Allotment Diary - Week 1

THURSDAY 25TH JUNE 2009
Well, I signed the paperwork for an allotment today - my first. Actually, it's a half-plot measuring approx 5M wide x 20M long. The site caretaker, Joe, suggested taking only half a plot to start with because many 'beginners' like the idea of having an allotment, but just can't manage it. Even 100 sq.M looks quite daunting and 200 sq.M looks impossible - especially for someone in full-time employment and with a pretty active social-life to boot!Joe has rotavated my plot for me, so it's pretty clean to start with. Thanks Joe!

FRIDAY 26TH JUNE 2009
Purchased two books from Amazon; The Allotment Book by Andi Clevely and also Allotment Month By Month by Alan Buckingham. Total £20 inc P&P... I'll let you know how I get on with them as this blog develops!

SATURDAY 27TH JUNE 2009
A quick trip to the allotment with my wife, Michelle, to show her where it is and to start boasting about how I'm going to be the hunter/gatherer of the family

SUNDAY 28TH JUNE 2009
A trip to B&Q this morning set me back near £100. Some of it perhaps wasn't necessary, as we already have a garden fork, hoe, rake etc at home, but the idea is to put a small shed at the bottom of the plot and store a few tools onsite. I also purchased some planting pots (reusable), some netting (to keep the birds off), some small canes and some plastic tags to write on with a permanent marker (so I can remember what I planted and where!). I also spent £20 on 200L of manure. I probably could have got this cheaper elsewhere, but I was determined to get started today! Oh, and some Wellies and gardening gloves.

My good friend, Peter Chilcott will share some of the cost. Peter has some experience in growing veg from seed and will come over to the allotment with me occasionally to help out and, no doubt, share in the booty! This is fine though, as not only can Peter offer a lot of help and advice, he also has some plants started in pots, so they went into the ground today - Broad Beans, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Peppers. We've also invested in some seed between us, which Peter will start off at home before getting them into the ground. We've missed our window for many crops this year, such as Onions, Tomatoes & Runner Beans; but we are still in time to plant some Carrots, Parsnips and Lettuce. We're now on the look out for some seed-potatoes to plant, which we will eventually put-aside up to 20% of the plot for on a rotational basis, so we have spuds all year long! And I've already asked the site-caretaker, Joe, if he can help me get my hands on some Rhubarb to plant later in the year.

My 11 year old daughter, Megan, came to help today. It's the first time she had seen the plot and is clearly as keen as me to get started. I ferried the 4 bags of manure, various tools and a garden hose from my car, while Megan ferried the potting trays we had picked up from Peter's. I then laid out the bags of manure strategically across the plot, ready to be split open and dig into the soil. I can feel already that running an allotment is going to be quite physical and I'm looking forward to the exercise... some would say I'm desperately in need of the exercise!The first job was to split open one of the bags of manure and spread it over approx 25% of my plot, then dig it in. 2pm on a hot day is not the best time to be turning over the soil with a garden fork to dig in the manure and it was seriously hot work. After turning over about 20% of the 25%, I was sweating cobs! Megan hooked-up the hose pipe and it was a good excuse for a break. We had a drink from the hose and a good hosedown with cold water to help cool down. Of course, I made sure Megan got a good soaking too and we giggled like idiots before starting work again. Megan picked out any weeds as I turned over the soil. The hose scene was experienced twice more before digging manure into that section of the plot was completed.

As we stood back to admire our work, a neighboring allotmenteer walked past holding a bunch of flowers he had just picked from his plot. I commented on how good they looked and he offered me a smell of them. The smell was divine! We chatted for a few minutes and I told him what we were up to and planning today. As I hoped would be the case, he offered his help and/or advice any time I needed it.

Let the planting commence! One 5M row each of Broad Beans, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts and Peppers, with the rows about 8"/9" apart and the seedlings separated a similar distance from each other. Megan wrote out the plastic tags and then helped me remove the plants from the starter-pots as I planted them. At this point, Joe the Caretaker arrived and came over to chat. This is clearly going to be a very social pastime too! While Joe and I put the world to rights, Megan finished off the planting and before too long, all the seedlings were in the ground. A good watering to help them along and then, with Joe's advice close to hand, we covered the rows with horticultural fleece to stop the pigeons getting to them! Ideally, as the plants get established, I'll need to put netting over them, which will keep the birds off and Joe showed me how to erect a makeshift frame for future reference.

