Hubby was tipped the nod the other day by our veteran neighbouring plot holder that we are in contention for ‘New Allotmenteers of the Year’…if we keep on top of the weeding. Apparently the committee have been most impressed by the sheer variety that I have managed to cram into our plot and on that basis are toying with awarding us the afore mentioned honour. How lovely!…I got cornered by one of the committee on Sunday and he came back armed with an entry form for me to complete – I never really understood a word he said, but just nodded and signed my life away anyway. His heavy Jamaican accent and use of patois makes full comprehension to my unaccustomed ears a little difficult, but he seemed to be implying that other new plot holders just hadn’t made an effort (and that my gift of an unusual variety of chilli seedling had been most appreciated…) I swear I never knew about the competition then Gov! I was just repaying his kind gifts of raspberry canes, gooseberry bushes and onions! Will it be thought that I have entered into some underground world of allotment bribery?
I haven’t posted much lately, due to weeding commitments (quite keen to win now) and also forgetting to take my camera to the plot. I hate to post without pics, it seems rather boring. But I am at a loose end for a few minutes so thought I would have a quick written witter.
Puzzled by why the committee were so impressed by our plot’s variety, we took a wander round the whole site on Sunday evening, something we haven’t done for a good couple of months. And now we understand why. Most plots contain pumpkins, sweetcorn, ‘peas’ aka kidney beans, onions, tomatoes and potatoes – the Jamaican allotmenteers’ staples – but precious little else. I love to see the large patches of corn and pumpkins and can only envy the space which they can afford them – but with cabbage, broccoli, psb, caulis, kale, peas, runner beans, french beans, broad beans, beetroot, parsnips, lettuce, courgettes, melons, cucumbers, aubergines, butternut, summer squash, leeks, carrots, chard, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and rhubarb also on our plot – our potatoes, tomatoes, sweetcorn, pumpkins and onions have to make do with what they are spared, plotwise.
I will make a special effort to take some photos soon though…my pumpkins are attracting attention (mainly for looking rather too like melons) and I have de-side-shooted my sweetcorn under supervision of the aforementioned committee member and my courgettes continue to be the apples of their mummy’s eye! Now if only my brassicas woul stop looking so pathetic and the marestail would stop engulfing my spuds, we might be in with a chance of victory!….
Pack Doughty 