The good, the bad & the ugly

 The good news is that after the snow comes the thaw. Snow can be great fun but there's a limit to how much can get done on the allotment.
There will be a period when Lotti is a bit soggy but we should be clear of snow and ice for Hillside Harvest's first open day on 16th February. The day is free and includes workshops, hot lunch and opportunities for volunteers to get stuck in. Considering the amount of planning it would be a shame if these couldn't go ahead because of snow.

The bad news is that the polytunnel got squished by the weight of snow. Our polytunnel is really useful for extending the growing season and allowing us to grow things that might suffer outside. Losing it would be a big blow, particularly as we don't have a  greenhouse. 

Today a rescue was underway. First the snow was pulled off with the flat side of a rake, taking care not to puncture the polythene membrane. Once we could get inside we discovered things were not as bad as it had first looked. The flexible plastic tubes, that form the arches over which the membrane is pulled, had not broken as feared.

 Some of the wooden supports had. makeshift wooden supports were fashioned from spare wood and put in place to prop up the tubes. Further repair will be needed, along with permanent central supports, but the polytunnel lives to last another season.
 












And finally an ugly truth. These are, or were, allotment sites. Now they are an overgrown wilderness. Wilderness has its place but it is a shame that this has been alllowed to happen at a time when waiting lists for allotments are on the increase. The Rivelin Valley could see a vibrant allotment community but too many sites look like these. The silver lining to this particular cloud is that community allotments like Hillside Harvest do exist. So if you're on the waiting list come and join us. This weekend we found out once again that we can achieve a lot more working together than we can separately.

What's it all about?

Hillside Harvest is a small cooperative running a community allotment garden. I became involved for two main reasons - to enjoy vegetables I had grown and to meet new friends. So far so straight forward. But why the blog?

Once I had visited Lotti - the affectionate name members give to where the growing takes place - I realised it was more than an allotment. Sure, it has all the features you'd expect of an allotment. There's the raised beds, the compost bins, the shed and the polytunnel. Even though it was towards the end of the growing season there was plenty of evidence of vegetables being grown and the inevitable fight with weeds that every gardener faces.

But there was more. I found a real community spirit. I've visited a few allotments over the years and generally they're friendly places. What Hillside Harvest has that's extra is a commitment to welcoming people and making allotment keeping accessible. If I'd started out on my own I think the whole thing would have been an overwhelming experience. Working on Lotti there are experienced people to show novices what needs to be done and how. There were no egos on show, just help, advice and encouragement. It made me want to be a part of it and to go back.

This is my attempt to record what goes on at Hillside Harvest on a regular basis. I'd like to introduce some of the members and explain why its a special place. I'll be inviting people to share their insights - on gardening and community - and you'll get to see how the produce is used by the members.

Of course the best way to find out is to come down yourself and experience it first hand. If you're thinking about growing your own vegetables but are daunted by the prospect of a full plot then this is the perfect place to start. If you've got comments, tips or recipes then it would be great to hear from you. This is the start of my journey with Hillside Harvest. I'm inviting you to share it with me.