Hello, 

I have randomly acquired a water butt which I don't have any use for but thought it might be handy for the new beds next to the Lido? (if we are allowed of course!) It would probably need to be filled with the hose from the lido once but then hopefully we could just use rainwater to keep topping it up?  Let me know and I'd be happy to transport it to the park and get it set up. 

Sally x 

Hi Sally. I've been giving it some thought. Various possibilities, none of them ideal... Do you happen to be in the vicinity of the Park on Sunday? I am playing tennis 11.00 to 12.00. We could meet before or after and run through the options... Maggie

Hi everybody and welcome to Barbara, who has taken the fourth plot in the playground area. (Marianne didn't get back to me and Barbara was next on the list...)

We have no more plots but I think there is no-one left on the waiting list. If that's not right - if someone is on the waiting list - please post and remind me. There's been a lot of 'traffic' and it gets hard to keep track.  Maggie

Garden together  next weekend...

Saturday 8th 11 - 1

Sunday 9th 1 - 3

Help badly needed to finish filling the refugee beds with soil. 

Farm yard manure available for everyone and I will also bring up some plants and seeds.

Can you let me know if you can come on either or both days?

Best, Maggie

I will be there both. Phil is coming to help on Sunday too. 

Any chance of the plot plan being ready? Doesn't have to be accurate in terms of measurements, just a plan where I can make a record of who has which plot. Best, Maggie

Hello!

I can definitely come Saturday, and possibly Sunday - just need to check timings

Thanks!

I'm coming on Saturday!

Hi Everybody!

I've had a couple of complaints...

1. That the hose tap was borrowed and the tap top was returned but not the attachment that allows the hose to be fixed to the tap. If the attachment gets left on the tap, it seems someone feels they have to take it! Can you take care to unscrew it and return BOTH parts to the tennis hut please?

2. This one more serious ... Whoever was up at the plots yesterday (Friday) evening left the shed door unlocked. There is valuable tennis equipment in the hut and if this happens again permission to share the hut will be withdrawn. PLEASE padlock the hut immediately behind you every time, even if you are only going to be gone for a couple of minutes. Thanks. 

BIG DIG ON APRIL 22ND. Always a nice event. The park usually provides sandwiches and they need numbers. CAN YOU POST WHETHER YOU Will BE THERE.  Thanks, Maggie

Hi Everybody!

I've had a couple of complaints...

1. That the hose tap was borrowed and the tap top was returned but not the attachment that allows the hose to be fixed to the tap. If the attachment gets left on the tap, it seems someone feels they have to take it! Can you take care to unscrew it and return BOTH parts to the tennis hut please?

2. This one more serious ... Whoever was up at the plots yesterday (Friday) evening left the shed door unlocked. There is valuable tennis equipment in the hut and if this happens again permission to share the hut will be withdrawn. PLEASE padlock the hut immediately behind you every time, even if you are only going to be gone for a couple of minutes. Thanks. 

BIG DIG ON APRIL 22ND. Always a nice event. The park usually provides sandwiches and they need numbers. CAN YOU POST WHETHER YOU Will BE THERE.  Thanks, Maggie

Hi Everybody!

I've had a couple of complaints...

1. That the hose tap was borrowed and the tap top was returned but not the attachment that allows the hose to be fixed to the tap. If the attachment gets left on the tap, it seems someone feels they have to take it! Can you take care to unscrew it and return BOTH parts to the tennis hut please?

2. This one more serious ... Whoever was up at the plots yesterday (Friday) evening left the shed door unlocked. There is valuable tennis equipment in the hut and if this happens again permission to share the hut will be withdrawn. PLEASE padlock the hut immediately behind you every time, even if you are only going to be gone for a couple of minutes. Thanks. 

BIG DIG ON APRIL 22ND. Always a nice event. The park usually provides sandwiches and they need numbers. CAN YOU POST WHETHER YOU Will BE THERE.  Thanks, Maggie

Hi all! The overnight temperatures have not been conducive to planting out tender veg and there's no sign of improvement. (2 degrees and 3 degrees forecast overnight on Monday and Tuesday next week). 

In view of which and of the recent surge of activity, there seems not a lot of point in trying to organise a Big Dig for this Saturday. I will be there for a bit between 11.30 and 1.00 and hope to see some of you then.

I'd like to try to have a garden together next weekend too, on Saturday 29th or Sunday 30th at 11.30. I have courgette and squash plants to give away and runner beans to plant out and hopefully the weather will be warmer by then.

Would much appreciate if you could each post which of those days  - Sat 29th or Sun 30th - works better for you, then I will choose the day that most people can come. Maggie

Sorry Maggi, thats the bank holiday weekend so I'm away. Hope everyone has a great time!

