Barton Fields Allotment Association
News Update October 2017
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who turned up for the Working Party on Sunday. Members worked incredibly hard to get the strimming and mowing done and the shed got sorted out. All the goods outside the shed are for people to help themselves to, or take to the tip. A big Thanks as always to all those Members who help out with grass cutting and maintenance on a regular basis.
The Working Party gave an opportunity to use the new machinery – a strimmer and brush cutter, which after some initial technical problems worked well. Training will be available on all the machines through Michael Evans (Plots174/175). This all has to be recorded to comply with Health and Safety/Insurance so it is going to take a bit of time.
All the machinery in the shed has been serviced and is available for use, after training records are completed. Please talk to Michael Evans.
Anyone who had their machinery ‘smartwatered’ by the Police back in August needs to let Janette know the name, model, make and serial number so that it can be registered.
Janet, on behalf of the Allotments applied to the Woodlands Trust for a grant for trees, some time ago. We are delighted to hear the Association has been given altogether nearly 300 trees/shrubs! - a wild harvest selection including hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, cherry plum, dog rose; some year round colour including hawthorn, silver birch, hazel, rowan, dogwood, wild cherry; and small hedging including hawthorn, hazel, crab apple, dog rose, dogwood.
These will be arriving in November so the next Working Party will be when these are delivered. We will need to heel them in, in a temporary area, ready to plant out when the fences are replaced.
The Pumpkins were measured today and the results are:
First Plot 184a – circumference 63 and 3/4inches, 2nd place Plot 204 – circumference 63 and ½ inches, and 3rd Plot 174 with 60 and ½ inches. Thank you to everyone who entered.
A reminder that Barton Bash is on 30th September and we will have a stall there from 12-4 (set up from 11am). Anyone wishing to donate produce for sale please get in touch with Janet or Janette. Any help on the day woud be appreciated.
We have an advert in the Hands on Newsthis quarter saying we have plots available and have had some enquiries which we are following up. We are now looking at running an article in there on a regular basis talking about the benefits of having an allotment (and ours in particular), different growing methods, questions/answers, maybe interviews with some of our Members – oldest/youngest maybe. Anyone who has ideas/interest in helping with this please contact Jenny (Plot 206ua) or Janette (Plot 182).
Welcome to recent new Members: Plot 148 MrProka, Plot 149, Plot 201 Gary and Courtney, Plot 154U Jennifer and Michael, Plot 162U JJ and Olga,
And Plot 145a Sarah.
The Plot Audits have been completed and Members who need to have been contacted.