3pm and time to go home for a well-earned Sunday dinner and another opportunity to boast to Michelle how the veg on the plate will soon be coming from the land cultivated by my own hand! Megan and I giggled again like idiots... a great start to being an Allotmenteer!

Amazing allotments!

My Mum (Mrs Ambarchian) has had fantastic success with Year One of her allotment effort...

Check out the fantastic fruit and veg she has grown along with neighbours Chris and Colin Floyd who she shares the allotment with (by all accounts Colin ends up doing most of the work!!)

Not sure whether it's the carrot of love, or if little carrot is gradually squeezing the life out of big carrot!

A Green New Deal...

UK needs ‘Green New Deal’ to tackle ‘triple crunch’ of credit, oil price and climate crises

On the first anniversary of Northern Rock falsely reassuring markets, and 75 years since President Roosevelt launched a New Deal to rescue the US from financial crisis, a new group of experts in finance, energy and the environment have come together to propose a ‘Green New Deal’ for the UK.

And, as the Green New Deal Group launch their proposals, new analysis suggests that from the end of July 2008 there is only 100 months, or less, to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere before we hit a potential point of no return.

The Green New Deal is a response to the credit crunch and wider energy and food crises, and to the lack of comprehensive, joined-up action from politicians. It calls for:

Massive investment in renewable energy and wider environmental transformation in the UK, leading to:
-The creation of thousands of new green collar jobs
- Reining in reckless aspects of the finance sector – but making low-cost capital available to fund the UK’s green economic shift
- Building a new alliance between environmentalists, industry, agriculture, and unions to put the interests of the real economy ahead of those of footloose finance

Check out more information on this here...

Love Food Hate Waste...

If you haven't already checked out this website, make sure you do now...

Every year in the UK we throw away £10 billion worth of food which could have been eaten. Love Food Hate Waste is a campaign from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) which shows that by doing easy practical everyday things in the home we can all waste less food, which ultimately benefits our purses and the environment too. If we all stopped wasting food that could have been eaten, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 1 in 5 cars off UK roads. lovefoodhatewaste.com has lots of delicious recipes to use up leftovers, handy hints and tips for storing food to make it last longer, a portion calculator to help you cook the right amount, and information on what food date labels mean. There is something for everyone, whether you are a keen cook, or simply want to reduce the amount of food which you throw away.

What can you recycle in Peterborough?

Important information: (from Peterborough City Council)

Please place items into the green bin LOOSE if your bin has incorrect items in it will not be emptied and a sticker detailing why it was rejected will be placed on your bin, once you have removed such items the bin will be collected on your next designated recycling collection please wash, flatten and take all tops off plastic bottles, (tops in black landfill bin please)

Top tip
To get more recyclables in your bin, break down all cardboard boxes and squash all tins, cans and plastic bottles.

Small Change, Big Difference Week...13-18 July 2009

We are calling for all local businesses to get involved with Small Change Big Difference week 2009 between 13th and 18th July...

Simple changes at work make a positive environmental impact and could save you money.

Lights left on overnight use enough energy in a year to heat a home for five months!

We want local organisations to pledge to make one simple change and keep it up for a year. We've set up a mini-website for the campaign where you can choose the pledge you want to make, find out what impact your small change will have if you keep it up for a year, and see what other people have promised to do.

Visit: www.ukenvironmentcapital.com/pledge to get involved!

If you have any questions contact me on: nyree.ambarchian@pect.net, 01733 567159

Big Lunch - 19th July 2009!

Handy tools for your big lunch! from the organising team at the Eden Project...

The Big Lunch Brochure, your handy manual to serving up a Big Lunch is now available to buy online at www.thebiglunch.com Packed with wild ideas and straight up facts it's the big lowdown on all you need to know for July 19th, and it's all for just £2.00. You can also get batches of our leaflets - an upbeat message on the front and lots of practical info in the back - to help you spread the word about The Big Lunch with your neighbours.