Cheers,

Kim 

IMPORTANT - please post if you haven't. Big Dig next Sunday, April 30th at 12.00 noon. Park are offering free refreshments and NEED NUMBERS so please let me know as soon as possible if you can be there. 

Also I will be at the plots tomorrow, Saturday 22nd, at 11.30 and it would be very nice to see anyone who feels like coming up at that time and doing a bit of gardening.  Maggie

I'm afraid I'm not around on the 30th - have fun!

Hi Maggie,

I'm not able to join you this weekend or next i"m sorry to say. I also wanted to ask what is happening with the watering situation, as I have been up a few times and there is no tap fitting, just the hose fitting. It is very difficult to then shose to use the watering cans as they are almost impossible to fill up at the water fountain by the cafe. There must be a solution as it will make it so difficult to grow anything if it isn't easy to water regularly...

Thanks,

Kate

170424_QP%20Plots.pdf

Dear All,

Ahead of the dig on Wednesday 
Please see the link above for a sketch plan of the plots. I hope that this is okay, but if it needs updating please let me know.

Mark

Thanks a lot, Mark! Alas, when I try to view the plan, I get a message 'blocked plug in' and have no idea how to 'unblock.' Can anyone help? Maggie

Hi Kate and other would-be waterers! The reason there is sometimes no tap top and/or connector in the tennis hut or the shed is that gardeners have repeatedly borrowed these and forgotten to return one or both of them. I have replaced them several times and feel I have to move on to a different system, as I can't keep doing this.

Anyone who would like to be able to use the host can buy a tap top in Moran's in Kilburn High Road. (They only have one kind of garden tap with a detachable top.) You can buy the little screw-on connector that allows you to attach the hose to the tap in Homebase or Robert Dyas. 

Sorry to have to resort to this but the old way is just not working... Best, Maggie

Big Dig on Sunday ... Starting at 12.00 noon. No need to bring anything, Barbara, just yourself. 

Refreshments and coffee provided in cafe.

I will have courgettes, squash and tomato plants for anyone who wants them.

 Come if you can! Bring a friend (or two!) 

Maggie

Big Dig on Sunday ... Starting at 12.00 noon. No need to bring anything, Barbara, just yourself. 

Refreshments and coffee provided in cafe.

I will have courgettes, squash and tomato plants for anyone who wants them.

 Come if you can! Bring a friend (or two!) 

Maggie

Lots of lovely chard in the world right now! Fausto asked me to post this recipe, which uses 500g of it a go (and tastes delicious...)

'This is lovely warm, but also good at room temperature, ready sliced and packed for a picnic. The sorrel adds a lovely, lemony kick, but don’t worry if you can’t find any: just use two teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest instead, and add 100g more chard to the mix. Serves eight as a main course if served with a simple salad.

100ml olive oil

1½ tsp caraway seeds

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1kg plum tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped

500g swiss chard, washed, leaves and stems separated, leaves roughly chopped and stalks finely sliced

Salt

130g sorrel, roughly shredded

25g mint leaves, roughly chopped

25g dill, roughly chopped

8 spring onions, cut into 1cm pieces

200g feta, roughly crumbled into 2cm pieces

60g pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

2 eggs, lightly whisked

190g greek yoghurt

40g parmesan, finely grated

150g coarse polenta (fine polenta will do, if you can’t find coarse)

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan for which you have a lid, then fry the caraway and garlic over a medium-high flame for a minute, stirring most of the time. Add the tomatoes, chard and half a teaspoon of salt, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the chard has wilted and the tomatoes have broken down. Take off the heat and stir in the sorrel, mint, dill, spring onions, feta and olives.

Put the eggs, yoghurt, parmesan, remaining 70ml oil, polenta, 150ml water and a half-teaspoon of salt in a large bowl and mix to a thick batter. Pour half the batter into a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof baking dish, so it completely covers the base, then spoon the greens evenly over the top. Pour over the remaining batter – it won’t completely cover the greens, but that’s OK. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until risen and dark golden-brown on top, leave to stand for 10 minutes, and serve hot.

Great work on the plots yesterday and a nice lunch and chat in the cafe for those who could stay on - and it even rained overnight to help the plants we put in get established!

Helen was asking about my (very wonderful!) perennial kale plants. The link is here:

https://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Quite expensive to begin with but they really do keep on giving!

Maggie

Great work on the plots yesterday and a nice lunch and chat in the cafe for those who could stay on - and it even rained overnight to help the plants we put in get established!

Helen was asking about my (very wonderful!) perennial kale plants. The link is here:

https://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Quite expensive to begin with but they really do keep on giving!

