interested in trying but can I sacrifice the coke?!?!?!

Slug Gate

Have you ever tried growing veg?

I enjoy it, it's quite satisfying to see the plants grow and being able to eat whatever you planted. 

Potatoes are the most rewarded as they are hidden deep below the soil, no idea how they are doing whether you will get any, how big they will be?
I've tried a few times to grow before. 

Mainly in pots in our small yard behind are hour, one year went quite well, we got all sorts of veg from a tiny raised bed made out of an old..errr bed! These pictures are from my most successful year in 2009. My worst year, well we don't like to talk about slug gate in my house! 


It was a particularly wet summer this year and not the warmest. My veg was struggling to say the least. I couldn't seem to keep on top of the weeds and was loosing daily battles with slugs. 

My mum had planted cabbages and courgettes and over night the entire batch had disappeared!! 

(It honest looking like someone had been in the garden and dug them up as there was nothing left!!!)

I tried everything to save my veg, egg shells, beer traps, slug pellets, copper rings, sacrificial basil but sadly nothing was going to save my crops. I lost it! I couldn't bare to suffer another summer like this so I just quit!!

Long time ago now slug gate but it still make me shudder at the thought of removing the dead corpses from the battle field :/

Well I've finally got over it and now we are looking at getting an allotment! :)
Turns out its between £30 & £70 and I'm hoping we might be able to grown enough to become a bit more self sufficient.
WATCH THIS SPACE!!