Lucky Little Newt

The newt in the photo had a lucky escape and was spotted in the soil as it was being rotavated.

It starred in a video after this photoshoot and was then transferred to a place of safety on the plot. To read more and view the video click here.

Bonus Ball 23 June

Message from Jo:
It's another rollover this week!

The estimated prize fund for next week is £35.

Participation has been low for a few weeks, probably due to the bad weather, so the prize fund has suffered a little!

Just another quick reminder, Jo (plot 50) must have your stake by 5pm each Saturday in order to be eligible to win!

June's photo album.

Click here to view the larger album of the photos taken around the site this weekend, also shown below.

Things have really progressed this month. There must be several tonnes of potatoes but watch out for blight as this weather is ideal conditions for the spores to find their way to your potatoes and tomatoes. If blight does hit your crops it cannot be cured and can devastate an entire crop in a matter of a couple of days.

Look out for Joe proudly constructing his new greenhouse, Pat not realising that I use a wide angle lens, Alice tending her pond, Tracy busy with her hoe, Paul's second hand cathedral and Jo's really precise leek planting!

Update of June diary

For the latest update in the June diary click here. We went to Gardeners' World Live last week and so, in last week's entry, I have included a photo album of the photos taken of the show gardens . The courtyard garden on the left, was planted using vegetable, tomato and herb plants.

Radish Mayo?

Pat thought that there must be a more interesting way of serving radishes and so she invented Radish Mayonnaise. Well that's what I have called it - if you can think of a better name then post a comment. Click here for the recipe.

Bonus Ball 16 June

Message from Jo

The Bonus Ball this week was 37, which is an allocated number which was unpaid for this week, meaning that it is another rollover!!

Due to the weather there were quite a few people who failed to get their stake to me by 5pm on Saturday. If these people wish to be in the draw this Saturday for the rollover prize, they must pay for last week where they missed and this week.

The total raised for the Association Fund so far is £92.00.

Thanks to everyone who has supported this - It is a fantastic effort!

Sue

Date changed for next meeting

Due to the fact that a significant number of people will be unavailable for the meeting set for 1 July, the date has been changed. The next Association Meeting will be two weeks later on Sunday 15 July at 2:00 p.m. on Jan's plot.

Again could you let me know if you and/or anyone else from your family will be attending. Could you also let me have any items that you wish to see on the agenda.

Sue

Update of June diary

June's diary has been updated. Click here to read more.

Don't forget that the next Association Meeting is on 1 July at 2:00 p.m. Please email me to let me know whether or not you will be attending.

We also received another cheque from Harrod's Horticultural last weekend. It was quite a good one too! Thanks to everyone who placed orders through our blog or web site.

Pat's Giant Pastry Cutter

We all know Pat has a reputation as a supercook but her jam tarts are really something that need to be seen to be believed!!

Bonus Ball 9 June

Message from Jo
Last night's bonus ball was number 30

Congratulations to Paul on plot 57.

Total raised for Association Fund is £79.50 so far.

Thanks again to all those who participate in the draw.

Reminder, I must have your stake by 5pm each Saturday to be eligible to win.

Marauding Wood Pigeons

To learn a little more about the creatures that have been causing us so much grief this year click here.

Wakefield MDC Allotments Competition

ALLOTMENT GARDENS COMPETITION
Entry forms must be in by 22nd June 2007.

The Competition is open to all tenants of allotment sites managed by City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council. For the purpose of the Competition, the District will be divided into areas.

First, Second and Third prizes will be awarded for each area, and prizes will also be awarded for Senior Citizens.

Cleanliness and tidiness, crop husbandry and rotation, and quality of yield will be the criteria used to judge the Competition.

There is a category for newcomers i.e. those who took on a plot after 1 April 2006 and I am sure we have quite a few of you in with a good chance of a prize in this category. So go for it! Who knows - this time next year we could be a prize winning site!!!

Click here for entry form or to read more.

We're in good company

Even the professionals are growing the new Pesky Pigeon cabbage!

This photo was taken in the walled kitchen garden at Tatton Park.

New variety of brassica

I wonder if this new variety of brassica will appear in next year's seed catalogues. It's a cabbage aptly named Pesky Pigeon. It's a novelty variety having hardly any leaves at all! You could be unintentionally trying it out next year. Or maybe you have already grown it this year like us.

Last year we did have a little damage from wood pigeons but this year they seem to be waging an all out assault on our brassicas. They are swooping down on the plots in flocks and devastating all in their path like a swarm of locusts. Are other sites having similar problems this year? Have the wood pigeons had a good breeding season? Are they homing in on allotments because their more natural habitat is decreasing? Do they just see allotments as easy pickings especially now we have a full occupancy on site? Is it a ploy by the retailers of netting - have they shipped in the birds? Or are the supermarkets importing them?
Today as we netted our crops the vandals watched us from the telegraph wires. No doubt they were watching for any weakness in our defences and would dash down to investigate as soon as the site was quiet.

Let us know if where you garden has seen an increase in marauding pigeons and what you do to beat them!

June diary

The June diary has been started on the web site. No video yet though! Click here to view. Don't forget you can make your own comments and observations about June in the comments on this post.

Bonus Ball June 2

Message from Jo,
Last night's bonus ball was 34 which is a taken number, but was unpaid.
So as the rules state, its rolled over. (Sorry no excuses).

Prize fund rolling over is £32.

Total raised for Association Fund is £62 so far.
Thanks again to all those who participate in the draw.
The unallocated numbers are for sale again so if anyone is interested please see me, Jo, on plot 50.

Just another reminder, I must have your stake by 5 pm each Saturday to be eligible to win.

Next Full association Meeting

The next meeting of the Green Lane Allotments Association will be on Sunday 1 July 2007 at 2:00 p.m. on Jan's plot. (Same as the last meeting). It was good to see so many of you attending last time so I hope to that everyone can make it again with maybe one or two more who for some reason couldn't make the last meeting.

Could you pass on the word to fellow plotters who do not have access to the Internet and who may not read the site notice board.

To help with organisation would you please let me know if you will be attending. (Also how many ofr your family will be present). Let's hope for a nice day as it was for the last meeting. (It's a good job that we didn't fix a meeting for May!) Could you also let me know if you would like to place an item on the agenda.

Sue