Maggie

Great work on the plots yesterday and a nice lunch and chat in the cafe for those who could stay on - and it even rained overnight to help the plants we put in get established!

Helen was asking about my (very wonderful!) perennial kale plants. The link is here:

https://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Quite expensive to begin with but they really do keep on giving!

Maggie

Great work on the plots yesterday and a nice lunch and chat in the cafe for those who could stay on - and it even rained overnight to help the plants we put in get established!

Helen was asking about my (very wonderful!) perennial kale plants. The link is here:

https://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Quite expensive to begin with but they really do keep on giving!

Maggie

Great work on the plots yesterday and a nice lunch and chat in the cafe for those who could stay on - and it even rained overnight to help the plants we put in get established!

Helen was asking about my (very wonderful!) perennial kale plants. The link is here:

https://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Quite expensive to begin with but they really do keep on giving!

Maggie

please help yourselves to some sorrel from my plot as it is huge!

Barbara, I would avoid leaving anything unplanted on your plot as it is unfortunately an invitation to some people to help themselves. And i also recommend Queens park farmers market to get some starter plants as they are very competitive price and easy walk to get them into the soil quickly.

As you are growing and talking to people as they walk into the playground i am sure people will start to realise they are personal plots - but maybe a transition town sign could be put up by them as i remember last year it was herbs and free for people to help themselves...

happy growing!!

best,

Kate

Hi Barbara, welcome. I'm in the plot next to you. Sorry to hear your plants have disappeared. I'm guessing it was a bit too tempting for someone especially since they weren't in the ground. 

Kirsty, I told a few kids off the other day for pulling up your netting. After I explained they were someone's who took the time to carefully place it there, they were apologetic and asked questions about the plots. 

I have also found bits of plants pulled out and trash in the plots. A sign might be a good idea, the kids might not be able to read, but hopefully their parents will inform them. 

I have lots of oregano on my plot which was there already. It's the only thing that seems to be doing well so please help yourselves.

Tiffany

Really sorry to hear about the problems with the playground beds. I emailed Mick Guerin and have had a reply:

We will keep an eye on the planters in the playground, it might be that it is happening after we close at night. Usually with this sort of thing it passes very quickly as they just get bored of it, it is annoying though.

I think what you are doing, Tiffany, actually talking to the kids is as likely to work as anything. 

Do please let me know of any further problems - I will keep an eye on it and make sure the Park knows too. Maggie

Thanks Maggie - and thank you Tiffany, too :)

Hi All,

People from the Transition Core Group that helped set up the allotments would like to come and have a recce on Saturday afternoon at 4.00 o'clock. It's very unlikely I can be there myself and I wonder if anyone else can make it? 

Meanwhile, Salusbury World have said they are organising a site visit with some of the refugees who use their services tomorrow morning at 11.15. I will be there for that but if anyone else would like to join us, that would be great.

All best Maggie

Calling all garden buddies... The refugees are coming!

A lot of interest from Salusbury World now and more people coming to look this coming Tuesday at 10.15 at the allotments. Can any buddies be there or are you all at work?

If you can't be there, would be text me to confirm I can pass your number on to the person/family you will be helping to get started? My mobile number for the text is 

07986 599848.  Maggie

Welcome to our new members! They are Kalafat, Samira, Sabha, Asma, Khola, Eliene, Fabiana, Sahar, Dena, Sherin and Ahmed. They have not joined the website yet but the buddies and Salusbury World will be helping them with that in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, if you run into any of them when you are tending your plot, do introduce yourselves and say a friendly 'hello'. 

I will be at the allotments on Saturday from 1.00ish to 2.00ish if anyone feels like joining me. 

Maggie

Hope some of you can come to a Garden Together (weed together!) this coming weekend, either on Saturday or Sunday between 11.00 and 1.00.

Can you let me know which, if either, day you can be there? 

Maggie

Hi Mark and everyone...

I'll be at the park again tomorrow at 12.00 rather than 11.00 tomorrow, as it seems I am playing tennis at 11.00! We watered everything today and filled the water butt, so I will probably only stay about an hour. Look forward to seeing whoever can come.  All best, Maggie

(plus congrats on your upcoming wedding, Mark!)

Hi everyone,

Can we have a 'garden together' this coming Sunday, June 11, from around midday until 2 or 3 pm?  I will be away for a couple of weeks after that. Would be good to see as many of you as can come. Maggie

Hi everyone,

Can we have a 'garden together' this coming Sunday, June 11, from around midday until 2 or 3 pm?  I will be away for a couple of weeks after that. Would be good to see as many of you as can come. Maggie