http://burydellallotments.wordpress.com Newsletter 23 –AUTUMN 2015 SITE MATTERS There are currently 4 people on the waiting list and all plots are taken. The barrier will be going up at the end of October and water turned off in early November. The saga of Plot 35a continues. Levelling will be carried out soon to make the area suitable to use for car parking and turning and we`ll be planting some fruit trees once we have sussed out the most suitable varieties for that area. Barbara is looking into that now. We hope the area will be in better use by next Spring. In the last Newsletter we talked about the wildlife that had been eating our crops. We will always have pigeons to contend with but I wonder how other people have fared this year? Our broad beans and sweetcorn haven`t been stripped and the rats/mice don`t seem to have been too troublesome. Wasps? Yes a few nests have been reported but we`ve lived with those and know that they will be vacated in the Winter. Hey ho – the joys of gardening! Thanks to Ross for keeping us supplied with chippings. So many of us are using them for paths and, although they do break down eventually, they do help to keep the weeds down. We plan to have a delivery of manure in October. We ask you to take only small amounts so that everybody can have a share. The stables on Tippendell Lane always have a surplus of manure collected from their field. This is another source of muck to bag up yourself in whatever quantity you like. They also leave it in bags by the roadside for anybody to take. DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday 24 th October 2015 6pm to 8pm on site SAY GOODBYE TO SUMMER! BURNING BRAZIERS, JACKET POTATOES, MINCE PIES AND MULLED WINE Cost £5 per adult, children under 12 free Pay on the day Bring family, friends and torches! No need to let us know that you are coming but please bring your own drinks
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http://burydellallotments.wordpress.com
Newsletter 23 –AUTUMN 2015
SITE MATTERSThere are currently 4 people on the waiting list and all plots are taken. The barrier will be going up at the end of October and water turned off in early November.
The saga of Plot 35a continues. Levelling will be carried out soon to make the area suitable to use for car parking and turning and we`ll be planting some fruit trees once we have sussed out the most suitable varieties for that area. Barbara is looking into that now. We hope the area will be in better use by next Spring.
In the last Newsletter we talked about the wildlife that had been eating our crops. We will always have pigeons to contend with but I wonder how other people have fared this year? Our broad beans and sweetcorn haven`t been stripped and the rats/mice don`t seem to have been too troublesome. Wasps? Yes a few nests have been reported but we`ve lived with those and know that they will be vacated in the Winter. Hey ho – the joys of gardening!
Thanks to Ross for keeping us supplied with chippings. So many of us are using them for paths and, although they do break down eventually, they do help to keep the weeds down. We plan to have a delivery of manure in October. We ask you to take only small amounts so that everybody can have a share. The stables on Tippendell Lane always have a surplus of manure collected from their field. This is another source of muck to bag up yourself in whatever quantity you like. They also leave it in bags by the roadside for anybody to take.
Bonfires are allowed after 30th September – see the Allotment and Leisure Garden Rules and Procedures 3.4 on the St Albans City and District Council Website.
And yes, here is just another reminder. The Council has banned the use of carpets on Council Allotments since 2010 – in fact this applies across the UK. This is because carpets degrade and as they do so pesticides, glues, dyes and fire retardants may be washed into the soil. Even modern hessian-backed carpets are mostly synthetic right down from fibres to chemicals. They are not recommended for organic use and are banned on allotments.
Finally please help us keep the site tidy by TAKING YOUR RUBBISH HOME OR TO THE DUMP.
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
Saturday 24th October 2015 6pm to 8pm on site
SAY GOODBYE TO SUMMER!
BURNING BRAZIERS, JACKET POTATOES, MINCE PIES AND MULLED WINE
Cost £5 per adult, children under 12 free Pay on the day
Bring family, friends and torches!
No need to let us know that you are coming but please bring your own drinks
OUR WEBSITE http://burydellallotments.wordpress.com By clicking on the Email Subscription box on the website you are signing up to receiving new notification posts from Kim and the Association. It is free, despite calling itself “subscription” and is an additional way of hearing about our activities.