We have The Big Lunch Posters to help you promote The Big Lunch in your street. Some examples can currently be found at www.edenproject.com/documents/big-lunch-posters/poster1.pdf and another at www.edenproject.com/documents/big-lunch-posters/poster6.pdf and there will be a full range including designs for the workplace available on our website soon. They have space for you to add in contact details or information about your plans to get your street lunching.

If you're a teacher, youth leader or work with young people, find out how The Big Lunch can support you in what you already do as well as giving you lots of ideas to get young people involved with the big day in our free handy guide online at www.thebiglunch.com

Tell us what you're up to

Is yours going to be the biggest Big Lunch? Is it going to be unusual in any way or happen in a strange place? Have you got a street band, some budding artists or exotic recipes? Have you got an especially friendly street or are you trying to plan a Lunch on a street where no one speaks to their neighbours?

We're on the lookout for Big Lunch stories to use in the media to really raise awareness of The Big Lunch, so if you've got an interesting story to tell we'd love to hear from you. Contact the Big Lunch team on 020 7636 8152, info@thebiglunch.com or through one of our groups below.

Make Connections

The Big Lunch is now on social networking sites so come and join us, share your plans, ask questions and make new Big Lunch friends.

Find us on Facebook - our group is "The Big Lunch - an eden project, the official site: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=63448562733 , Twitter twitter.com/thebiglunch, post your Big Lunch photos on Flickr www.flickr.com/groups/1091071@N23/ and have a look at some of ours http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebiglunch/

The End of the Line

The End of the Line :: Home Page

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The End of the Line...

After the sucessful screening of The Age of Stupid during the Green Festival, Peterborough Enviornment City Trust is now looking to screen The End of the Line.

The world’s first major documentary about the devastating effect of overfishing premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

Imagine an ocean without fish. Imagine your meals without seafood. Imagine the global consequences. This is the future if we do not stop, think and act.

To register your interest in attending a screening of this film email: nyree.ambarchian@pect.net

http://endoftheline.com/

NEW QUICK CARBON CALCULATOR LAUNCHED BY RESURGENCE MAGAZINE

Resurgence magazine has created a 'Quick Carbon Calculator' that allows you to calculate annual CO2 emissions on the spot, without referring to your energy bills. Following on from their award-winning Carbon Calculator designed by low-carbon pioneer, Mukti Mitchell, this new Quick Carbon Calculator is even simpler and easier to use.

Resurgence has been at the forefront of the environment movement for over 40 years presenting a positive perspective on the latest environmental trends that has inspired millions of individuals around the world. The new online calculator isn’t designed to make people feel guilty about their lifestyle. On the contrary, Satish Kumar, who has edited Resurgence for the past 35 years explained why such a tool can simplify your life:

“This calculator will help you reduce your carbon emissions and increase your quality of life.

Reduction of carbon emissions need not be a burden – it can be a source of pleasure. You have to be the change you want to see in the world. When you change the world will begin to change.”

National average emissions are currently 10 tonnes per person per year. In 2004 the UK government pledged to cut emissions by 20% by 2012 to around 8 tonnes per capita. They have now pledged 80% reductions by 2050 to around 2 tonnes per capita, which is the sustainable CO2 quota per capita globally.

“The bold targets set by government show that we’ve all got to look at our lifestyles and make some changes,” explained Mukti, who’s original calculator has been widely cited as the most accurate on the web, “The new Resurgence Quick Carbon Calculator can help pinpoint the areas where it might be easiest for you to make those changes.”

The calculator has already received excellent reviews from both environmental professionals and the general public. Peter Yeo, admitted his surprise at his own footprint:

“The calculator showed I currently produce between 6-7 tonnes of CO2 a year which was surprising as I live a relatively low-impact lifestyle.

Nevertheless, it also revealed my biggest carbon culprit to be the oil burner used for heating my property. This has prompted me to look into alternative sources of heating that will save me money in the winter and whilst reducing CO2 emissions at the same time ”

The Resurgence online Quick Carbon Calculator provides accurate information about carbon footprints – enabling individuals to make informed choices. To reduce your carbon footprint, Resurgence suggests starting at your current level and reducing it by 4% per year. This allows you to play your part in reaching the national targets in a surprisingly easy way!

To try the Resurgence Quick Calculator click here...