Allotment Sue
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ALLOTMENT SUE – An Introduction!
Hi There,
Firstly let me introduce myself, my name is Sue. I worked at Chepstow Garden Centre for nearly 8 years. Started out in the plant department and then moved inside to set up and run Giftware. Many of you may know me as I was very enthusiastic about “Yankee”! I also worked at Norton and Iron Acton Garden Centres.
In March last year I left work to spend more time at home with my husband and three sons. At the same time a lifelong dream of having an allotment became fulfilled. I had been on the council waiting list for nearly 8 years and although I knew I was close to the top of the waiting list it still seemed a long way off. However, I managed to get an allotment on a private scheme with a farmer who very kindly was allocating some land to for this purpose. It’s an organic farm so the field hadn’t had a chemical on it I believe for over 20 years!
So suddenly I was the proud owner of Plot 6A! I could hardly contain myself. My mind was running like crazy with what to plant, where to plant it and how to do it.
I’m no expert!! I’ve always been a passionate gardener and up until then I had grown vegetables in containers and in 4 raised beds and produced good crops of salads, potatoes and a handful of vegetables that space would allow. I was rather inventive and had tried lots of different things. I’d resorted to growing herbs and vegetables in my borders as well. For me the joy of growing your own produce is so satisfying and means so much to me. I also have a small unheated greenhouse that has seen better days. However it cost nothing. My brother got it from somebody in the pub. We just had to dismantle it and re-assemble it. Job done!
I had spent many happy years as a very young child in the 1960’s on my grandfather’s allotment, whist my mother was working. Both my grandfathers had put their whole garden over to vegetables, something you rarely see today. I can remember returning home armed with bags of vegetables and flowers that my mother then proceeded to cook for tea, or freeze or make jams and pickles galore. The house was full of fresh flowers, especially dahlias, one of my granddad’s favourites! I loved the whole thing, helping, watching things growing, picking and eating them.
So here I was…at last my little bit of space. I can really remember my first day up there and standing at the bottom end and looking up at the whole plot and feeling totally overwhelmed by the size of it. I have to say panic did set in. Make a plan, make a plan kept going round in my head but I didn’t really make one and just went for it. I’ve had a great year, worked really hard, and produced some fab vegetables and learnt tons and tons of things. I’ve made some really nice friends and we’ve learned lots from each-other. I’ve had times when I thought it was too much and the weeds have grown as quick as the vegetables but my enthusiasm to grow has never waned. I love it. To coin a phrase: “It’s a journey” in which you have a few up’s and downs.
Anyway what I’m going to be doing is sharing my experiences with you over the next year. Reporting back what I’m doing and how’s it all going.
