I have had my allotment for a few years now. In reality it is only about a 3 minute brisk walk from my front door but at times it seems much further. I grow fruit and vegetables - organically - at least I try to - ha ha!
Why do I have an allotment - a question I ask myself on a regular basis! I have it because there are times when I truly love being up there working the soil. There is something special about the allotment concept too. The obvious one is eating what I have grown organically. I can derive a great deal of satisfaction from that.
So why do I ever question the good sense of having it? Well an allotment demands attention - not necessarily vast amounts of time but if you do not keep at it regularly it will run away quickly and you will be faced with a dispiriting mess. It is a bit like trying to stay physically fit. If you don't exercise regularly you lose your fitness. Once you have lost it, it is much harder to get it back and it takes a lot of willpower. Time and energy has to be summoned up. Sometimes it is just not available. There are times when I am away and it really shows when I finally get back to it. Like so many things in life the hardest part is getting started again. It is true - the less you do the less you feel like doing.
But I have learned to be philosophical and realistic. Ok my allotment does not look perfect. Does it matter? Sometimes things don't grow or if they do they get eaten by slugs or mice or pigeons or rabbits - I never quite know! Sometimes my losses are self inflicted like over the last fortnight. I planted out some stuff. Some needed covering and I failed to get around to doing it - and it was eaten. Bloody hell - you have to smile - nature is tough!
Why am I prompted to write this blog now? Because I am smiling - chuckling at the lunacy of it. The lunacy of the allotment and my love hate relationship with it (although I have never actually hated it - but you understand what I mean). This evening I am in love with it - bigtime.
The last week has been dry and hot and I have been doing other important things - lol! Almost a week has elapsed since my last visit. Like going on a training run when you don't really fancy it - I dragged myself up to the allotment late this afternoon to plant some French beans I had started in the greenhouse. I nearly didn't go. Initially I think blimey its looking untidy again - and I notice some of my salad stuff has suffered in the relative drought. It would have made such a difference if I could have been bothered to make the modest effort of getting up there before to do some watering. I didn't. I haven't. So stuff has died. Fool. Will you ever learn? But then joy of joys. My asparagus bed is covered in spears. It amazing what can grow in a week. I really love asparagus. And then I look over my strawberry bed. In a few days masses of ripe ones have appeared. That was unexpected.
So tonight an asparagus starter and fresh strawberries to finish. Home grown - totally organic - totally fresh. Really great. I have a huge smile. I love my allotment - may I never tell you otherwise!!
Why do I have an allotment - a question I ask myself on a regular basis! I have it because there are times when I truly love being up there working the soil. There is something special about the allotment concept too. The obvious one is eating what I have grown organically. I can derive a great deal of satisfaction from that.
So why do I ever question the good sense of having it? Well an allotment demands attention - not necessarily vast amounts of time but if you do not keep at it regularly it will run away quickly and you will be faced with a dispiriting mess. It is a bit like trying to stay physically fit. If you don't exercise regularly you lose your fitness. Once you have lost it, it is much harder to get it back and it takes a lot of willpower. Time and energy has to be summoned up. Sometimes it is just not available. There are times when I am away and it really shows when I finally get back to it. Like so many things in life the hardest part is getting started again. It is true - the less you do the less you feel like doing.
But I have learned to be philosophical and realistic. Ok my allotment does not look perfect. Does it matter? Sometimes things don't grow or if they do they get eaten by slugs or mice or pigeons or rabbits - I never quite know! Sometimes my losses are self inflicted like over the last fortnight. I planted out some stuff. Some needed covering and I failed to get around to doing it - and it was eaten. Bloody hell - you have to smile - nature is tough!
Why am I prompted to write this blog now? Because I am smiling - chuckling at the lunacy of it. The lunacy of the allotment and my love hate relationship with it (although I have never actually hated it - but you understand what I mean). This evening I am in love with it - bigtime.
The last week has been dry and hot and I have been doing other important things - lol! Almost a week has elapsed since my last visit. Like going on a training run when you don't really fancy it - I dragged myself up to the allotment late this afternoon to plant some French beans I had started in the greenhouse. I nearly didn't go. Initially I think blimey its looking untidy again - and I notice some of my salad stuff has suffered in the relative drought. It would have made such a difference if I could have been bothered to make the modest effort of getting up there before to do some watering. I didn't. I haven't. So stuff has died. Fool. Will you ever learn? But then joy of joys. My asparagus bed is covered in spears. It amazing what can grow in a week. I really love asparagus. And then I look over my strawberry bed. In a few days masses of ripe ones have appeared. That was unexpected.
So tonight an asparagus starter and fresh strawberries to finish. Home grown - totally organic - totally fresh. Really great. I have a huge smile. I love my allotment - may I never tell you otherwise!!
No comments:
Post a Comment