Lyndon`s stunning art workDon`t wait until it rains to go inside our hut to see the stunning art work by our Artist in Residence! Lyndon`s painting, together with his Pak Choi painting has really made the hut a more friendly place to visit.Lyndon helps Heather and the U3A Group on Plot 32
BLAA MAKES DONATION TO EARTHWORKS!As you may recall, the Committee proposed at the AGM that the Association should make asmall donation to a suitable charity once a year. This is only because you are all so generous and we therefore felt that it would be a good idea to share a bit of our good fortune with a local deserving cause. We can only do this of course if the Association's finances are in good health, so it will be discussed at each AGM and agreed by you. This first year a number of suggestions were put forward, and members at the AGM voted for Earthworks, a charity which provides horticultural training for those with learning difficulties in St Albans. The Committee is therefore pleased to announce that Barbara Vernon, BLAA Secretary, duly presented a cheque for £100 to Earthworks on 12 August 2015. In one of the pictures, she is presenting the cheque to Gordon, who sometimes helps Judy Makin with her plot.
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MEMBERSHIPThank you to the vast majority of our plot holders for your Membership subs and continued interest and involvement.
SUNDAY MORNINGS ON BURYDELL
TEA, COFFEE, BISCUITS/CAKE AND CHAT IN THE HUT11am on the first Sunday of the month. Join us for refreshments and a chat. Bring surplus plants, produce, jams pickles and gardening items to exchange or sell, to donate to Association funds.
We welcome David to Plot 1, Martin to Plot 26a and Mark to Plot 29. Welcoming new people means that we are saying goodbye to others. Damion on Plot 26a is moving to pastures new and Ian on Plot 29 has decided not to continue with his plot.
We offer our condolences to Gill Parker and Ian Dale and their families for their recent losses. Gill`s Dad was often seen on site and Gill and Ian always supported our events during their time working their plot.
SOCIAL EVENTS Our Summer BBQ has become a bit of a tradition on Burydell. On 28th June the organising crew had an anxious time setting up as not only were there nasty clouds but unfortunately quite a lot of rain. Miraculously the rain stopped when the BBQ started, and we had a really good turnout after all! We had fabulous food and tombola, with a fiendish quiz to keep people on their toes and to fend off the effects of Pimms.
Much more importantly, the results were revealed of the Best Plot, Best Newcomer and Most Creative Addition. The competition was judged by Dennis, from Aylett Nurseries who also generously donated vouchers to the winners.
Best NewcomerLee on Plot 20The judge`s comment “Organised, quirky, a Continental feel and obvious commitment from the Plot holder”
Most creative addition to their plot Steph and Ian on Plot 9a for both their drunken flower pot
men and interesting flowering wall on pallets.The judge`s comment “Quirky, fun and a light relief from the hard work of gardening. Too drunk to notice the bugs!”
ANOTHER ST STEPHENS GARDENING CLUB EVENT – THE 2015 SHOWBurydell was well represented again this year although we always want more competition and involvement from anybody who enjoys a bit of community fun on a Saturday afternoon. The club had a higher number of entries than last year for all categories ie vegetables, flowers, cakes, jams, pickles and chutneys, handicrafts and photography and as usual the competition was superbly run by the Gardening Club Committee.
Best PlotSonia on Plot 22 The judge`s comment “A traditional style, recognising hard work in keeping a large plot in good working order with a big variety of veg and fruit”
And finally - the monthly RHS Magazine, The Garden is on the table in the Hut for all members to share. Why not have a break from weeding and composting, enjoy a tea or coffee
ANOTHER ST STEPHENS GARDENING CLUB EVENT – THE 2015 SHOWBurydell was well represented again this year although we always want more competition and involvement from anybody who enjoys a bit of community fun on a Saturday afternoon. The club had a higher number of entries than last year for all categories ie vegetables, flowers, cakes, jams, pickles and chutneys, handicrafts and photography and as usual the competition was superbly run by the Gardening Club Committee.
and read The Garden or the hard copy of our Newsletters? The Hut is there for all to use. Please just close the door when you leave. Your next Newsletter will be out in early February 2016. Any contributions to Jan by 1st January please.
YOUR COMMITTEEIn the event of site related problems please speak to Pat, Site Liaison Officer, in the first instance.
