What with starting the new job next week I took the opportunity to get onto the allotment on a Thursday afternoon. There's still a ton of digging to be done and it won't do itself. I first of all popped into The Woolpack, and anyone watching would have thought that I was reading the paper and having a pint. No way, Jose! I was consuming what would shortly become compost accelerant and reading what would very soon become compost - it's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
After adding an insulating layer of bubble wrap to the compost bin, I got stuck into the digging. The ground I'm on now is undulating and with widely varying soil for such a relatively small area.
I guess the raised areas are where last year's potatoes were grown, and the compacted strip is where last year's gardener walked up and down to tend them. It was bloomin' hard work again. And then Neighbour Paul arrived and started attacking his patch with a rotovator....
He went through it like a hot knife through butter, while I heaved and panted and puffed etc. Fantastic time and labour saving idea, but not for me (not yet anyway). I accused him of ruining his carbon footprint and he had the good grace not to ridicule my sluggish attempts at soil preparation....after an hour he'd done most of his garden. He switched the infernal machine off (it had also ruined my peace and quiet, dammit!) and yelled "Giving the ozone layer a break now!" You can see Paul and his infernal engine in the background in the top picture.
So I spent 2 1/2 hours grafting yesterday, and enjoyed it. Next visit will be at the weekend I expect, the now-regular pre-pint Sunday morning session.
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